As consumers, we are used to correlating handhelds with the big names like Valve's Steam Deck, Lenovo's Legion Go, and ASUS' ROG Ally. But these machines are geared towards gaming and are priced like it too.Lately, a different segment has been getting just as much attention. Indie creators and small hardware outfits who are shipping handhelds built around open hardware, swappable parts, and running full Linux distros.We have picked out eight such handhelds that range from fully assembled devices to bring-your-own board kits that expect you to bring your own board, battery, and storage.1. CardputerZeroM5Stack has kept its Cardputer line going since 2023, updating it every so often. The original ran on an ESP32-S3, and so did the follow-up, the Cardputer-Adv, just with a bigger battery and more sensors bolted on. Howeverm, neither of them ran real Linux.The CardputerZero changes that. It swaps the ESP32 for a Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero, which is equipped with a Broadcom BCM2837 with a quad-core Cortex-A53 running at 1GHz and 512MB of RAM.You get a 1.9-inch non-touch LCD with HDMI output up to 1080p, a 46-key keyboard, and a 1500mAh battery to keep it running, all of which fits into an 84 x 54 x 23.1mm shell you could mistake for a fat credit card.The Standard model throws in an 8MP camera and a full IMU sensor suite; features the cheaper Lite version drops entirely. Both variants keep Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and a built-in app store that lets you flash community firmware without requiring a computer.Check it OutSuggested Read 📖: This Credit Card-Sized Linux Box Has a Keyboard2. Mecha CometThe Mecha Comet looks like a chunky Android phone at first glance, until you notice the 40-pin magnetic connector running along the bottom edge. Snap on a QWERTY keyboard with a trackpad, a gamepad with a dual D-pad, or a bare GPIO breakout, and the same device becomes a different tool entirely.For the software, it runs Mechanix, Mecha's own Fedora-based distro powered by Linux 6.12, with the bootloader, kernel, and root filesystem all being published as open source. They are also committing to releasing the full PCB schematics once mass production starts.You get to choose between two configurations; the cheaper one will get you an NXP i.MX 8M Plus, a quad-core Cortex-A53 clocked at 1.8GHz, paired with 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM. Step up to the higher tier, and you get an i.MX 95 with a six-core Cortex-A55 setup, yielding roughly double the GPU throughput.Both of these are equipped with an NPU and share the same 3.92-inch AMOLED touchscreen that outputs at 1080 x 1240.Check it Out3. Orange Pi NeoThe Orange Pi Neo has been in the works since early 2024, being built as a joint effort between Orange Pi and Manjaro Linux.The planned hardware for it is an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U chip, a 7-inch 1920x1200 display running at 120Hz, dual touchpads modeled after the Steam Deck's, and Hall effect joysticks with RGB lighting.Sadly, it is running quite late, and the recent hike in DDR5 RAM and SSD prices has only added to the delay, with Philip Müller, Manjaro's project lead, saying that they are waiting for a good time to launch.I added this to the list because, on paper, this looks like a capable Linux-powered handheld; would've been a bummer to skip.Check it Out4. PocketTerm35Waveshare has designed the PocketTerm35 around a dedicated RP2040 microcontroller that handles the keyboard, screen brightness, and volume control duties, freeing up the main board to just run Linux.That main board can either be a Raspberry Pi 4B or a Pi 5, both of which slot in as the actual compute hardware doing the work. Software-wise, it runs a full Linux desktop with a terminal and command-line tools included, and it's compatible with RetroPie for retro gaming.It is sold in four different configurations. Two come with a Pi 4B or Pi 5 already installed along with a preloaded SD card and heatsink, and two are accessory-only kits for anyone supplying their own board.Check it Out5. piBrick PocketCM5Ahmad Amarullah, an Indonesian maker, has spent considerable time refining what eventually became the piBrick PocketCM5. The final design pairs a Raspberry Pi CM5 with a BlackBerry BBQ20 keyboard, complete with its own integrated trackpad, inside a compact 80 x 145 x 19.6mm shell.The screen is a 3.92-inch AMOLED panel running at 1080 x 1240 and a 90Hz refresh rate, output over MIPI/DSI. Full-size HDMI and micro-HDMI are both present too, so you're never lacking in ways to get an image onto a bigger screen.Ports are expansive for something this size. You get 1x USB 3 Type-A, 1x USB 3 Type-C, 1x USB 2 Type-C, and 1x USB 2 Type-A, plus an internal USB 2.0 header, an I2C connector, and a GPIO extension header for anyone who wants to wire something in.Every part of it, the PCB schematics, the 3D-printable case, and the keyboard firmware, is published openly on GitHub. The full DIY kit without the CM5 is listed on Tindie but was out of stock at the time of writing.Check it Out6. Piletsoulscircuit's Pilet hit its Kickstarter goal within five minutes of its debut. It is pitched as a retro open source computer that was initially built to house the Raspberry Pi 5, but, later, switched to the Raspberry Pi CM5 instead.While my original coverage of it did insinuate that the board was included, the original listing never mentioned that was the case. The change in board requirements did stir up disappointment among backers, but the creators have pushed forward.It is offered in two sizes, the 5-inch Pilet 5 with a retro console layout, and the 7-inch Pilet 7, a tablet variant running KDE Plasma. Both share a 1280x800 touchscreen and a custom battery module for USB charging.Check it Out7. RootBoardRootBoard is a pocket-sized Linux terminal designed by tinkerer Dian Lieu, built as an open hardware shell rather than a finished gadget. The keyboard controller, firmware, and software are all left fully open for makers to inspect and modify.The shell wraps a 3.5-inch color display with a 70-key QWERTY keyboard and a built-in speaker, but there's no touchscreen here. You navigate using the keyboard or an external mouse instead.And you will need a Raspberry Pi Zero, Zero W, or Zero 2 W, as the RootBoard doesn't feature a CPU, memory, or storage.Check it Out8. MNT Pocket ReformA German outfit, called MNT Research has come up with the MNT Pocket Reform, their take on a compact Linux handheld that takes pointers from the Reform laptop series.It ships with Debian preinstalled, with custom versions of GNOME and Sway both preloaded as desktop options. Schematics, firmware, and case design files are all published under an open license, along with the rest of the Reform hardware lineup.If you go for this, you get to pick between three processor modules, an NXP i.MX8M Plus (via Crowd Supply), a Rockchip RK3588, or a Qualcomm QCS6490. You can swap between them later since the CPU sits as a removable card rather than being soldered down.There's also the 7-inch display that sits above a mechanical ortholinear keyboard and an optical trackball.Check it OutSuggested Read 📖: If you are interested in Raspberry Pi-powered handhelds, we have a separate list for that.