Teenage Engineering hardware
Color that carries one meaning, a family that shares a footprint, named contact materials, a kit with its build sheet, published clearances, and a box that keeps a use, read toward a dark Thorbis body with white lettering.
Status: research-only. Checked: 2026-10-09.
OP–1 field, OP–XY, TP–7, EP–133 K.O.II, pocket operators, OB–4, the field system, and computer–1, from English pages and one assembly PDF opened on 2026-10-09, plus one interview and two independent articles. RAL 2004 orange, the seven OB–4 colors, and the lowercase house voice are observed choices, not Thorbis direction. Thorbis direction is Byron's dark body and white lettering. This is not a visual clone.
One color keeps one meaning across every product.
In the SFMOMA interview, Jesper Kouthoofd, named as head of design, founder, and CEO, says he works with simple geometric shapes and RAL colors, which he calls a 40-color scale, and that RAL has only two blues. He says he connects colors to a meaning and applies that to all products: orange or red means recording. He also pairs shapes with colors, a yellow triangle, a blue square, and a red circle. On October 9, 2026 the OP–XY page said the display graphics are all grayscale, with a bright red to indicate recording and parameter locks, and that all vital keys have LEDs. The TP–7 page says a bright red record lamp and the slowly spinning tape reel both indicate that a recording is taking place.
Proposed translation: Keep one meaning for each status color across the whole Thorbis hardware family, write the table down, and pair each colored state with a second cue such as motion, position, or a label. Thorbis electric blue stays the brand accent and is not reused as a state.
Why: A color that means recording on one device and selected on another teaches the owner to ignore it.
Refuse: Copying the orange record color, the RAL palette as a Thorbis palette, or the triangle, square, and circle color code.
Proof required: Audit every light and on-screen state across the Thorbis family against one written color table, and confirm each state still reads with color removed.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–XY (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: TP–7 field recorder (opens in a new tab), SFMOMA: Stay Curious, Stay Naïve, an interview with Jesper Kouthoofd (opens in a new tab)
A sibling shares the exact footprint, so the kit carries over.
The OP–XY page says its exterior is all black and matches the exact dimensions of OP–1 field, with a grayscale gradient at its center. The OP–1 field page gives 300 x 120 x 20 mm and 590 g, describes two soft velcro rings on the back for fastening covers and accessories plus an included adhesive looped back, and calls the field system battery-powered, rechargeable over USB-C, and fully interconnected over MIDI and audio. The field system page says the components are made to work together as a unit and also stand alone. The OP–1 field guide lists the unit, a user guide, dual velcro back fasteners, and a USB-C cable in the box.
Proposed translation: When a Thorbis product gains a sibling, hold the footprint and attach points so cases, mounts, and covers carry over. Name the shared attach method and charge port once for the family, and make sure each product still works alone.
Why: An owner who already bought the case should not have to buy it again because a sibling changed its outline.
Refuse: Copying the OP–1 or OP–XY slab, the grayscale gradient, the velcro ring layout, or the field system name.
Proof required: Fit each existing Thorbis accessory to the new sibling and record any case, mount, or cable that no longer fits.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OP–1 field guide (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OP–XY (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: field system (opens in a new tab)
Leaving out the case is stated with its reason.
The pocket operator page says the devices are designed on a single multiple-layer circuit board and share the same compact form factor. It says that placing all vital and sensitive components under the LCD display removes the need for an outer case, that the saved cost goes into higher-quality components and very low power consumption, and that the space under the display doubles as a speaker box. Numbered callouts name a break-away hanger, a folding wire stand, a lock tab on the PO-30 series, external speaker soldering points, and a JTAG programming port. The page offers a CA–X silicone pro-case as a separate product, one size for all models, with battery protection, anti-slip feet, and a neck strap, in 5 colors.
Proposed translation: If a Thorbis product omits a part people expect, such as a closed housing or a cover, say what was left out, why, and what protects the exposed parts. List the protective accessory as sold separately on the product page.
Why: An omission explained on the page is a choice, while an omission discovered at home is a defect.
Refuse: Shipping a bare circuit board as the Thorbis look; the Thorbis body stays a closed dark body with hidden cables.
Proof required: Read the Thorbis product page as a first-time buyer and confirm every omitted part is named with its reason and its sold-separately protection.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: pocket operators (opens in a new tab)
The kit ships with every part, the build sheet, and its warnings.
The computer–1 page says the flat-pack design uses the same technique as the company's modular series, that each kit includes all of the parts required to assemble the case, that computer components are purchased separately, and it warns: think twice, bend once. The assembly instructions, revision 2.2, give a lettered parts list from A to N with counts, such as 20 of part A and 15 of part B, then numbered steps, warn not to overtighten screws, and tell the builder to use the power supply vendor's screws. Core77 quotes the company saying the powder-coated 1 mm aluminium bends into shape and that an illustrated build guide with instructions and bend angles is included. Input's unboxing found one package holding three boxes, a hex key so no screwdriver was needed, and tiny screws, and noted very minor dents in the panels, likely from shipping, saying the box could have used more padding.
