Maker and creator Penk Chen has revealed the Rasti Computer on GitHub (h/t Hackaday), which is described as a “retro-futuristic laptop inspired by the iconic GRiD Compass.” Though the outside looks thoroughly vintage, the inside of the Rasti Computer is strictly modern: parts include a Framework 13 mainboard and a 10.4-inch QLED touch display. Moreover, access to a 3D printer will be required to achieve the finished product as seen.
If you have seen or experienced older laptops or even luggables, you will be well aware that the sleek clamshell form factor that is almost omnipresent today took some time for device makers to achieve. The Rasti Computer has the design of an older laptop style most commonly seen back in the 1980s. Specifically, the Rasti is claimed to be inspired by a cinematic icon – the GRiD Compass laptop that was seen in action in the classic Aliens: Director’s Cut.
