Five years after starting to ship its first open source, modular laptop, the folks at MNT Research are expanding beyond laptops (and mini-laptops) with the introduction of a new mini PC called the MNT Station. It’s basically a compact desktop computer that could be used as a PC, network-attached storage device, media center, or for other applications.
But what really makes it interesting is the MNT Station’s modular design. It’s designed to use the same mainboard as the MNT Reform laptop, which means that you can either pay for a new mainboard or reuse one if you already have the laptop. You can also swap out processor modules and purchase accessories to add functionality, such as additional USB Type-C ports. But one thing to keep in mind is that while this open source computer is a versatile, modular, customizable PC, it’s not necessarily going to give you the best bang for the buck. First unveiled in April, the MNT Station is expected to ship in January, 2027. Folks who back a Crowd Supply crowdfunding campaign for the project can reserve a case for $299, but the price goes way up if you want a mainboard, processor module, and other hardware.
If you’ve already got the mainboard and processor, the MNT Station could provide an interesting way to put them to new use. If you don’t, then you’re looking at spending $429 for a mainboard plus the price of a processor module, which can cost as much as $1099 for a module with a Rockchip RK3588 processor and 32GB of RAM, although there are cheaper options available. Are there cheaper ways to get your hands on a PC with those specs? Yes. But MNT is a relatively tiny company designing and selling niche hardware in small batches, so I’m not surprised that these prices seem pretty steep.
I do like the idea of an official accessory that lets you use laptop parts in a desktop configuration though, and MNT isn’t the only company to offer that. Modular laptop maker Framework already offers something similar: that company partnered with Cooler Master to offer an inexpensive case that turns a Framework Mainboard into a standalone desktop computer.
But while this may not be a brand new idea, it’s an interesting expansion of the MNT ecosystem of open source, modular PCs.
The MNT Station features an aluminum enclosure that measures 279 x 133 x 26mm (11″ x 5.2″ x 1″). It’s designed to it can lay flat, stand up along the long edge, or be mounted to a screen or wall with a VESA mount.
Other features include a port cover with a power button and a light bar with 10 LED lights that can be controlled via Linux, allowing you to set them to display CPU usage, network load, or other status details. There’s an ATTiny microcontroller that allows the port cover to communicate with the mainboard.
While the MNT Station itself is basically just a case + port cover, it’s compatible with MNT Reform motherboards versions 2.0 or newer. That means you get a mainboard with USB, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, and audio ports… as well as a 200-pin connector for processor modules, allowing you to choose your own CPU + memory + storage configuration.
Other mainboard features include a mini PCIe slot and M.2 M-key slot, and support for optional add-ons including an mPCIe to M.2 E-Key adapter.
MNT currently sells processor modules with Rockchip RK3588 processors as well as adapters that will let you use a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 as the brains of the system. But the company has also other modules in the past, including some with NXP LS1028A or i.MX8M chips, one with a Kintex-7 FPGA, and modules that are compatible with Raspberry Pi CM4 and Banana Pi CM4 boards.
This article was first published April 21, 2026 and most recently updated August 21, 2026 to note the start of the crowdfunding campaign.