Rabbit is preparing a netbook-style Cyberdeck computer for developers

When it comes to artificial intelligence-focused computers, systems such as NVIDIA’s high-performance DGX Spark usually come to mind. Such devices, which contain powerful hardware that can run large language models locally, are quite expensive and are designed mostly for corporate use. On the other hand, Rabbit aims to take a different approach with the new device it is working on called Project Cyberdeck. The company’s goal is not to produce a high-cost artificial intelligence workstation; instead, offering a compact computer that focuses on developers being able to code on the go.

According to Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu, the idea for the project came about after internal software engineers used the Claude Code tool extensively. Lyu began to think that a small, easily portable computer on which developers could work via the command line would be suitable for this usage scenario. However, when he looked for such a device in online stores, he had difficulty finding a model that met his expectations. He stated that the rubber dome keyboards used in most affordable laptops are not comfortable enough for long-term typing. So Rabbit turned to the idea of ​​designing its own hardware.

The Rabbit team turned to an unusual source for design inspiration: Sony Vaio P. Vaio P, which was released in 2009 and remained on sale for about two years, stood out as one of the lightest netbook models of the period, weighing only 1.4 pounds. However, the high price of the device and some performance problems created controversy among users. Vaio P, which had a price tag of approximately $900 at that time, was considerably more expensive than similar Atom-based laptops. Rabbit, on the other hand, aims to offer Cyberdeck at a price of around $ 500.

Rabbit Cyberdeck: The portable developer PC target

Project Cyberdeck is still in early development. There is no final design shared with the public by the company; However, when some early concept images are examined, it is stated that the device resembles the combination of Rabbit R1, Sony Vaio P and Nintendo DS design lines. There are four USB-C ports in the images. It is planned that these connections can be used for external monitors and peripherals, but the final input-output specifications have not been finalized yet.

One of the most important decision points on the hardware side will be processor selection. Rabbit aims to be a reference at the level of Raspberry Pi 5 in terms of performance. The Broadcom BCM2712 processor in Raspberry Pi 5 has a quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 architecture and a clock speed of 2.4 GHz. This platform, which can support two external monitors with 16 GB RAM, represents the performance bar set for Cyberdeck. Thus, the device is intended to be powerful enough to not feel slow when communicating with services such as Anthropic or OpenAI.

Linux will be preferred as the operating system of the device. It is planned to allow users to customize the operating system and install third-party tools. In addition, software features developed for RabbitOS are expected to be accessible via the command line. This approach especially appeals to software developers who prefer terminal-based development tools.

The two elements that stand out in hardware design are the keyboard and the screen. According to Lyu’s plan, Cyberdeck will have a 40 percent mechanical keyboard. It is stated that low-profile mechanical switches will be used and the PCB will be fully hot-swap supported. Thus, users will be able to personalize the typing feeling by easily changing the keyboard switches. On the screen side, an OLED panel of approximately 7 inches in size is targeted. It is stated that the tested sample panel offers 165 Hz refresh rate, touch support and 815 nits brightness.

The choice of OLED screen is considered important not only for image quality but also for energy efficiency. In OLED panels, backlighting is not required because the pixel is completely turned off to produce black color. In this way, lower energy consumption is possible, especially in dark interfaces. Rabbit plans to offer the device’s software interface with a dark mode from day one.

The memory capacity is not yet clear. The increase in demand for high bandwidth memory due to data centers has increased the cost of computer and smartphone components. This may affect the final RAM capacity of the Cyberdeck. Still, the company thinks that the project can be completed in 2026.