Best of Hardware — 2025

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Article
Collections·36w
Transforming a Disposable Vape into a Functional Web Server
A creative hardware project successfully repurposed a disposable vape's PY32F002B microcontroller (24MHz ARM Cortex-M0+, 24KB flash, 3KB RAM) into a functional web server. Using semihosting communication, SLIP protocol for networking, and the uIP TCP/IP stack, the project achieved 20ms ping times and 160ms page load times through careful optimization including ring buffers. This demonstrates the potential of transforming resource-constrained everyday electronics into versatile computing devices.
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Video
LaurieWired·35w
What if Humanity forgot how to make CPUs?
A thought experiment exploring what would happen if humanity lost the ability to manufacture CPUs. The scenario traces the gradual decline of modern computing over 30 years, from cloud infrastructure failures to internet fragmentation, highlighting how older hardware with larger node sizes would outlast modern chips due to electromigration. The piece examines how software optimization would become critical, vintage computing would resurge, and society would eventually revert to 1970s-80s era technology.
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Article
David Heinemeier Hansson·1y
Cheap mini PCs have gotten really good
The Minisforum UM870 mini PC, retailing at $343 as a bare-bone unit, offers surprising performance with its 8-core/16-thread AMD 8745H CPU, 48GB RAM, and 1TB storage for under $550. It matches or exceeds larger, more expensive systems in certain tasks, such as running the HEY test suite faster than a 14-core Apple M4 Pro. While it may lack capabilities like 8K video editing that high-end Apple systems offer, it compensates by being able to play modern games at 1080p. The post highlights the impressive efficiency and cost-effectiveness of modern mini PCs, driven by advancements in technology and manufacturing.
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Article
Hacker News·1y
Guten: A tiny newspaper printer
Guten is a customized thermal printer designed to print a tiny newspaper every morning at 7:00 AM. This newspaper includes the user's daily schedule from Google Calendar, a poem, and current news from the New York Times. The author is gauging interest to see if others would consider buying and using it.
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Article
It's Foss·25w
Linus Torvalds Defends Windows' Blue Screen of Death
Linus Torvalds suggests that Windows' Blue Screen of Death errors are often caused by unreliable hardware rather than software bugs. He emphasizes that ECC (Error Correction Code) memory makes systems more reliable, and believes memory issues and hardware problems, especially in overclocked gaming systems, are frequently responsible for system crashes that users attribute to Windows instability.
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Article
Lobsters·48w
Writing a basic Linux device driver when you know nothing about Linux drivers or USB
A detailed walkthrough of creating a Linux device driver for a Nanoleaf RGB LED device from scratch. The author explores USB fundamentals, explains HID devices, demonstrates using libusb with Rust to communicate with hardware, and covers practical aspects like udev rules and interrupt handling. The tutorial progresses from basic device enumeration to implementing a working userspace driver that can control LED colors and handle device responses.
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Article
Jeff Geerling·1y
Raspberry Pi cluster spotted inside $6k audio processor
The Orban Optimod 5000-series audio processors, which cost between $6,000-15,000, include a 3-node Raspberry Pi cluster. Each node in the cluster serves a different function: one for remote control and firmware updates, another for multi-stream audio processing, and an optional third for watermarking audio streams. This setup is popular among broadcasters for its power efficiency and long-term vendor support using Pi CM4/CM5 modules.
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Article
Hacker News·30w
Boring Is What We Wanted
Reflects on five years since the M1 Mac launch, arguing that predictable, incremental chip updates represent success rather than stagnation. The transition to Apple silicon eliminated the performance-efficiency trade-off that plagued Intel Macs, delivering consistent improvements in speed, thermal management, and battery life. Critics calling recent M-series updates "boring" miss the point—steady, regular progress was exactly what users wanted after years of unpredictable hardware cycles and thermal issues during the PowerPC and Intel eras.
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Article
Hacker News·42w
I spent 6 years building a ridiculous wooden pixel display
A maker spent six years building Kilopixel, a 1000-pixel wooden display that changes one pixel at a time using a CNC gantry system. The project combines hardware fabrication, CNC programming, web development, and live streaming to create an interactive art installation where anyone can submit pixel art through a web interface. The display uses custom wooden pixels, stepper motors, Raspberry Pi control, and streams live to YouTube with automated timelapse generation.
