Testing the Raspberry Pi 500+'s new mechanical keyboard

https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/testing-raspberry-pi-500s-new-mechanical-keyboard

by speckx • 10 months ago

137 97 10 months ago

jeffgeerling.com

mouse_• 10 months ago

$200 is $150 too much.

SomeoneOnTheWeb• 10 months ago

What? Where can you find an entire computer with builtin SSD, RAM and keyboard for $50?

bodge5000• 10 months ago

I was actually curious to see if this actually exists, originally I thought a pi 1 with a cheap keyboard and ssd, but of course the pi 1 doesn't support ssd's anyway. In the end I found an old thinkpad on ebay that technically meets the spec (E-50, i3, 8gb ram and 128gb ssd), though preowned is kind of cheating. New I think you might be right, even without the keyboard.

To be clear I think the price of the pi 500+ is pretty much fine for what it is, I was just curious.

userbinator3• 10 months ago

A recycling center.

The amount of waste that happens constantly is mind-boggling.

intrepidlemon• 10 months ago

I’ve been looking for something like this exact form factor but with a giant battery and usb-c displayport out and PD out to use with a pair of video display glasses like the XReal Pros. Could have real space and weight saving potential, better privacy on plane rides, and a nice large virtual display with better ergonomics to go along with it.

geerlingguy4• 10 months ago

Would love to at least have DP Alt Mode on the USB-C power input someday... maybe in the next generation. They're always wanting for board space; dropping one set of USB-A ports would give a bit!

cjtrowbridge• 10 months ago

Radxa has rpi clones with better specs that already do that

easygenes• 10 months ago

I settled on a GPD Win Mini with HX370. Tiny full laptop when needed, quick wireless keyboard pairing away from more versatile setups.

nxpnsv• 10 months ago

That's pretty cool!

koverstreet• 10 months ago

I'm waiting for AR glasses to get higher res, but yes.

Also, if we're posting our wishlist - Preonic form factor.

https://drop.com/buy/preonic-mechanical-keyboard

glimshe2• 10 months ago

I don't think this is a competitive product. You can get a more powerful PC on Amazon for less. It's neat, but more of a fun gadget than a good cost-benefit offering. The Raspberry Pi foundation isn't going in a good direction IMHO.

TheChaplain• 10 months ago

I don't think they are out to compete with anything, but provide educational tools and an amazing community.

So I believe a lot of people simply misunderstand what the Raspberry Pi foundation is trying to do.

torben-friis2• 10 months ago

Can you educate me on that?

My first thought was that what you want for education is a best bang for your buck computer so that a student has an affordable option. In that sense the most competitive option would be the best choice.

But I’m probably missing some extra feature or idea that makes the pi a better option even if comparatively more expensive? What’s is it?

massysett• 10 months ago

More powerful PC from whom? Some no-name outfit? Good luck sorting through the flea market dreck.

Raspberry Pi has built the best brand in this space.

dingnuts• 10 months ago

is this... just racism, actually? there are a million cool electronics on Amazon from random Shenzhen sellers and while I prefer that my electronics come from countries with better human rights records it's not flea market dreck, it's very much the best stuff you can buy, that you can't get anywhere else.

the attitude that stuff from brands you don't recognize from Shenzhen are "flea market dreck" is exactly why Chinese brands like DVI are winning

bitwize• 10 months ago

Some of the "no-name outfits", like Geekom and Beelink, have built good reputations.

It's possible to score a name-brand, refurbished "thin client" PC for around Raspberry Pi 3 dollars. I scored an HP one for $25, and it fits nicely in the "small fanless PC" niche, runs Linux, and is faster than the corresponding Pi would be.

wqaatwt• 10 months ago

You get an Intel CPU glued to some generic motherboard. If you don’t need GPIO a random N100 PC can do everything a Raspberry can (and you can get an adapter for that).

mikestew• 10 months ago

You can get a more powerful PC on Amazon for less.

I think you might be missing the point. If you’re looking for the cheapest, most cost-effective computer, and you’re willing to shop for it on Amazon, then I know you’re missing the point.

numpad03• 10 months ago

Raspberry Pi was always intended to be an educational device. It doesn't have to be strictly the best performer.

IlikeKitties3• 10 months ago

Those days have long passed and most of the money is made on the b2b/industrial side. But these days raspberry pis only have a mode in software compatibility and LTS and those are slowly dwindling away. I'd be hard pressed to buy a raspberry pi of any kind these days when RK35XX Devices are available and beat pis at almost every task.

