New Raspberry Pi 500+, 16GB RAM, 256GB M.2 SSD and RGB Mechanical Keyboard - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 02:22:57 pm
content: https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/25/peak_pi_reached_with_raspberry/?td=rt-3aIt is around priced $200. At around £192, there is a kit, which adds the mains power supply (USB C), a mouse and HDMI adapter/lead plus some kind of book.It has a number of advantages, over the original Pi5 or Pi500 keyboard.Including:It has the full 16GB of RAM.Fast/reliable (upgradable) 256GB M.2 SSD, which it can boot fromStill has the MicroSD card slot available for booting and stuffRGB LED backlit, mechanical keyboardAvailable as a kit, so all it needs to make a complete computer, is a monitorI rather like the look of it. It is nice as it doesn't have much in the way of open-PCB's or wires all over the place etc. I.e. It is essentially a one-piece (PC like) computer. Yet, different to a PC/MAC in many ways.Assuming the keyboards RGB LEDs are off, it idles and consumes fairly small amounts of power, something like 0.2 watts (off), 2 to 3 watts at idle, and only around 5.5 watts when doing stuff, such as showing YouTube videos. Which I think is pretty good.The following 'Gary Explains' review, is fairly short (7 3/4 minutes) and makes it look exciting:ExplainingComputers, with a much longer review:Jeff Geerling, I'm NOT too impressed with their review (it is fun, but too off-topic, as a Pi 500+ review, in my opinion). They seem to spend most of it, (successfully) getting a giant (relatively speaking) AMD graphics card to connect to it, directly, bybutcheringopening up the Pi500+, rather than concentrating on reviewing the new machine:Edit:Jeff Geerling, I accidentally put in the wrong YouTube link, corrected now.

author: hfleming
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 02:50:55 pm
content: Thinking about replacing my Rasperry Pi 400 with this one, as soon as some local suppliers (or one in a neighbouring country) have it in stock… so far it seems to be preserved for the very few youtube-celebrities…

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 02:56:06 pm
content: Quote from: hfleming on September 26, 2025, 02:50:55 pmI haven't done a deep/comprehensive search, but Pi-hut, seem to currently have, at least the standard (non-kit), version of the New Raspberry Pi 500+, in stock, as I write this. But not the kit, with a few extra bits, yet (when I looked, earlier today).https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plusAlso, here (with stock):https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus?variant=55744218202491But, currently, it seems to say "Coming Soon", for the fuller kit version:https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus-desktop-kitSimilarly, here (kit not in stock, yet):https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus-kit?variant=55744271843707Edit: Added more links.But, since you can buy many (all?) of the kits accessories, individually. You can essentially already get most of the kit, by buying the accessories, at the same time, you get the main unit.

author: aae30
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 06:58:39 pm
content: Raspberry Pi 5(/500+) etc. sure are great for developing for microcontrollers, but this(about SBC) should have gone to embedded-computing, imo..

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 07:40:22 pm
content: Quote from: aae30 on September 26, 2025, 06:58:39 pmIt seems to say, under Microcontrollers:QuoteSo, given that it specifically mentions the RPi, in that description. I decided, a Raspberry Pi, should go here/there.Also, don't forget, it still has the 40 pin I/O header. So, can be used, for electronics, as a SBC (in a case).Edit:Sorry, I mis-read/misunderstood the quote I just posted. It actually says/means to NOT post it there. My mistake. I will try and move it, manually myself, to the right section.

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 08:58:01 pm
content: Doesn't the kit still contain the Pi 500, not the 500+?Still 200$ for a Rpi 5 16GB, case, keyboard, 256GB M.2 (albeit not the fastest SSD), its a good value.Just the Rpi 16GB is 120$.. 256GB storage 30$, case 15$, mechanical keyboard 50$... It quickly adds up.However, personally, I like to choose my own peripherals. Sometimes my peripherals outlast computers, sometimes they don't.It should be fast enough for basic tasks. I still have a i5 3570k running as a HTPC, and its about as fast. But that is a full blown tower that consumes 50W idle. For doing embedded stuff, should still be good enough though..

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2025, 09:20:15 pm
content: Quote from: hans on September 26, 2025, 08:58:01 pmNo, the kit (the NEW kit, be careful, they still sell the OLD kit) seems to contain the actual (new) 500+, along with the needed accessories.I also like the fact the 500+ has a decent, silent (fanless), heatsink, with low temperatures, even under heavy load. That further enhances its appeal.So, it sorts out the SSD (rather than the sometimes problematic MicroSDs), heatsinks/fan, cases it and gives it a fairly decent lit(RGB) mechanical keyboard. At what seems like a reasonable price, with very gentle power consumption, yet pretty decent performance, for a mainly web-browsing/email and other gentle task, second/third etc, computer.

author: brucehoult
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2025, 01:57:38 am
content: Quote from: MK14 on September 26, 2025, 02:22:57 pmThat's a review of the 500 not the 500+.

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2025, 02:20:30 am
content: Quote from: brucehoult on September 27, 2025, 01:57:38 amThanks!I've corrected the opening post.The original link, had lots of junk added to, by google (as it was from a search reference), so I opened it in a webpage, to get back to the original video. Somehow, I found a 500 rather than the latest 500+ one, without noticing.The correct one is here:

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2025, 07:17:15 am
content: Putting a PC inside a keyboard is a horrible idea.First, keyboards are pretty much disposable items. They get covered in bread crumbs and the occasional coffee spill. So I want to be able to swap it out quickly and easily.For the rest, look at all those connectors! Why would anyone want to have 10 cables dangling from their keyboard? I can understand hiding your PC behind your monitor, or mounting it in some box together with the power supply and other things (No, a small pc with an external power supply is not a small PC). but putting that many cables on a thing that moves all the time will always result in a nightmarish chasing of bad connectors, because they wear out much quicker.And why do they even bother to put on the 40 pin I/O connector? Can you imagine the reliability if you want to add some dupont wires to your breadboard to test an I2C chip? Very soon you'd become afraid of even toughing your keyboard.Being able to boot from M.2 is a huge advantage. uSD cards have always been a horrible compromise as the main storage medium for a computer. I always liked the idea from Odroid to use removable eMMC modules, but with the low cost and availablility of M.2 that's a good option too. Also, does this work with any M.2 drive, or do you have to buy one from the Raspi Foundation? They have also done fishy things with their camera, although I forgot further details.

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: «Reply #10 on:Todayat 03:42:25 am »
content: Quote from: Doctorandus_P on October 16, 2025, 07:17:15 amIIRC, you can fit any M.2, but best to check compatibility and dimensions.