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Article
David Heinemeier Hansson·26w
Local LLMs are how nerds now justify a big computer they don't need
Local LLMs, while technically impressive, still lag significantly behind cloud-based frontier models for practical development work. Despite the hype around running AI models locally, most developers don't actually need expensive high-RAM machines. Budget mini PCs costing around $500 can handle typical development tasks just as well as premium $2,000+ workstations, especially when running Linux. This is fortunate timing given the current spike in RAM prices driven by AI's resource demands.
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Article
Hacker News·21w
I switched to eSIM in 2025, and I am full of regret
eSIM technology is replacing physical SIM cards in modern smartphones, with Google's Pixel 10 series becoming the latest to drop the physical SIM slot. While eSIMs save space and allow multiple profiles, the transition has proven frustrating for users accustomed to easily swapping physical SIM cards. Apple pioneered the eSIM-only approach with the iPhone 14, though the space savings have been modest—around 8 percent more battery capacity. The shift represents a significant change in how mobile subscribers manage their phone service, moving from removable cards to programmable, soldered components.
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Article
Irrational Exuberance·50w
My desk setup in 2025.
A detailed breakdown of a multi-device desk setup supporting 2-3 Mac laptops and a Windows gaming desktop through a single Thunderbolt connection. The setup features a CalDigit TS5 Plus dock as the central hub, Apple Studio Display, Beelink mini PC with external GPU, professional microphone, and various productivity accessories. The author emphasizes the importance of seamless device switching and cable management in creating an efficient workspace.
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Article
Hacker News·39w
You should buy a faster CPU
Modern CPUs have become dramatically faster, with desktop processors offering up to 10x performance improvements over older laptop chips. The author argues that investing in top-tier CPUs like the AMD Ryzen 9950X ($500) provides better value than AI coding subscriptions ($480/year) for developer productivity. Benchmarks show desktop CPUs are roughly 3x faster than laptops, and current generation processors are 3x faster than models from 3 years ago, making build times significantly shorter and development workflows more efficient.
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Article
Hacker News·46w
NVIDIA is full of shit
NVIDIA's RTX 50 series launch has been plagued by multiple issues including scalper bots, melting power connectors, defective chips missing processing units, and unstable drivers. The company continues using the problematic 12VHPWR connector despite known design flaws that can cause cables to melt under certain conditions. NVIDIA's marketing heavily relies on DLSS upscaling technology to achieve advertised performance numbers, with even flagship cards unable to run ray-traced games at native 4K resolution. The company has also been accused of pressuring tech reviewers to include specific metrics in their coverage and threatening to withdraw access for unfavorable reviews. With over 90% market share, NVIDIA's dominance has led to vendor lock-in through proprietary technologies while charging premium prices for incremental performance improvements.
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Article
David Heinemeier Hansson·1y
Servers can last a long time
Basecamp’s initial investment in Dell servers back in 2015 demonstrates that servers can have a much longer useful life than traditionally expected. While the servers were anticipated to last five years, they have continued to perform for nearly a decade. This extended lifespan has been economically beneficial for the company and suggests that revisiting the cloud-exit calculations with a longer server lifetime value may be worthwhile for other businesses as well.
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Article
Lobsters·45w
The hunt for a perfect laptop continues
A detailed critique of the current laptop market highlighting the overwhelming number of confusing product lines offered by major manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and ASUS. The author argues that most companies offer hundreds of nearly identical models that fail to get basic features right, while praising simpler approaches from Apple, Framework, and smaller Linux-focused companies. The piece advocates for fewer, better-designed models that consistently improve year over year rather than the current approach of minor variations and feature regressions.
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Article
Hacker News·27w
Why I Don't Need a Steam Machine
A humorous personal reflection on Valve's newly announced Steam Machine console. The author lists 22 reasons why they don't need the device—from being a retro gamer who doesn't need the power, to already having too many gaming devices, to preferring physical games over digital—only to conclude they're buying one anyway despite all the rational arguments against it.
