The Raspberry Pi keyboard-PC simply bought a mechanical keys improve

The Raspberry Pi 500, like its predecessor the 400, is principally a Pi pc crammed right into a funds keyboard in a retro throwback. And as cool as it’s, I confess that as PCWorld’s resident keyboard nut, I discovered the membrane keyboard underwhelming. Nicely, now I’ve no excuse to not dive into the Raspberry Pi world as a result of the upgraded 500+ mannequin has a full mechanical design. Huzzah!

The most recent model of the 75% design comes with low-profile Gateron clicky blue switches and detachable keycaps, together with a keycap puller within the field. For just a bit further gamer bling, there are RGB lights beneath them. And sure, the keyboard is available in a wide range of layouts and languages, together with US-standard ANSI for fashions offered in North America. It doesn’t, sadly, embrace hot-swap sockets… however for those who’re a Raspberry Pi fan, you’re not afraid of a soldering iron, are you?

The keyboard isn’t the one factor that will get an improve. The Raspberry Pi 5 guts inside come pre-loaded with 16GB of RAM (the utmost accessible to this point) and a 256GB NVMe SSD, which seems to be like it may be changed with any customary M.2 drive. It’s a lot of energy and functionality for what’s normally thought of fundamental {hardware}.

Raspberry Pi

Right here comes the tough half: the package prices $200 USD. That’s $80 greater than the fundamental, non-mechanical Pi 500 and 4 instances the worth of the bottom mannequin Pi 5. However talking as a keyboard nut, and taking the additional RAM and storage into consideration, I don’t suppose it’s unreasonable. Notice that, like the opposite keyboard fashions, it doesn’t include a battery, so that you’ll nonetheless want exterior energy along with a monitor and mouse.

It’s delivery now from all of Raspberry Pi’s retail companions, together with CanaKit and PiShop.us.