I’d like to revisit a post from a couple of years ago by u/Kajukota as well as a Framework forum post from a similar time frame that both raise this idea - using the Framework chassis, display, battery, keyboard, trackpad and expansion modules as a souped-up dock. Given the proliferation of these devices now, I feel this is becoming more and more viable.
Given my super-positive experience with the Framework 13 AMD so far, I really quite fancy a Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally, or even a DIY Framework-based handheld, but if it’s stuck in a handheld platform it would be of limited utility to me and I’d struggle to justify the cost for “just” gaming. Yes, it could be docked in a desktop form factor, but I already have (far too many) desktops that are more powerful than any of the above available to me thanks to my job.
Where it would be useful is turning one mobile form factor into kinda-sorta another, so having the ability to have laptop IO, power, display and HIDs attached directly to the current range of super-powerful gaming handhelds would just be absolutely great.
You’d need a framework chassis, display, bezel, top cover and display, battery, IO modules to taste and, most importantly, a custom board that is essentially a standard USB3/4 dock but with eDP for the panel instead of a standard displayport interface, whatever the trackpad, webcam etc use, an audio codec and some power management for the battery.
You could then take your Ally, Go, Framwork Handheld, Steam Deck or whatever, connect it via a tether and you’ve got extended battery, all the IO you need from the expansion ports, webcam, decent keyboard, all in a foldable, backpack-able form factor.
Hell, no reason you couldn’t use it as a battery bank, second screen and IO extender for your normal laptop.
It feels like all of these exist already within the Framework mainboards but whilst I do PCB design, it’s only ever been for simple mods of commercial design or personal noodling-about use and is nowhere near to the level for a project like this.
I’d certainly go for one of these as it’d enable me to make more use of a PC handheld and use as a second laptop when experimenting with things, extend my laptop if I was working remotely and so on.
Thoughts?
Designing a SteamDeck-type device is another pile of engineering. Its not really just using the existing parts and slapping them in a new shell. The whole idea, to me, sounds awkward and strange short of designing a SteamDeck, then designing a custom USB C dock to go with it… Not something I’d buy if it were available. I’m good with the existing laptops, and being able to buy a USB C dock if I wanted to use the laptop like a desktop (I don’t).