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Project Hub /Basic Analog & Power Electronics/DIY: Create Your Own (Small) Laptop!
DIY: Create Your Own (Small) Laptop!
Intermediate
RASPBERRY PI
Project Specific
6 – 12 Hours
Partial Kit

DIY: Create Your Own (Small) Laptop!

Learn how to design and build the world's smallest hacking laptop featuring a full touch keyboard and running Kali Linux.

Originally published on ElectronicsForU
View original tutorial

Parts You'll Need

This project is sourced from another site, not written by us — this list is our best match of their components against what we stock, not a verified bill of materials. Always check the original blog (linked above) for the actual parts list before buying.

We don't carry yet: LCD (generic / unspecified)
Battery (generic / unspecified)
E-Paper Display
Enclosure / Box / Case
SD / MicroSD Card
charging system

Browse all components

How It Works

Why Build This

Develop a custom, pocket-sized penetration testing workstation tailored for undergraduate engineering portfolio demonstrations.
Gain hands-on hardware integration experience by combining embedded Linux single-board computers with dual distinct displays and custom 3D-printed enclosures.
Deploy specialized cybersecurity software toolsets in a portable physical form factor suited for field communications and mobile computing analysis.

Real-World Application

Portable penetration testing, ethical hacking, secure field communications, and compact mobile computing for cybersecurity professionals.

Skills You'll Learn

Embedded Linux operating system deployment
HDMI display integration
SPI interface configuration
power management system assembly
3D printed enclosure mechanical fitting
cybersecurity toolchain utilization

Safety Precautions

Flagged during content review — not in the original source
Handle the internal battery and charging system with care to prevent short circuits, punctures, or thermal runaway, and ensure proper ventilation within the 3D-printed enclosure to avoid component overheating.

Technology Tags

RASPBERRY PI
KALI LINUX
3D PRINTING
ETHICAL HACKING
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
LINUX TERMINAL
HARDWARE DESIGN
TOUCH KEYBOARD

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B features standard HDMI ports, allowing you to connect an external monitor for troubleshooting or desktop use, though it will temporarily reduce the device's portability.
You use a computer with the Raspberry Pi disk imager software to flash the Kali Linux OS for ARM image directly onto the SD card before inserting it into the board.
It requires enabling the SPI interface within the Raspberry Pi configuration settings and installing the appropriate drivers or software overlays to register touch inputs correctly as a virtual keyboard layout.

Gallery

This page is part of Kitkraft's Project Hub — a curated collection of electronics & robotics projects gathered from the maker community to help students and hobbyists discover and learn to build. Kitkraft does not claim authorship of the original project, and makes no representation as to the accuracy, completeness or safety of third-party source material. The summary and "How It Works" explanation above are AI-generated, rewritten with reference to the original tutorial — not a reproduction of it. Full credit and a direct link to the original source are provided above. If you're the original creator and have a concern about how your work is represented here, please contact us and we'll address it promptly.

Kitkraft Project Hub — curated from the maker community, credited at the source.
PRJ-00546