Creator Spotlight: HACK-E Portable XENEON EDGE Cyberdeck, by LazyPixelCat

It seems that the XENEON EDGE is becoming a preferred foundation around which innovative hobbyists build their newest creation and this time, we're pointing the CORSAIR Creator Spotlight at LazyPixelCat.

LazyPixelCat has created a custom Cyberdeck focused on the XENEON EDGE as the display. We saw their post on the r/corsair subreddit and had to reach out to find out all about the inspiration, the processes, and the challenges.

• LazyPixelCat on Reddit
• Their post about HACK-E
• Dashpunk linux Cyberdeck by karubits
• Official CORSAIR XENEON EDGE 3D model

Below is writeup of the questions we asked them and their responses. Their answers are enclosed in quotes for clarity.

"I'm LazyPixelCat. I'm a technology enthusiast and I've always loved making things. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades and master of none. I can be making a wooden chessboard, building furniture, putting together a cyberdeck or working on an AI project. I enjoy working with all kinds of materials, including wood and plastic. I don't really stick to one kind of project."

"I've always loved tinkering and trying projects in different areas. I was happy with my first cyberdeck, but I wanted to improve on it. I also kept looking at the second screen on my desk and thinking I could do more with it. That gave me the idea to build a new version around it."

"I love the look of older electronics, especially the original PlayStation and the grey Game Boy I grew up with. The big grooves in those plastic cases really stayed with me. I wanted that feeling here, with a grey shell, a black screen frame and a few orange details. I also spent a lot of time browsing the cassettefuturism subreddit, which was a big source of inspiration. My approach is pretty hands on. I model something, print it, try it with the actual parts and change whatever doesn't work."

"HACK-E is a portable cyberdeck built around a CORSAIR XENEON EDGE touchscreen. The name comes from my dog, Aki, who keeps me company through all my projects. It's an important name to me."

"The computer folds closed, with the screen in the lid and a keyboard with a trackpad underneath. Inside are a Beelink SER5 mini PC and a UGREEN power bank. I designed the enclosure around those components and printed it in PETG on a Bambu Lab P2S."

"It runs Linux Mint with a customised interface, also called HACK-E. That interface started from Dashpunk, a Linux touch dashboard project published on GitHub by karubits. I've changed it a lot for this machine, but I want to give the original project credit for the starting point."

"It's a portable computer that folds shut and runs on battery, with a design that looks like it came straight out of the 1990s."

"For me, building a cyberdeck is a way of making a computer truly your own. You choose how it looks and how it works around your tastes and needs. That's what I like about these projects. Each one reflects the person who built it. I'd say it appeals to people who enjoy experimenting and want to make their own version of a personal computer."

"I already had the XE on my desk as a second screen. I love unusual designs, and its bar shape immediately stood out in my setup. I wanted to give it a bigger role, which led to the idea of using it as the main display of a new cyberdeck."

"I wanted the case to follow the shape of the XE, so I had to fit the rest of the machine within those proportions. Luckily, the Beelink was the right size, but I still had to find a keyboard and arrange the other components around it."

"CORSAIR's official 3D model on Printables made designing around the screen much easier. I really wished I had found the same kind of reference for the mini PC. Getting the openings for its connectors in the right places took several test prints and a fair amount of trial and error because the measurements were difficult to get right."

"For me, the design feels like a little trip back to the 1990s. It has a personality that matches what I like, and I can keep making it my own. That goes for the software as well as the case. I can change the interface, add functions and adapt it to what I actually want to do with it."

"Fitting everything inside while keeping the case a reasonable size was the hardest part. I went through 24 design revisions and at least ten printed versions of the shell. I kept adjusting the height and width to reduce the bulk and make better use of the space."

"I also had to think about airflow. Fitting the components inside wasn't enough if the SER5 couldn't breathe, so I built a small air channel inside the case. The balance was another challenge. Opening the lid moved enough weight backwards to make the whole computer want to tip over. I eventually solved that by moving the feet to the corners and limiting the opening angle to 120 degrees."

"It was the first time I joined the two halves, fitted the hinges and saw the whole thing close properly. All the components fitted inside the case, and I could finally see the machine coming together. I still had things to fix, including the balance, but that was the moment when I thought it was actually going to work."

"It's become my everyday personal computer. I use it for home automation, retro games and controlling my desktop remotely. I also do a bit of coding on it because I love customising it. I use it so much now that I often reach for it before my main desktop. It's easier to pick up, move around and get straight into whatever I want to do."

"When I get an idea for a project, I usually spend days thinking it through before I put anything on paper or start working on the computer. I imagine how it will look, what it needs and how the parts will fit together. The idea can change many times during that process. It almost feels like I'm building it in my head before I build it with my hands.

My setup is a collection of things I've made. There are small Star Citizen helmet models, a huge wooden Stargate I built, a plant wall I installed and my first cyberdeck on the desk. HACK-E fits into that same collection, but it's also become the computer I use every day."

"you can use it straight away like a regular computer, or as a portable retro gaming console. It has its own keyboard, trackpad and battery, so you can pick it up and use it away from your desk."

"I'd love to see people make personalised cases for it. An Evangelion version in purple, black and green would be great, or something inspired by Pokemon. People come up with so many creative ideas for custom builds. The general proportions would stay similar, but the appearance could be completely different. I'd love to see what others would do with it, and I'm tempted to make several different versions myself."

"One of the side panels is a separate part held in with screws. If I want to add ports or a button later, I can redesign and print that panel without reprinting the whole enclosure. It's a small detail, but it leaves room for the project to keep changing.

The hinges also have a fixed open position of 120 degrees. I'm tall, and that angle works well for me when it's on a desk. There isn't an adjustable tilt setting, so someone with a different setup might prefer a smaller opening angle."

"The first thing I'd like to try is adding small speakers, possibly ones designed for a phone. I'm also thinking about interchangeable panels on top, so I could change the look by printing a few small pieces. Beyond that, I'd like to experiment with completely different case designs and colours while keeping the same base."