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Article
The Verge·23w
The best thing I bought this year: a portable mechanical keyboard
The NuPhy Air60 V2 mechanical keyboard with Moss switches has become an essential tool for distraction-free writing. Its low-profile design, satisfying tactile feedback, and portability make it ideal for pairing with devices like the Boox Palma 2 e-reader. The keyboard supports three-device pairing, fits over MacBook keyboards, and comes with the NuFolio case that doubles as a stand. While the 64-key layout can feel cramped and the shallow angle may be uncomfortable for desk work, it excels at standing desks or mobile writing sessions. The typing experience is significantly better than laptop keyboards, offering enough thock without being disruptively loud in public spaces.
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The Verge·35w
Logitech’s new light-powered keyboard doesn’t even need the sun
Logitech launches the Signature Slim Solar Plus K980, a $99.99 keyboard that charges exclusively through light sources including artificial light at 200 lux minimum. The keyboard features a 10-year battery life, 4-month usage in darkness when fully charged, user-replaceable battery, and includes an AI Launch key for accessing Copilot or ChatGPT. It supports three Bluetooth device connections and offers customizable function keys through Logitech's Options Plus app.
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Hacker News·1y
Why I Maintain a 17 Year Old Thinkpad
Maintaining an old ThinkPad is a testament to its robust design, modularity, and repairability, as explained through the lens of Nassim Nicholas Taleb's theories of fragility and robustness. Unlike modern MacBooks, which are powerful but fragile due to soldered components and limited repair options, ThinkPads remain serviceable and useful for basic tasks because of their swappable parts and open ecosystem. The ThinkPad's longevity aligns with the Lindy Effect, suggesting it will continue to be useful for many years to come.
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Hacker News·1y
Tabular Programming: A New Paradigm for Expressive Computing in Constrained Environments
Exploring the concept of tabular programming inspired by the m8 Dirtywave tracker, this post discusses how a minimal, portable hardware interface can lead to a unique and expressive programming environment. By leveraging a tabular format and stack-based model like Forth, this approach encourages breaking down complex operations into simpler, composable functions, enabling innovative creative applications such as pixel art editors and music tools.
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Article
Hacker News·32w
Free Software hasn't won
Free and open source software has succeeded in developer tools and operating systems, but failed to penetrate most consumer hardware and appliances. Modern devices contain 10-15 processors running closed firmware, from keyboards to storage drives, leaving users dependent on manufacturers for security updates and repairs. This creates e-waste through forced obsolescence, enables vendor lock-in through cloud dependencies, and prevents users from modifying devices they own. The author argues developers must publish firmware sources, use copyleft licenses like GPL, demand open documentation, and support political movements for right to repair and device freedom.
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Article
Jeff Geerling·35w
I regret building this $3000 Pi AI cluster
A detailed analysis of building a $3000 Raspberry Pi cluster using 10 Compute Blades with CM5 modules, comparing its performance against more expensive alternatives. The cluster achieved 325 Gflops in HPC benchmarks but struggled with AI workloads, delivering only 0.28 tokens per second for large language models. Despite being energy efficient and compact, the Pi cluster offers poor price-to-performance ratio compared to traditional desktop hardware, making it suitable only for niche use cases requiring high node density or physical separation.
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Article
Michael Lynch·25w
My First Impressions of MeshCore Off-Grid Messaging
MeshCore enables encrypted text messaging over long-range (LoRa) radios without cellular infrastructure, forming mesh networks where devices relay messages through each other. Testing three devices (Heltec v3, SenseCAP T-1000e, and Lilygo T-Deck+) revealed significant usability challenges: confusing onboarding, poor UI/UX design, limited range (only 5 blocks in suburban areas), and critical components being closed-source despite appearing open. While the concept appeals for emergency communication, the technology isn't yet practical for non-technical users or reliable disaster scenarios.
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Jeff Geerling·24w
The RAM Shortage Comes for Us All
RAM prices have skyrocketed dramatically in recent months, with some DDR5 kits jumping from $209 to $650. The shortage is driven by memory manufacturers prioritizing AI datacenter production over consumer markets, forcing companies like Raspberry Pi to raise prices and Micron to exit the consumer memory business entirely. Small vendors face even worse price increases, with some memory modules tripling or quadrupling in cost. Unlike previous shortages, the specialized nature of AI hardware means there won't be a flood of cheap consumer-compatible parts when the bubble bursts. PC builders, SBC enthusiasts, and smaller manufacturers are being hit hardest, with the situation expected to continue affecting any product containing memory.
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