state of the mnt desktop reform prototype. it's a box with some electronics integrated into the side panels that turn the laptop motherboard into a standalone computer with upgradeable cpu/ram modules. need to order all the components to have blinkenlights and button etc now, and decide on final material options.
now i need to understand how much material quality/polish people want in the case parts vs how much they're willing to spend. i would love also a full aluminum case with nice anodizing but it'll be spendy. the current approach is to have an economical version with 3d printed main case (need to get quotes for various materials now) and lasercut 2.5d alu top plate with countersinking is pretty affordable now.
(opinions welcome!)
@mntmn not a potential buyer so my opinion might be worth zero, but I loved the original reform's acrylic cover and since this can be hung to a wall, maybe it makes even more sense here.
@qwazix could be another option but has bad heatsinking properties, so would require some other heatsink. with the current solution, this large alu plate is a cheap and effective way for cooling
