5 ms·

Turning my Framework laptop into a tiny desktop

134 points by interpol_p 3y ago

hurutparittya 3y ago
If only they had an anodized black option.... The fact that you have to resort to breaking out the rattle-can or use janky stickers on your $3000+ machine just to have it in the most popular computer color is simply maddening.
coreyh14444 3y ago
This guy on YouTube has some great Framework custom project videos if you are into such things (I am): https://www.youtube.com/c/elevatedsystems https://www.youtube.com/c/elevatedsystems
bitwize 3y ago
The best part is the cat. "If not for sits, why is it made of warm?" is universally applicable.
bloopernova 3y ago
For a tiny desktop, I've used my lenovo M900 tiny thinkcentre. It's also good as a very capable home server and runs practically silently.
- datadrivenangel 3y ago
  These are great little boxes. Got a few second hand and they are power efficient and quite capable.
- shortrounddev2 3y ago
  I've always wondered what those types of PCs are for, other than enterprise workstations in offices. What do you use your home server for? Serving media?
  - mcronce 3y ago
    I've got one in use (it was my father-in-law's desktop PC when he was still alive) as a node in my k8s cluster. It's currently got a couple of Gitlab's microservices, one of Harbor's microservices, ntfy, Nextcloud, coredns, and a couple ephemeral MySQL backup processes running.
    - shortrounddev2 3y ago
      But what are those for? Like what applications do you run with then and what are you using them for?
      - mcronce 3y ago
        The Gitlab microservices run Gitlab; the Harbor microservice runs Harbor. ntfy and Nextcloud are their own services, and coredns serves DNS to the network. The MySQL backup processes are for small apps I host for myself and for a friend's bar.
  - bloopernova 3y ago
    General "thing" to ssh into. Dev box for local development. File serving. Home Assistant server. Testing Container stuff.
  - ja27 3y ago
    I have one (i7-6700T, 32GB RAM) that cost me about $250. Runs proxmox. A few VMs for trying new BSD/linux releases, Plan 9, etc. A Windows VM. A minecraft server. A couple dev/test servers. I have another small PC next to it running stuff like Plex and webhosting that I'd like to containerize and move to a VM on proxmox.
  - ranger207 3y ago
    Right now my homelab hosts a MediaWiki instance for personal writing, a couple of instances of Foundry Virtual Tabletop for playing D&D over the internet, and a handful of video game dedicated servers. Most importantly though it's a practice environment for genetal systems administration
indymike 3y ago
This is a really nice idea. It's also small enough you could hide it behind the living room TV and it would probably make a nice little media center PC.
Sphax 3y ago
I still have my old 11th gen mainboard and thought about doing this but I don't really have a use case for it sadly.
- saidinesh5 3y ago
  Just having a server to back up your data using syncthing? You can install steam os and have some couch gaming experience too..
- benterix 3y ago
  I have an idea for you: https://www.lakka.tv/ https://www.lakka.tv/ [0] Endless hours of nostalgic fun, especially if you invite a colleague from the same generation. [0] And many others like Batocera.org
vidarh 3y ago
I don't know what I'd use one more machine for, but having the option certainly will be firmly in the "pro" column when considering whether to get a Framework laptop next time, because even if I don't find a use for it, it increases the chance it might be useful for someone else...
flapjaxy 3y ago
It's refreshing to see a company follow through on their promised use case. Especially since a lot of devices (home automation bridges, nas, media set tops, etc) are just purpose dedicated computers. I'd love for my next home server to be a laptop upgrade and 3d print away.
belltaco 3y ago
Linus has a video of doing this live at Computex with Framework engineers guiding him. https://youtu.be/iU_iWa9LL_s?t=354 https://youtu.be/iU_iWa9LL_s?t=354
- itherseed 3y ago
  The man next to Linus is not just an engineer, is the CEO of the company. Just wanted to point that out.
  - stevefan1999 3y ago
    Maybe he's the Chief Engineering Officier given that he used to work at Oculus
JamesLeonis 3y ago
A long time ago I put a full desktop tower in my car to run as a headless music player. It was as impractical and terrible as you can possibly imagine, and I loved every second of it. I can easily imagine a Framework repurposed as a headless in-car assistant. I might explore this idea when it comes time to upgrade. EDIT: Thinking about it, with a couple of Nintendo Switch controllers and a screen, you can make a DIY Steam Deck.
- vlod 3y ago
  That would be a sight. lol. Pictures?
  - JamesLeonis 3y ago
    Unfortunately no, but I guarantee it's one of the mangled beige boxes at the bottom of this photo [0] stuffed behind the drivers side seat and a keyboard in the passenger side. [0]: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIvRzj39l45E2JyrXXtdubt7my43kLZR/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIvRzj39l45E2JyrXXtdubt7my4...
abeisgreat 3y ago
I recently did my own case build around a framework motherboard in a retro style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOAE5c7YXs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOAE5c7YXs it worked pretty well and I actually met up with the Framework CEO, Nirav, when I was recently in SF to discuss ways to better enable this type of project. I truly believe they want to support creative re-use.
- 037 3y ago
  Really funny project and video!
trustingtrust 3y ago
I just got a new USB-C monitor that delivers 65W watt. I think something like this would be a wonderful desktop for me and I might just get one for a desktop.

