Raspberry Pi upgraded its keyboard computer with mechanical switches and SSD storage

The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus includes RGB lighting and runs the unfastened root QMK firmware. | Image: Raspberry Pi

After upgrading its original compact computer-in-a-keyboard with its much susceptible Raspberry Pi 5 microcomputer, the institution has announced a caller premium mentation of past year’s model. The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus is the archetypal to diagnostic an M.2 2280 SSD socket for retention successful summation to an SD paper slot that tin beryllium utilized to clasp the OS. It comes with 256GB of storage, but it’s easy accessible if you privation to swap successful a larger SSD. 

Available present for $200, the Raspberry Pi 500 Plus is considerably much costly than the Raspberry Pi 500 that’s inactive disposable for $90, but the upgrades aren’t conscionable constricted to expanded storage. Its quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 processor is present paired with 16GB of LPDDR4x-4267 RAM (up from 8GB past year), and the 500 Plus should connection a much enjoyable typing acquisition for keyboard aficionados.

It present features Gateron KS-33 Blue mechanical switches and custom-designed low-profile keycaps (which are replaceable) with a spray-painted decorativeness that has besides been laser etched to let recently added programmable RGB lighting to radiance through. Inside the 500 Plus, you’ll besides find an RP2040 microcontroller moving the QMK unfastened root firmware.

Other specs carried implicit from the modular Raspberry Pi 500 machine keyboard see enactment for Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth, a gigabit Ethernet port, 2 micro HDMI ports, 3 USB-A ports, and a azygous USB-C larboard for power. It doesn’t travel with video cables, a powerfulness supply, oregon a mouse, but Raspberry Pi besides sells a “Desktop Kit” mentation of the 500 Plus for $220 with everything you request to powerfulness the machine and link it to a screen.