K501U Cyberdeck

A cyberdeck built from salvaged ASUS K501U laptop components and Orange Pi 3B SBC.

Project Status

Phase: Initial bring-up — Orange Pi 3B booting from eMMC

• K501U salvage analysis complete
• Build design finalized (wooden case, TrackPoint keyboard, IP5389 power, HDMI switch, port layout)
• Display identified — eDP controller board ordered ($35)
• SBC: Orange Pi 3B 8GB/256GB — purchased and delivered
• SBC boot from eMMC — verified (Orange Pi OS, 3-OS partition layout, multi-boot ready)
• Display controller board — awaiting delivery (~2 weeks)
• Power system — Banggood board + cells + amp ordered Jun 3
• Case fabrication
• Full assembly and software configuration

Components

Salvaged from ASUS K501U

• Display: Innolux N156HGE-EAB (Rev. C2)
  • Controller board ordered
• Hinge mechanism from K501U lid
  • Need to consider details of new lid
• Cooling fans and copper heat pipe
  • If I use this I'll need to design around it

Not reused:

• RAM (DDR3L soldered, incompatible with modern SBCs)
• SSD (already repurposed for other use)
• WiFi card (OPi3B has built-in WiFi+BT — no external card needed)
• Webcam (cheap as dirt, proprietary connector)
• Keyboard (huge pain to repurpose)
• Motherboard (presumably zapped in an irreparable way)

New Components

Component	Selection	Status
SBC	Orange Pi 3B (8GB, RK3566, 256GB eMMC)	Purchased ($189)
Display controller	30-pin eDP to HDMI	Ordered ($35) — arriving in ~2 weeks
Storage (boot)	256GB eMMC (onboard)	Incl. with SBC
USB hub	Powered 7-port USB 3.0	To purchase
Storage (data)	USB 3.0 SSD enclosure	Reuse old external hard drive(s)?

Documentation

• Salvage Analysis - K501U component breakdown
• SBC Selection - Orange Pi 5 details and rationale
• Storage Architecture - SD card + USB storage plan
• USB Expansion - Hub selection and port allocation
• Parts List - Bill of materials with costs
• Design Decisions - Build approach, nomenclature, layout
• Power System - IP5389 battery management decision
• Port Layout - External port placement and allocation
• Case Design - Dimensional constraints, component footprint, floorplan
• Initial Bring-up - First boot and hardware validation

Quick Reference

Display

• Panel: Innolux N156HGE-EAB (Rev. C2)
• Size: 15.6" 1920×1080
• Interface: 30-pin eDP
• Controller: Standard 30-pin eDP to HDMI (~$24) — ordered

SBC

• Board: Orange Pi 3B (RK3566, 8GB RAM, 256GB eMMC)
• Storage: 256GB eMMC onboard + MicroSD slot + M.2 M-key
• USB: 2× USB 3.0, 2× USB 2.0 native
• WiFi/BT: Built-in WiFi 5 + BT 5.0 (no dongle needed)
• Power: USB-C 5V/3A via IP5389 power board, 18650 cells
• Draw: ~3-5W under load

Cost Estimate

Category	Cost
	SBC (w/ 256GB eMMC, WiFi+BT)
	Display controller
	Storage (hub + enclosure)
	Power system (board + cells + holders + fuse)
	PAM8403 audio amp
	OPi 3B metal case + fan
	HDMI switch + panel cables + SD reader
	Subtotal

(Excludes case materials and misc hardware. SBC cost is actual after tax/shipping.)