Pip-Boys Are So Passé, Check Out This Brotherhood of Steel Watch Instead

The Fallout series is one of the most cosplay-worthy video game franchises of all time. The various titles, particularly from Fallout 3 on, are packed full of awesome weapons, armor, and accessories that just beg to become replica costume props. Of everything in the series, the Pip-Boy is probably the most beloved by fans — so much so that you can go buy one at your local Halloween store. But Pip-Boy builds have gotten stale, while this Brotherhood of Steel watch is fresh as can be.

Sarif of Random Hackery has, in fact, built a Pip-Boy-esque watch called Pipman in the past. But, for his newest project, he wanted to build something a little more unique and turned to the Brotherhood of Steel for inspiration. The Brotherhood of Steel has made an appearance in all of the Fallout games as a kind of tech-heavy paramilitary group with strong ideals. Sarif’s watch evokes that tech with a large, brutish case and bulky controls.

The watch runs on an NXP FRDM-KL27Z MCU built around an Arm Cortex M0+ processor that’s designed for low-power applications. That allows for a number of features, including GPS for navigation and time-syncing, audio, a TV remote, a laser pointer, and, of course, the clock. The time is shown on a retro HP bubble display that gives the watch a great retro-futuristic aesthetic, and four huge metal toggle switches complete the look. Sure, this Brotherhood of Steel watch is clunky, but so is a Pip-Boy, and this is a lot more original.