A Pip-Boy is Fallout’s wrist-mounted computer: in the games, it presents information such as maps, notes, equipment, and inventory. Real-world DIY versions recreate its look and selected functions using a small computer, screen, controls, battery, software, and a wearable enclosure. They are customizable electronics and cosplay projects—not replicas of the fictional device’s full capabilities.
What a Pip-Boy is
Bethesda describes the Pip-Boy 3000 as RobCo’s wrist-mounted computer and an interface into Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. The game interface organizes information a character needs, including maps, notes, equipment, and inventory. Bethesda’s November 28, 2025 announcement calls it a traveler’s companion, inventory manager, and navigator.
A DIY Pip-Boy borrows the device’s visual language and may reproduce a few interface ideas, but its real functions come from the parts and code its maker chooses. That makes it different from a licensed replica, which is a finished collectible with defined built-in features.
How a DIY Pip-Boy works
At a basic level, a small computer runs software that draws a Pip-Boy-inspired interface. A display shows it, physical or touchscreen controls let the wearer navigate it, and a battery powers the electronics. A custom shell brings the parts together in a wrist-worn form.
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Computer and software
Raspberry Pi boards are used in documented projects. The Raspberry Pi Foundation featured a build using a Pi Zero W, while Adafruit’s older guide uses a Raspberry Pi Model B+. A separate open-source project lists a Raspberry Pi Zero 2. The board runs the operating system and interface software; the applications can be as simple as themed demonstration screens or include functions such as a map.
Adafruit’s Python application uses OpenStreetMap data. That is an example of a software feature, not a guarantee that every DIY build has a working map or navigation system. Features depend on the particular code, data, and hardware in the build.
Display and controls
The display is the visible interface. Adafruit’s guide specifies a 3.5-inch PiTFT, while the Pyp-Boy project lists a 4.0-inch HDMI display. Screen size and connection type affect enclosure dimensions, wiring, and software setup.
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Controls may include buttons, rotary switches, or encoders. Adafruit’s design uses an analog rotary switch and encoder; Pyp-Boy describes a knob-driven interface. A touchscreen can reduce the need for physical controls, while knobs and buttons can better evoke the game device. The choice affects both the interface design and the case.
Power, audio, and optional modules
A rechargeable battery powers the computer and screen. Adafruit’s 2016 design lists a 2200mAh lithium battery, a power-boost charger, an audio amplifier and speaker, and a yellow LED. Those are components of that specific build, not a universal bill of materials.
More ambitious designs can add modules such as GPS, software-defined radio, or a pulse-oximeter breakout. Pyp-Boy’s repository lists those options alongside its computer, display, battery, controls, and printed CAD models. These additions increase integration work; their presence in a hobby project does not establish reliable navigation, communications, or medical monitoring.
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Enclosure
The enclosure holds the electronics, protects connections, and determines whether the device fits the wearer. It can be 3D printed, fabricated, or adapted from other materials. Adafruit’s project uses a printed shell; the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s featured maker welded scrap plastic into a case. The enclosure needs to accommodate the chosen screen, battery, controls, wiring, and connectors.
What parts do you need?
There is no single standard parts list: a map-and-menu build needs less hardware than one with radio, sensors, or custom audio. These documented designs show how different the choices can be.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Build reference | Documented components and approach | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Adafruit guide, last edited February 1, 2016 | Raspberry Pi Model B+, 3.5-inch PiTFT, PowerBoost 1000C, 2200mAh lithium battery, 2.5W mono amplifier, thin speaker, rotary switch, encoder, Wi-Fi module, LED, resistor, audio cable; 3D printer and filament, soldering tools, wire, hand tools, screws, magnets, and adhesives. | The guide is dated, and its code may require reverse engineering. Check current availability, driver support, and compatibility before following it literally. |
| Pyp-Boy open-source project, repository accessed October 7, 2026 | Raspberry Pi Zero 2, 4.0-inch HDMI display, RTL-SDR module, GPS module, pulse-oximeter breakout, lithium-ion battery, power-boost charger, rotary encoders, push button, and project CAD models. | This is one project’s parts list; it does not mean every component is necessary for a simpler build. |
For a first design, decide what the device should actually do before choosing components. A screen with a themed menu and a few controls is a more limited undertaking than combining a map, GPS, radio, sensors, and audio. The computer, display interface, available drivers, power arrangement, and physical fit all need to work together.
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- Useful accessory functions: FM radio with added extension antenna cable, ready to tune in to your favourite station, 3.5 mm headphone socket, alarm clock and bright LED torch.
- A faithful replica: Die-cast front metal casing coated with a silk finish green paint with silver-coloured detailing, developed using the in-game geometry and additional details from the original high-poly model.
- Massive content library: Scroll, explore, personalise, customise and dynamically interact with the hundreds of inventory menu entries taken directly from Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas.
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What to expect from the build
These projects involve a mix of fabrication, soldering, wiring, software installation, and repeated fit checks. The Raspberry Pi Foundation described its featured project as “not what we’d call a beginner’s project,” and Adafruit classifies its build as intermediate. Experience will vary with the design: a simpler interface and fewer modules reduce the number of systems to integrate, but a wearable enclosure still calls for careful planning.
Do not assume that a game-like screen means the build has the fictional device’s capabilities. The documented projects demonstrate themed interfaces and particular hardware functions; they do not establish a general-purpose, safety-certified wearable computer. Adafruit’s guide can serve as a design reference, but its age and outdated code warning mean it should not be treated as a guaranteed turnkey tutorial.
DIY build or official replica?
Bethesda’s licensed 1:1 Pip-Boy 3000 replica, developed with The Wand Company and based on Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas geometry, is a finished collectible rather than a maker project. Its product listing specifies an IPS LCD, in-game content, FM radio, flashlight, alarm-clock use, and the Atomic Command minigame. It also lists a die-cast metal front, injection-moulded ABS body, memory-foam cuff, rechargeable LiPo cell, USB-C cable, stand, and weight of 724g.
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