- Rabbit’s Cyberdeck revives the Vaio P concept with a modern Linux twist
- Device aims for vibration encoding, not pure performance like high-end laptops
- The hardware can match the performance of the Raspberry Pi 5 while still being affordable at $500
Rabbit is preparing to launch a compact device later this year, taking inspiration from the Sony Vaio P, a netbook briefly available in 2009.
Unlike Apple’s popular new MacBook Neo, the new machine is not designed for pure performance.
It is explicitly designed for vibe coding, allowing developers to run AI tools like Claude Code and OpenAI Cursor on the fly without needing a fast processor or powerful GPU.
Article continues below.
Why Rabbit is building a dedicated encryption device
Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu noted that existing low-cost PCs, including Chromebooks, often came with subpar rubber dome keyboards that made long typing sessions uncomfortable.
The company wanted a portable solution tailored to developers and the idea of a modern netbook emerged.
Project Cyberdeck is Rabbit’s attempt to revive the compact and portable spirit of the Vaio P with modern hardware and software.
Early renders show a device reminiscent of the Vaio P, with four USB-C ports for monitors and external peripherals.
Rabbit is still sourcing components and finalizing the design, which means specifications could change.
The goal is to achieve performance roughly equivalent to a Raspberry Pi 5, which uses a 2.4 GHz Broadcom BCM2712 quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor with 16 GB of RAM, while remaining affordable for developers.
The company is experimenting with a 7-inch OLED touchscreen with a 165Hz refresh rate and high brightness, as well as a compact mechanical keyboard with a fully hot-swappable PCB to adjust the typing feel.
Cyberdeck will run Linux and allow for complete customization of the operating system, giving users control over third-party tools and command-line access to RabbitOS features.
To improve the efficiency of the OLED battery, the company plans to integrate dark mode into the system.
High demand for high-bandwidth memory and other components could impact RAM capacity and production timelines.
However, Lyu believes Rabbit can ship quickly if supplies improve, based on the company’s previous 93-day development cycle for the R1.
While carrying a dedicated encryption device may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Rabbit aims to create a practical tool that balances portability, usability, and affordability.
Cyberdeck is still in development, with many details undecided, but the company is leveraging its experience from existing products and AI agents to ensure the device has a functional software ecosystem upon launch.
As for its pricing, the expected retail price is $500, well below the Vaio P’s adjusted $1,365 launch price, and the company hopes to avoid the shortcomings of the original model.
Through Engadget
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
