Hot Girls Are Building Computers Now and the Movement Is Bigger Than You Know
Left to Right @ube-boobey, @miskinagirl, @meshtimes
Given the importance of technology, computers are no longer nerdy. They’re sexy. And the look of the average computer designer has changed.
Say goodbye to Silicon Valley lookalikes and hello to hotties like Annike Tan and Brianna, who have become innovators in their field, building out a niche with its own name, aesthetic, and hashtag: #techbygirls.
What Is a Cyberdeck Anyway?
Dunkin Wedding Ring Box; Cozy game in the Dunkin post, creating by a NYC software developer. CocoasAesthetic/TikTok
A cyberdeck is a DIY mini-computer more built around personalization and imagination than performance. As French outlet Ma Grande Taille reported, the movement's builders are turning DIY computing into a form of feminist self-expression.
For example, creator CC, who runs the blog Bimbo Tech, calls herself an ‘open source baddie’. She popularized the techbygirls movement with a mini-computer built into a pink seashell that functions as a Tamagotchi, an e-reader, a server monitor, and a note editor, specifically designed with her AI setup and VPN mesh in mind.
Creator Annike Tan, AKA Ube Boobey, went viral with a mermaid-themed cyberdeck featuring gold accents and pearls tucked beneath the keyboard. A young software engineer named Brianna claimed recognition for programming a mini-barista game into a Dunkin Donuts box.
Others have built similar projects into Hello Kitty tins, old makeup containers, and rubber ducks. And while the aesthetics are playful, each one demonstrates an extensive knowledge of coding and hardware.
Pushing Back on Gatekeeping
Tech is one of the many industries once dominated by men and unwelcoming to women. In fact, CC has experienced this type of discrimination firsthand and was specifically condescended to by a man on a hardware forum who assumed she was a total beginner despite her years of experience. Fortunately, he was big enough to apologize and even sent her a part she needed for her project.
But women who have experienced the pain of being overlooked in the industry are making their own way. Rather than fighting for space, they are building their own models, creating a movement popularized on social media as #cybergirldecks or #techbygirls. Beyond working in silos, many have created spaces where they share tips and troubleshoot together, leaving platforms like Reddit in the dust.
Why Women are Building- Not Just Buying
Building opens up a host of customization options, but in the techbygirls space, it’s more specific. With women at the helm, computers become a creative canvas. They run software as any laptop can, and sometimes with a more customized approach, while saying something about the creator’s aesthetic, sense of humor, and personality.
But the motivation is also about independence. Devices wired into a personal VPN mesh and local AI setups like CC’s let builders sidestep major platforms and algorithms, becoming digitally self-sufficient. Beyond the difference between renting and owning, it’s a bit of an FU to the handful of large, mostly male-run tech companies that dominate the industry.
Cost and control are also driving the trend. Building rather than buying means choosing specific parts and sourcing them individually to avoid potential markups. And while saving money can be a bonus for some, for others it’s less about the price tag and more about making spec and design choices that go beyond a pre-arranged bundle.
The satisfaction of mastery is its own reward. Building a working computer by hand, understanding how every component fits together, troubleshooting problems and finding solutions makes a statement. And the fact that these skills were typically owned by male populations makes every completed product an even bigger victory.
How Big Is This Really?
Women already make up 46% of gamers in the U.S., proving there’s a real interest in tech and gaming among women. But how many women are building their own computers and cyberdecks? That statistic isn’t yet backed by a market research report.
However, one only needs to go on TikTok, watch videos, or read blog posts to understand that this grassroots movement is gaining real momentum.
The Bigger Picture
Statistics aren’t the bottom line of the cyberdeckgirl movement; it’s that it’s happening at all. It shows girls are reclaiming the space in a unique way that’s feminine and powerful. And it lets all women who are interested in computer building know that this is a great time to start- the resources are available, and the door is open.
The only real debate left? Pink seashell or a Dunkin box?