Proposed translation: Ship a self-assembled Thorbis part with a lettered parts list and counts, the one tool it needs, and numbered steps that warn before any step that cannot be undone. Protect flat panels against dents in transit.
Why: A bend made in the wrong place cannot be undone, so the warning has to come before the step.
Refuse: Copying the computer–1 shape, its handles, or RAL 2004 orange, or treating a dented panel as acceptable packaging.
Proof required: Have a first-time builder assemble a Thorbis kit from the sheet alone, then ship a sample carton and inspect every panel for dents.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: computer–1 (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: computer–1 assembly instructions, revision 2.2 (orange, PDF) (opens in a new tab), Core77: Teenage Engineering's flatpack DIY computer housing (opens in a new tab), Input: unboxing Teenage Engineering's computer–1 PC case (opens in a new tab)
The size includes what sticks out and the cable room behind it.
The computer–1 specifications list outer dimensions of W 170, D 190, and H 322 mm, with footnotes: the front panel switch protrudes 10 mm, cabling typically needs at least 50 mm of space at the back, and the height is 285 mm without handles. The page also lists inner dimensions, a dual-slot GPU limit of 180 x 130 x 40 mm, an SFX power supply, and a 120 mm CPU cooler height limit from the motherboard surface. Other product pages give size and weight in the same form: EP–133 at 240 x 176 x 16 mm and 620 g, TP–7 at 96 x 68 x 16 mm and 170 g, and OB–4 at 232.5 x 284 x 57.5 mm and 1.7 kg.
Proposed translation: Publish the outer size, what protrudes, the clearance needed behind for cables and air, and the size without removable parts, all in millimeters and next to the buy choice. Publish inner limits for anything the owner installs.
Why: A body that fits the measured shelf can still fail once its switch and cables need room the page never mentioned.
Refuse: Copying Teenage Engineering dimensions or component limits as Thorbis targets.
Proof required: Measure a production Thorbis sample with switches, cables, and handles fitted and compare every figure to the published table.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: TP–7 field recorder (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: EP–133 K.O.II (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OB–4 (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: computer–1 (opens in a new tab)
The page names what the hand touches, down to key force.
The OP–1 field page describes a low-profile aluminum body, a hardened-glass flush display, and a warm soft-touch hard cover around the aluminum so there is no cold metal on the player's lap. It says one of the 2.4 GHz antennas is the tiny white line between the D and E keys. The EP–133 page labels the keys as laser engraved, with a 50 gf operating force, 3.20 mm total travel, a PA66 polyamide housing, a pressure-sensitive film, and an immersion-gold 4-layer board. The OB–4 page lists its materials as amorphous polymer glass-fibre-reinforced PC and milled aluminium, and names a fine-pitch tweeter grille, a gel-dampened handle, and a direct-drive volume knob.
Proposed translation: For each Thorbis surface a hand touches, name the material, the finish, and for a control its force and travel. Say why a cover or coating is there when it changes how the surface feels.
Why: The owner judges the product by the surface under the hand before reading any spec.
Refuse: Copying the OP–1 key layout, the EP–133 key shape, or claiming a key force this study did not measure.
Proof required: Measure force and travel on production controls and check each named surface material against the bill of materials.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: EP–133 K.O.II (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OB–4 (opens in a new tab)
A written type rule beats a per-product choice.
In the SFMOMA interview, Kouthoofd says the company does not use capital letters and writes only in lower case, which he calls democratic. He says he has questioned the typographic point system and wants to convert it to millimeters because he works in the metric system, that he sketches in 2D, and that he tries to adhere to German industrial standards. The OP–1 field feature list on October 9, 2026 included a new font, a QR code guide link, and a printed manual.
Proposed translation: Write the on-product type rules once for the family, including face, case, and method, and specify printed and engraved text height in millimeters. Use Thorbis sentence case and the product's own name case, not a new voice per device.
Why: Lettering specified per product drifts in case and size until the family stops looking related.
Refuse: Adopting all-lowercase writing, which conflicts with DESIGN.md sentence case and the product case rule, or copying the Teenage Engineering typeface.
Proof required: Measure text height on production samples across the family and check case and face against the written type rule.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), SFMOMA: Stay Curious, Stay Naïve, an interview with Jesper Kouthoofd (opens in a new tab)
The box is part of the carry, and its contents are listed.
The EP–133 page says the K.O.II comes in a redesigned paper-pulp box, ideal for short trips and everyday carry, under a heading that reads 10" EP format. The OP–1 field feature list includes new packaging, a printed manual, and a QR code guide link. The TP–7 guide asks the owner to check that the unit, a user guide, a 6.35 mm jack adapter, a USB-C cable, and a plastic cover are in the box. The OP–1 field guide gives the same kind of list for its box.
