The Raspberry Pi is small, low-powered, and with a battery, portable. Wouldn’t it be great if you could turn your Raspberry Pi into a homemade laptop? Well you can!
We found nine ways to turn a Raspberry Pi into a laptop using fabricated kits and / or 3D printed plans.
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Why use a Raspberry Pi as a laptop?
It is compact, easy to set up, and capable of being connected to a variety of hardware devices. The real question is: why shouldn’t you use a Raspberry Pi as a laptop?
Two key options present themselves: a (relatively) high-powered Raspberry Pi 4 or the ridiculously low and thin priced Raspberry Pi Zero.
Just imagine the possibilities. With a Raspberry Pi powered laptop, not only do you have a laptop that you can use for productivity, but you can also use it for coding projects. Even better, many Pi laptop designs provide access to the GPIO, allowing you to easily connect to other devices, just like you would if sitting naked on your desk.
The following examples can turn a Raspberry Pi into a laptop. If you’re looking for some smaller uses, check out the projects that make your Raspberry Pi portable .
1. pi-top [3]
A modular laptop with a Raspberry Pi Model 3B + (although you can order it without), the pi-top is amazing. In short, it’s a laptop chassis with a keyboard that slides out, exposing the insides. You won’t find much here, aside from a PCB to connect your Raspberry Pi to.
The pi-top has been around for several years, with the latest version compatible with the 3B + model. By mounting the connector board and Pi on a rail, other devices can be connected alongside, such as a breadboard. These are all hidden when you slide the keyboard into place. When the mood takes you for some DIY electronics, simply slide the keyboard back and plug in another device.
There is also a special heat sink to keep your Raspberry Pi cool, and the pi-top has its own operating system.
2. Piper Raspberry Pi laptop kit
Another portable Raspberry Pi kit that focuses on electronics and programming, the Piper comes with a self-assembling wooden case. There is a non-touch display, a speaker and compartment for the Raspberry Pi and a breadboard. Also included are all the cables, LEDs and switches you might need. The kit also includes a rechargeable power supply, making it truly portable.
While the addition of a compact keyboard allows you to use the Piper for standard Raspberry Pi-based productivity tasks, it’s the dedicated version of Minecraft-Pi that sets this kit apart.
Not a standard Raspberry Pi 3 laptop, the Piper is a useful educational tool that can go anywhere.
Related: Piper DIY Computer Kit Review
3. Raspberry Pi and Arduino laptops
With a full keyboard, DIY trackpad, and 7-inch display, this DIY build will translate into your Raspberry Pi laptop. This project uses a Raspberry Pi 3, but you could easily replace it with a Raspberry Pi Model 3B +.
A detailed video (above) accompanies this build. You’ll learn how to build the battery pack, connect a boost charger and converter, and even extend a USB port to improve accessibility.
The Arduino component, meanwhile, displays a state for battery charge, as well as providing connectivity for the sensor modules. It’s a useful all-in-one approach!
With a keyboard from a 7-inch tablet case, this Raspberry Pi laptop is constructed of reinforced cardboard.
4. CrowPi 2 Raspberry Pi laptop kit
A sturdy laptop chassis with room for a Raspberry Pi 4 (a 4GB model is included), the CrowPi 2 is a superb kit. Shipped with a power supply, two game controllers, a built-in electronics board for the workshop, and a set of components for STEM development, CrowPi 2 is a bit of a hobbyist’s dream.
The built-in electronics board alone for the shop is enough to keep you going, while the “loose” components – many of which can be breadboarded in the shop – can help push your learning further.
Overall, this is a great Raspberry Pi laptop kit with a strong focus on learning, ideal for those over 12.
Related: CrowPi 2 Raspberry Pi Workshop Review
5. DIY Raspberry Pi Pocket Laptop
Using a keyboard, an IPS display, a portable charger, and a Raspberry Pi 3, this laptop looks simpler than it is. A switch is connected to the battery, allowing for easy ignition. As with most Pis, however, the shutdown should be done from within the operating system (to avoid a corrupt SD card).
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this build, however, is the plastic chassis. While it doesn’t have room for your chosen Bluetooth keyboard (others might be more suitable), it’s a surprisingly perfect solution.
What’s particularly interesting about this project is that it’s pretty bare. Only the absolute basics are included here, which gives you the option to make your own interpretation.
There is no link for this Raspberry Pi laptop project – everything you need is in the video.
6. LapPi Raspberry Pi laptop
A DIY acrylic laptop for the Raspberry Pi, the LapPi is available in 5-inch and 7-inch variants. Additionally, you can buy the kit with or without the Pi, and there’s also a version that includes a collection of shields (PiTraffic, PiCube, PiRelay, and PiTalk Shield).
LapPi is compatible with any consumer model of the Raspberry Pi you can think of and includes a capacitive touchscreen. There is also a keyboard, a rechargeable lithium-ion power bank and speakers. Four colors are available: red, blue, yellow and black.
Since both kits are particularly small, the LapPi isn’t your typical productivity laptop. However, it’s designed to help you turn your Raspberry Pi into a cool mini laptop.
7. DIY 3D printed Raspberry Pi laptop
What could be more DIY than a 3D printed laptop powered by a Raspberry Pi?
Equipped with a Raspberry Pi 2 and a 3.5-inch TFT display, this build uses a miniature Bluetooth keyboard. There’s also a lithium-ion battery and a Wi-Fi dongle, but with the newer Raspberry Pi models, this wouldn’t be necessary. Everything in this build is small and the result is a pocket-sized Raspberry Pi laptop.
While it’s closer in size to a smartphone than a netbook, the choice of keyboard makes this build easy to use. A 3D printed frame houses the keyboard, screen, and Raspberry Pi, while 3D printed hinges hold the two halves together.
Do you need to make your Raspberry Pi portable? If you feel like 3D printing your solution, this is the way to go. Find full instructions on the project’s Instructables page .
8. Mini Raspberry Pi UMPC Nano Pi2 computer
Looking for a DIY Raspberry Pi laptop that you can slip into your pocket? This minicomputer combines a Raspberry Pi 2, display, keyboard, Adafruit Powerboost 1000, a battery and 3D printing to make the smallest Raspberry Pi powered system.
Once assembled, the Pi 2 lives under the keyboard and the entire unit folds down, just like a full-sized keyboard. Although the 4-inch LCD is compact, if you need a Pi in your pocket for easy access, this is ideal.
All the details and 3D printing models you need are available on the Nano Pi2 Thingiverse project page .
9. Lego Raspberry PiBook laptop
Finally, a Raspberry Pi laptop project anyone can build, provided you have lots of plastic bricks from Denmark.
Developed by Peter Howkins, the Lego Raspberry PiBook has access to the USB port and a port to change the microSD card. It consists of standard bricks and Technic pieces and is built on two 16×24 Lego baseplates.
Head over to Peter Howkins’ website to learn more and start building your own DIY Raspberry Pi laptop out of Lego .
Build your own Raspberry Pi laptop
With so many potential options for your Raspberry Pi laptop project, you should find enough to replicate here. No matter what Raspberry Pi model you own, there is a build to suit every form factor and budget.
