The creators of the popular Raspberry Pi single-board computer have released a compact keyboard-style computer called the Raspberry Pi 500. The new product has the same characteristics as the single-board Raspberry Pi 5 and comes pre-installed with Linux-based Raspberry Pi OS. Versions with English and American keyboard layouts are available.
Image source: Raspberry Pi
As TechCrunch writes, one of the key advantages of the Raspberry Pi 500 is ease of use. Unlike the Raspberry Pi 5, which looks a little intimidating to newbies, the new computer is completely hidden inside the keyboard housing. The user does not need to interact with the chips or printed circuit board – just connect a mouse and monitor to get started.
Image source: Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi 500 is designed to replace legacy computers and can handle most everyday tasks. For example, if someone has an old PC running an outdated version of Windows, a new Raspberry Pi could be an affordable and capable alternative, especially for basic computing needs.
In terms of specifications, the Raspberry Pi 500 is equipped with a 64-bit quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor and 8 GB of RAM. The device supports connecting up to two 4K displays via two micro-HDMI ports, has three regular USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet and a 40-pin GPIO. There is also support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The kit includes a 32 GB memory card with a pre-installed Raspberry Pi OS operating system.
In general, the new product has not deviated much from the original purpose of the Raspberry Pi – educational purposes. It is interesting that Raspberry Pi has become popular among enthusiasts and industrial customers over time. For example, the flight departure and arrival time board at London Heathrow Airport works precisely on this system. The Raspberry Pi 500, as TechCrunch notes, is “perfect for schools, offering an affordable and customizable solution,” which, according to experts, although offered at a fairly low price, is a more flexible tool in terms of settings, superior in its characteristics to Chromebooks.
The Raspberry Pi 500 is priced at $90, up $20 from the previous Raspberry Pi 400. Only UK and US keyboards are available at launch, but versions for the French, German, Italian, Japanese, Nordic and Spanish markets are planned soon . The company also offers a kit costing $120, which includes a computer, mouse, 27 W power supply and an HDMI cable. The new product is already available for purchase from official resellers.
The Raspberry Pi Company also announced the Raspberry Pi Monitor. It’s a 15.6-inch 1080p monitor that costs $100. Since there are quite a few 1080p portable monitors out there, this product isn’t as noteworthy as the Pi 500.