Printable Keyboard Dock Puts Steam Deck to Work [Hackaday]

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Whether or not you’re into playing video games, you have to admit, that the Steam Deck is a pretty interesting piece of hardware. We’ve seen hackers jump through all sorts of uncomfortable hoops to get Linux running on their mobile devices in the past. The fact that you can pick up a fairly powerful x86 handheld computer right now for a reasonable amount of money is certainly exciting. The Linux steam deck gets even more enticing when you consider the software support it enjoys thanks to its large and vibrant user community. No wonder we’ve started to see them dotting the workbenches during Hackaday Supercon.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the Steam Deck was very clearly designed to be a handheld gaming system, not a portable computer. Sure you can plug in an external monitor and keyboard, but things can quickly become ungainly. This is why a printable dock from [a8ksh4] caught our eye.

It’s officially designed to let you mate the Steam Deck with the Corne keyboard, a split ergonomic design that’s graced these pages a few times in the past. [A8ksh4] has included links for all the hardware you’ll need outside the printed parts, from the hinges and keyboard PCBs, all the way to the keycaps and stainless steel screws. If you’re looking for a turnkey experience, this is it.

But as nice as the final results are, we’re equally excited to see what kind of variations on this basic layout the community can develop. [a8ksh4] designed it so that the “Deck Clip” which latches onto the handheld is completely separate from the keyboard itself.

You can bolt anything you want onto the other side of the hinges — so not only are totally different keyboard layouts on the menu but so are mounts that let you attach the Steam Deck to your desk or 3D printer. The design is available through OnShape, so you can do your modifications right in the browser should you feel so inclined.

It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time [a8ksh4] has used the Corne keyboard on a portable Linux machine — the  “Chonky Palmtop” from last year combined the ergonomic keyboard and a Raspberry Pi 4 into a clever foldable form factor.