134 points by interpol_p 3y ago

If only they had an anodized black option.... The fact that you have to resort to breaking out the rattle-can or use janky stickers on your $3000+ machine just to have it in the most popular computer color is simply maddening.

coreyh14444 3y ago

This guy on YouTube has some great Framework custom project videos if you are into such things (I am): https://www.youtube.com/c/elevatedsystems https://www.youtube.com/c/elevatedsystems

bitwize 3y ago

The best part is the cat. "If not for sits, why is it made of warm?" is universally applicable.

bloopernova 3y ago

For a tiny desktop, I've used my lenovo M900 tiny thinkcentre. It's also good as a very capable home server and runs practically silently.

datadrivenangel 3y ago
These are great little boxes. Got a few second hand and they are power efficient and quite capable.
shortrounddev2 3y ago
I've always wondered what those types of PCs are for, other than enterprise workstations in offices. What do you use your home server for? Serving media?
- mcronce 3y ago
  I've got one in use (it was my father-in-law's desktop PC when he was still alive) as a node in my k8s cluster. It's currently got a couple of Gitlab's microservices, one of Harbor's microservices, ntfy, Nextcloud, coredns, and a couple ephemeral MySQL backup processes running.
  - shortrounddev2 3y ago
    But what are those for? Like what applications do you run with then and what are you using them for?
    - mcronce 3y ago
      The Gitlab microservices run Gitlab; the Harbor microservice runs Harbor. ntfy and Nextcloud are their own services, and coredns serves DNS to the network. The MySQL backup processes are for small apps I host for myself and for a friend's bar.
- bloopernova 3y ago
  General "thing" to ssh into. Dev box for local development. File serving. Home Assistant server. Testing Container stuff.
- ja27 3y ago
  I have one (i7-6700T, 32GB RAM) that cost me about $250. Runs proxmox. A few VMs for trying new BSD/linux releases, Plan 9, etc. A Windows VM. A minecraft server. A couple dev/test servers. I have another small PC next to it running stuff like Plex and webhosting that I'd like to containerize and move to a VM on proxmox.
- ranger207 3y ago
  Right now my homelab hosts a MediaWiki instance for personal writing, a couple of instances of Foundry Virtual Tabletop for playing D&D over the internet, and a handful of video game dedicated servers. Most importantly though it's a practice environment for genetal systems administration

indymike 3y ago

This is a really nice idea. It's also small enough you could hide it behind the living room TV and it would probably make a nice little media center PC.

Sphax 3y ago

I still have my old 11th gen mainboard and thought about doing this but I don't really have a use case for it sadly.

saidinesh5 3y ago
Just having a server to back up your data using syncthing? You can install steam os and have some couch gaming experience too..
benterix 3y ago
I have an idea for you: https://www.lakka.tv/ https://www.lakka.tv/ [0] Endless hours of nostalgic fun, especially if you invite a colleague from the same generation. [0] And many others like Batocera.org

vidarh 3y ago

I don't know what I'd use one more machine for, but having the option certainly will be firmly in the "pro" column when considering whether to get a Framework laptop next time, because even if I don't find a use for it, it increases the chance it might be useful for someone else...

flapjaxy 3y ago

It's refreshing to see a company follow through on their promised use case. Especially since a lot of devices (home automation bridges, nas, media set tops, etc) are just purpose dedicated computers. I'd love for my next home server to be a laptop upgrade and 3d print away.

belltaco 3y ago

Linus has a video of doing this live at Computex with Framework engineers guiding him. https://youtu.be/iU_iWa9LL_s?t=354 https://youtu.be/iU_iWa9LL_s?t=354

itherseed 3y ago
The man next to Linus is not just an engineer, is the CEO of the company. Just wanted to point that out.
- stevefan1999 3y ago
  Maybe he's the Chief Engineering Officier given that he used to work at Oculus

JamesLeonis 3y ago

A long time ago I put a full desktop tower in my car to run as a headless music player. It was as impractical and terrible as you can possibly imagine, and I loved every second of it. I can easily imagine a Framework repurposed as a headless in-car assistant. I might explore this idea when it comes time to upgrade. EDIT: Thinking about it, with a couple of Nintendo Switch controllers and a screen, you can make a DIY Steam Deck.

vlod 3y ago
That would be a sight. lol. Pictures?
- JamesLeonis 3y ago
  Unfortunately no, but I guarantee it's one of the mangled beige boxes at the bottom of this photo [0] stuffed behind the drivers side seat and a keyboard in the passenger side. [0]: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIvRzj39l45E2JyrXXtdubt7my43kLZR/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIvRzj39l45E2JyrXXtdubt7my4...

abeisgreat 3y ago

I recently did my own case build around a framework motherboard in a retro style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOAE5c7YXs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOAE5c7YXs it worked pretty well and I actually met up with the Framework CEO, Nirav, when I was recently in SF to discuss ways to better enable this type of project. I truly believe they want to support creative re-use.

037 3y ago
Really funny project and video!

trustingtrust 3y ago

I just got a new USB-C monitor that delivers 65W watt. I think something like this would be a wonderful desktop for me and I might just get one for a desktop.