Want a small computer that you can use in the office or the living room, but don’t want a model with a boring plastic or metal case? How about one made from LEGO bricks? Not good enough? How about if you make it stackable… just like a LEGO brick?
While people have been building PC cases from LEGO for ages, Mike Schropp has gone above and beyond with his line of custom built systems. Earlier this year he launched the Mini Lego computer which sells for $999 and up.
Now he’s offering the smaller, more affordable Micro Lego computer for $599 and up.
The little computer measures about 5″ x 5″ x 4″ and features the guts of an Intel NUC mini-computer. But the outside is made of LEGO bricks and the finished product looks like one big 2×2 LEGO brick.
It’s even stackable, like a normal LEGO piece. Not only does that add to the geek factor, but it also makes it possible to attach an add-on case with additional hardware if you want to add more ports, card readers, external drives, or other components.
An entry-level Micro Lego Computer sports an Intel Core i3 Broadwell processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of solid state storage, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a $599 price tag. There are also options for models with Core i5 and Core 7 processors, additional storage, and up to 16GB of RAM.
Note that while Schropp’s computer is based on a fanless Intel NUC system, he added a low-noise fan in order to keep the system from overheating in its plastic case. There are also holes in the case that allow air to flow across the system.
You can read more about the design process for the Micro Lego Computer at Total Geekdom.
via Gizmodo
So how easily will this fall apart? Don’t want to move/transport it and then find a bunch of LEGOs everywhere.
Actually, I’m not that big of a fan of LEGOs so I’d just buy a NUC and be done with it.
this little sucker sure ain’t cheap
The entry-level Micro Lego Computer costs $599. You’re kidding, right.
The entry level i3 system is based around an Intel NUC, which cost anywhere from $275-300 depending on where and when you get them. Add to that 4GB of memory for around $30-35, plus a 120GB SSD hard drive for around $85-90, then the Noctua fan for about $20, plus the $75 or so dollars worth of Lego and you end up around $500 in component costs, and then I charge about $100 to build, test, and configure the system. They are made up of around 350 or so Lego bricks. I always encourage people to build themselves if they have the time and are familiar with both Lego and computers and feel comfortable doing so. By all means, go for it! 🙂
Good answer. Not all systems are mass-produced commodity items built by the thousands in low-wage nations.
Is there some sort of licensing fee paid to Lego?
No, there is no licensing fee. I buy the Lego bricks as an end user, and then build them into things and sell them in that state. Similar to the MOC (My Own Creation) concept, where users buy Lego bricks, build their own designs, and then sell those designs, instructions, sets.
As long as I sell them as my own creation, with no affiliation to the Lego group other than using their bricks, it’s not a problem. You would have an issue if you tried to represent the products as being from the Lego Group, or a product of their creation. Essentially you just have to make sure that you don’t imply in any way that the products you’re selling come from the Lego Group.
This is why I have the disclaimers at the bottom of every page of my site, showing that I have no affiliation with the Lego Group, and that I have no affiliation with their registered trademarks. I also have this listed in the FAQ on each of the product pages, making sure I’m implicitly clear that I’m not associated in anyway with the Lego Group, and am just a hobbyist and huge Lego fan.
Interesting, thanks for taking the time to explain. David