I really hope the pi foundation gets their head out of their behinds and stars competing again.

userbinator3• 10 months ago

It was always intended to be a way to whitewash Broadcom and "educate" as a gateway drug for promoting proprietary closed platforms.

allenu2• 10 months ago

I'm confused as to why they decided to build this when they already previously built the Raspberry Pi 400 keyboard all-in-one for under $100. As a casual observer, I don't know who they've built this $200 machine for. A cheap all-in-one for education totally makes sense, but this is a bit too much. Maybe someone more in the know can help us understand what direction the company's going?

TMWNN• 10 months ago

I'm confused as to why they decided to build this when they already previously built the Raspberry Pi 400 keyboard all-in-one for under $100.

As you would have been told in the second paragraph had you actually read the article, this is not a replacement for the existing Pi 500, which costs about that much MSRP.

jzb2• 10 months ago

How’s it too much? I’m baffled. If I had a kid between 10-18ish that needed/wanted a non-gaming computer, I would find this to be nearly perfect. $200 is not a ton of money for a computer, and it seems to be just powerful enough I wouldn’t worry about general tasks being frustrating.

kristianp• 10 months ago

I agree it seems strange market placement. I guess the Pi 500 is for kids and the double the price 500+ is for adult hardware hackers who often like mechanical keyboards. However if they're hardware hackers, an all in one keyboard pc makes hacking the hardware redundant?

They'll sell a lot more 500s, but are the profit margins on the 500+ really that great?

Aurornis4• 10 months ago

The Raspberry Pi foundation isn't going in a good direction IMHO.

I disagree. This is exactly the type of product they should be building: It’s fun. It’s self contained. It lights up and looks intriguing to young people. It has a great community. It has plenty of documentation. You can expand from it and tap into a big universe of Raspberry Pi projects. You can store it away when you or your kids are done with it. You can connect it to your TV easily.

This is perfect for everything the Raspberry Pi Foundation set out to do: Be an educational ecosystem that was easy to access.

So many people are confused by Raspberry Pi because they think it’s supposed to be the most powerful or most bang for your buck general compute machine out there. That’s not their goal or their market.

As you said, if someone wants a fast general purpose PC they shouldn’t even be looking at this. That’s not what it’s for.

pcdoodle• 10 months ago

Some kid is going to get inspired. Hacking the shit out of the lights under the keyboard on this and have a lifelong muse due to it. I’m sure of it.

zamadatix3• 10 months ago

Education is their mission, but people say this in defense of every product they release these days. The primary enabler of the mission is not the educational sales themselves, it's the sales for embedded or general tinkering use.

I think what people really overlook is how much brand recognition and mindshare "Raspberry Pi" has from the earlier products. That carries a very long way, but if none of the new products are supposed to scratch that same market itch then there will eventually be a problem. It reminds me a bit of folks who felt Mozilla should only care about the overall mission for the web instead of making sure Firefox grows to continue supporting that mission. They couldn't rest on their laurels forever to only do the mission either, and are in a tough spot for it.

pipes• 10 months ago

Agree. I'd never heard of this before. It's lovely. I'm guessing they are aiming for what 8-bit micros where during the 80s. Which is oddly what recall that the original pi was supposed to be. I have no reason what's so ever to buy this, but I really want to.

Edit: reminds me of this, https://www.officestationery.co.uk/product/fuze-keyboard-wit...

mindcrime• 10 months ago

You can get a more powerful PC on Amazon for less.

I'm not sure that really matters. It's well known that most people are not "homo economicus" rational / optimizing agents seeking to min/max every purchase decision. A lot of other factors go into purchases, and name recognition, brand loyalty, and general goodwill count for a lot with most people. Of course there are eventual limits to that, and any brand can be displaced if they are too cavalier with regards to meeting consumer needs. But in this case, I strongly suspect the people that want a Raspberry Pi 500+ are the people that want a Raspberry Pi 500+ and that's the end of it. They're not going to buy the competing product because it's $20 cheaper.

Also, something Jeff has pointed out in his videos on many occasions, as I recall: don't underestimate the importance of the associated software (eg, a working, supported OS with usable drivers that work on the device) as well as the community (support forums, etc) and the overall ecosystem (supported / trusted add-ons, mods, etc). To a lot of people it's that stuff that keeps them coming back to the RPi brand.

harrisonjackson• 10 months ago

In a keyboard format? Something running a simple OS that doesn't link you or your family identity and data straight into Google?

Something a less technical parent can wire up in the family room from a trusted brand without having to do a ton of research for not only reputable brands but also vendors on amazon?

Educational mission aside this is a good alternative to a chromebook.