Proposed translation: Make a small Thorbis carton from fiber that keeps a use after unboxing, and print the contents list both on the carton and in the guide.
Why: A box worth keeping stays out of the bin, and a printed contents list ends the hunt for a missing cable.
Refuse: Claiming a fiber share, recycled content, or carry durability for the pulp box that the page does not state.
Proof required: Check a production carton against the printed contents list and record its fiber share and whether any plastic remains.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OP–1 field guide (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: TP–7 guide (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: EP–133 K.O.II (opens in a new tab)
The guide says who may replace the battery.
The OP–1 field guide, version 1.7.0, says only a battery supplied by teenage engineering and installed by qualified personnel should be used, that the unit should be charged at least every 6 months to keep the battery healthy, that it should be charged only from 5V USB power, and that the shell should be cleaned with a lightly damp cloth. It gives a 12-month warranty from purchase that excludes misuse such as dropping, crushing, or modifications. The TP–7 guide gives the same 12-month warranty. The field system page calls the system the smallest and lightest recording system in the world, as we know it, and the OP–1 field page runs the heading certified for space above a note that the unit spent nearly four days on orbit in 2025.
Proposed translation: State on the page and in the guide who may replace the battery, which battery, and how to reach that service, plus the storage charge interval and the cleaning method. Back any world-first or certification claim with its measurement and its source.
Why: A battery the owner may not replace sets the product's life, so the buyer needs that before checkout.
Refuse: Copying superlatives such as smallest in the world or certified for space without a named test, or adopting a 12-month warranty as a Thorbis target.
Proof required: Follow the published Thorbis battery service path end to end on a sample and record the time, cost, and any step the guide leaves out.
Thorbis specimen verification: unperformed.
Sources: teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: OP–1 field guide (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: TP–7 guide (opens in a new tab), teenage engineering: field system (opens in a new tab)
Evidence gaps
Independent teardown and repair steps
No first-party repair guide or independent teardown was read for OP–1 field, TP–7, or EP–133. Only iFixit's OP–1 device page was opened; it covers the 2011 model, not OP–1 field, and lists community replacement guides, including the battery, none of which were read. It is not a listed source.
Read a teardown or official service document before claiming a part is replaceable or how the body opens.
How the mark is made and where it sits
The only logo evidence is an Input photo caption, on a photo credited to Teenage Engineering, saying the logo is subtly stamped on the computer–1 front panel. iFixit's community page notes the 2011 OP–1 model name printed vertically at lower right. No first-party page read states the method, size, or position of the mark.
Find a first-party statement or inspect a sample before translating any logo placement.
Fiber share and protection of the paper-pulp box
The EP–133 page names a paper-pulp box but gives no fiber share, recycled content, or drop test.
Look for a packaging or environmental statement before citing the box as a fiber benchmark.
Prices and availability
Product prices were rendered by script and blank in the fetched text. Input's 2021 price is out of date.
Read prices in a rendered store page on the day if a later comparison needs them.
Thorbis key force, clearance, assembly time, and battery service
Manufacturer pages, one interview, and two articles describe products and intentions. They are not a Thorbis specimen test.
Pass the research intake gate and test a Thorbis sample before any proposal becomes a requirement.
Source receipts
teenage engineering: OP–1 field (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Feature list; hardened glass display; thinner body; velcro back and soft-touch cover; field system; specifications
teenage engineering: OP–1 field guide (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Notice, caution, warranty and return policy, what's in the box
teenage engineering: OP–XY (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Exterior, grayscale display, red for recording, key LEDs
teenage engineering: TP–7 field recorder (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Tape reel, rocker, off the record, highlights and dimensions
teenage engineering: TP–7 guide (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Warranty and return policy, what's in the box
teenage engineering: EP–133 K.O.II (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Key construction callouts, paper-pulp box, dimensions and weight
teenage engineering: pocket operators (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Small device, big sound; numbered board callouts; CA–X pro-case
teenage engineering: OB–4 (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Specifications: dimensions, weight, materials, design features, colors
teenage engineering: field system (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Take the studio with you: unit and standalone claim
teenage engineering: computer–1 (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Origin, build-it-yourself, specifications and dimension footnotes
teenage engineering: computer–1 assembly instructions, revision 2.2 (orange, PDF) (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Lettered parts list A to N; numbered steps; bend and screw warnings
SFMOMA: Stay Curious, Stay Naïve, an interview with Jesper Kouthoofd (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Influences answer: geometric shapes, RAL colors, color meaning, lower case, millimeters
Core77: Teenage Engineering's flatpack DIY computer housing (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Earlier prototypes; laser-cut hinge points; 1 mm powder-coated aluminium quote
Input: unboxing Teenage Engineering's computer–1 PC case (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-09; readable-text. Clean boxes; bits and bobs; the frame; photo captions