Hello everyone, I’m new to the forum and didn’t see a similar thread about wear and tear and how to protect against it.
That’s why I decided to open a topic where everyone can share their experience and tell how they dealt with the problem in their own way.
Thank you very much in advance for your shared knowledge and time.
The first thing I did after getting mine was print a screen cover (there are many out there) - that gave me the peace of mind to start throwing it in my bag. Everything else seems pretty rugged depending on what (or if) you do for an external antenna.
The stock unit is so well built and I’m not worried about resale value so any scratches just add to the cyberdeck vibe (which is why half of us bought it in the first place.) I’ve seen full cases but never printed one.
There are sources in other threads that show the use of a glass screen protector - these seem useful if you’re worried about damage to the screen (I can’t imagine getting replacement parts is a short-term endeavour). I personally don’t mind the screen getting a bit dusty and, again, cyberpunky.
Forget about the small decals on the back - mine started to smudge on day one, especially around the 18650 battery warning. Maybe you could just be rid of them with a bit of sugar and alcohol?
The wire stand tends to rattle a bit. I put some electrical wire shrink tubing between that and the nubs to reduce wear and make the damn noise go away. There will be wear to the central screw as well but this is to be expected.
All in all, I’d say some wear and tear is to be expected because half the fun of this thing is taking it apart, poking it and/or modding it. If you’re worried about dropping it, a screen protector, case and handle would take a lot of any external issues.
The only things I use to protect it are this screen protector and this uConsole cover.
Paint will get worn but like @auslandermaus said it adds to the aesthetic of the device. It is made to hack on, I have drilled holes in the case and cut chunks out of parts of the PCB. So keeping it pretty isn’t my biggest concern.
I recognize that cover. Wonder how many have printed it?
I’ve printed it twice alone, one for me one for a coworker. The fit is real good, you did a fantastic job.
Another vote for the blackmagic camera screen protector and I put my console in a usa gear tablet case that fits it perfect with enough room for a teensy, usb cord, and usb plug if you put the console in screen down.
I keep mine in a protective case that lives in my backpack. That’s keep it looking very new in the time that I’ve had it.
I do that with most of my tech though. Each device, or set of devices gets a case. It makes getting things out of the backpack easy. Just grab the smaller case that I want at the time and go.
Can you share more details about the case ?
The Amazon listing is titled USA GEAR GPD Pocket Mini Laptop PC 7 Inch Hard Case Storage Travel Case. It fits the uconsole very well. The sides are a perfect fit and I can fit my pinky between the top and inside edge. It’s hard shell, and the opposite side has a net pouch. If I put the uconsole in face down, there’s enough room for a USB power brick. It’s like 15 bucks Amazon prime. The case itself is a good quality but the lanyard it came with fell apart instantly. Some paracord made a superior replacement.
lots of chipping of the silver on the front - I carry mine in a backpack - try to put it in the bag so the front faces fabric… I’ve recently picked up an old tough pad that I use daily for web and spreadsheets loaded raspberry pi for i86 on it - and such - the uconsole is mainly for quick notes and email. (I hate using a cell phone for this)
Has anyone tried putting a couple layers of clear coat paint on the front cover prior to installing to help minimize scratching/chipping?
I don’t think this is good idea. When i received the console , i will try after 1-2 month of use to anodize the front in titanium magenta color. It’s going to be cool.