ThrowawayR2• 10 months ago

The existing non-plus version of the Raspberry Pi 500 serves that need for $100. This is about the new Raspberry Pi 500+ that costs twice as much.

pizlonator• 10 months ago

Yes but it has the cuteness factor

KaiserPro6• 10 months ago

Competitive for what?

If I want a home server, then sure its no the right product.

If I want to give a machine that a child can tinker with, and has lots of support /docs on how to do cool shit with it, then this is probably one way.

If thats too expensive, then the plain 500, for half the price.

glimshe2• 10 months ago

What is there to tinker? Using the connector on the back? As you pointed out, you get that on the cheaper option.

The mini PCs sold everywhere these days use standard Linux with over the counter components by Intel and AMD that are documented to death. They have the memory, faster CPU, fast storage, multiple HDMI outs, power switches etc. They run Windows if that's your thing. You can actually use them as your main computer if you are a teenager or light user.

This is far from the British computers that theoretically inspired the foundation. Even the cheaper 500 isn't such a great value for real world computer education. I bet more adult hobbyists like me use them than actual children.

rldjbpin• 10 months ago

i come to now think of rpi as the "lego" of computing. just thinking in terms of sticker price misses the point.

noja• 10 months ago

Title is incorrect. Should be 500+

tomhow• 10 months ago

Updated, thanks.

happycube• 10 months ago

As someone who grew up on Atari 8-bits, they missed a trick by not calling this the 800.

ako• 10 months ago

Because amiga 500 is way superior to Atari ;-)

mock-possum• 10 months ago

At a glance, the keyboard looks uncomfortably small compared to the author’s hands.

It’s a really neat idea, don’t get me wrong, I’m just not sure how much serious typing I’d really be able to do on it.

geerlingguy4• 10 months ago

It's standard size; same key spacing as on my Keychron. Maybe just the camera angle playing tricks!

bittercynic• 10 months ago

Beautiful, and currently 9 in stock at the Santa Clara Central Computers store. I'm running out the door!

geerlingguy4• 10 months ago

Visited there the first time ever a few months ago, you're lucky to have both that and the new Micro Center in close proximity. If only every city could be so lucky.

WillAdams2• 10 months ago

The thing I'd really like to see is a matching display/case/battery system.

Unfortunately, the three displays which the rPi foundation don't have matching proportions.

Has anyone put together a parts list which would work for this?

Kind of thinking I'd want something like a Radio Shack Model 100....

JdeBP• 10 months ago

Like the ClockworkPi uConsole or DevTerm?

WillAdams2• 10 months ago

Sort of --- ideally, it would be an rPi foundation product line, something like the Kano computer kit mayhap?

- a screen sized and proportioned to look good with the rPi 500+ which can be powered by it

- a(n optional) battery pack

- a case (or an STL for 3D printing?) which all the parts would snap into to make a laptop

For bonus points, the screen could have touch (and perhaps stylus?) input.

I'm currently waiting on a Soulcircuit Pilet from the Kickstarter (2 actually), but may have to give this a swing at some point.....

Refreeze5224• 10 months ago

Jeff Geerling is such a treasure.

GardenLetter27• 10 months ago

Beelink should really partner with KeyChron to release something like this but more high-end and usable.

KaiserPro6• 10 months ago

I mean yeah, but that'll cost at least $500 and throttle like a fucker

corytheboyd2• 10 months ago

Already a very neat project, but it would be really interesting to:

1. Display a progress bar for the memory limit being reached

2. Feed that progress back to the model

I would be so curious to watch it up to the kill cycle, see what happens, and the display would add tension.

AceJohnny2• 10 months ago

Wrong thread, you probably meant to comment on this other RasPi LLM post? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45396624

corytheboyd2• 10 months ago

Oh shoot, yes I did! Thank you stranger

delfugal• 10 months ago

Noisy does not mean good.

Old Cherry keywitches in Wyse Terminals and computers were the best keyboards ever. They had a great feel with barely there faint click. Totally nothing like the CLONK CLICK that people think made those early IBM keyboards popular. I always hated them. If you're copying a keyboard an old Wyse keyboard from say a WY50 terminal or Wyse386 PC clone and copy that.

qmr• 10 months ago

Really hated watching the mechanical keyboard fetish spread through an open tech office I used to work at.

So obnoxious.

serf• 10 months ago

apparently i'm of a dying breed, but I need a numpad.

redundantly• 10 months ago

Same here, a numpad is a hard requirement for me when buying a new keyboard.

mkl• 10 months ago

It runs QMK. Put the numpad on a layer. I've done that for years.

redwall_hp2• 10 months ago

It's absolutely a requirement for Blender, which uses it for view positioning and other things.

Testing the Raspberry Pi 500+'s new mechanical keyboard

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