3 ms·

RPi 500 arrives with mechanical switches, RGB LED backlit keys

67 points by arkensaw 1y ago

arkensaw 1y ago
I never got a pi 400 or 500, but this one looks interesting. basically an RGB LED mechanical keyboard but with a 16GB pi 5 inside, and a 256GB SSD
JdeBP 1y ago
Manufacturer's WWW page discussed at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370021 .
sedatk 1y ago
To mods: This is RPi 500+, not RPi 500. The title is quite editorialized too.
- gnabgib 1y ago
  The mods know, the auto title fixer removed the +, but this is also a day old post that got voted into the second chance pool (probably mistakenly since it's just a sales page)
Retr0id 1y ago
I've spent a similar magnitude of money on just a mechanical keyboard before, and from that angle alone it seems like excellent value.
- jsheard 1y ago
  Eh, there's mechanical keyboards and then there's mechanical keyboards. Boards with a basic plastic construction similar to the Pi500+ can be had for much cheaper, while for the cost of a Pi500+ you can get a super fancy CNC machined aluminium brick of a keyboard.
  - 1oooqooq 1y ago
    plus you can make a keyboard that actually works as a keyboard and not just for the pi
  - xmonkee 1y ago
    I have a lot of mechanical keyboards, and honestly I prefer plastic over aluminum. I don't really understand the allure of all that heavy metal. The new 8BitDo one is a good example of a "premium" mechanical keyboard with a plastic case and it sounds and feels amazing.
- keyle 1y ago
  When you consider you get an ARM linux machine with a SSD (compared to an SD card), it's mind bogglingly good!
Jeremy1026 1y ago
Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304
- metadat 1y ago
  Thanks! Macro-expanded: Raspberry Pi 500+ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 - 1 day ago, 285 comments
downrightmike 1y ago
It'd be great if there was OTG mode, it would be the perfect macro keyboard
- nereye 1y ago
  The Pi 5 does support OTG mode, e.g. see: https://www.foxipex.com/2024/10/26/virtual-keyboard-over-usb-raspberry-pi/ https://www.foxipex.com/2024/10/26/virtual-keyboard-over-usb...
int_19h 1y ago
I look at these things and think how amazing it would be to have one back when "home microcomputers" with TV as output were in their heyday. But these days, I'm struggling to think of a use case. For casual users it makes more sense to get a regular mini-PC or laptop, and for hacking... well, what exactly would you be hacking on that makes this form factor preferable?
- ycui1986 1y ago
  Good for young kids to learn computer, programming, etc. It comes with free Mathematica. There are also limited game option, which is good from parent's perspective.
  - ninetyninenine 1y ago
    The thing about this is that I know kids will hate it. They always want the thing parents don't want them to have.
    - xyzzy123 1y ago
      I think it's "worse" than that. I have at different times put out windows, mac & rpi as "lounge computer" used by kids (5, 7, 9 and their friends) and their main complaint with rpi is DRM issues, that's pretty much it. Kids who have used multiple devices understand they can physically look different and the things you click on are in different places. Also updates can move stuff around. Things are just randomly different sometimes for fundamentally un-knowable reasons. The operating system primarily exists to provide a button that launches a web browser; computers as a skill is ability to open the things you want despite bad ui/ux. A browser is a thing that if you type in "crazygames" lets you play games. The other important buttons / magic words are "netflix" / "disney" / "youtube". Spotify also a core request. Median child (<12) doesn't know what an operating system is, advanced kids will know about "apple" being different from "windows" but usually won't have a coherent mental model of why that would be. Engineer's kids know what Linux is.
  - OCTAGRAM 1y ago
    ITX-Llama is good for young kids to learn computer, programming, etc. My first mathematical application was MathCAD 6 on Windows 3.1 with Win32s add-on, and that worked fine for me, and can work fine for young kids. My most used programming language in DOS was Turbo Pascal, and it worked fine for me and can work fine for young kids. I see nothing good in limited game option. It was inspiring to play game and then want to also program some game. Or to crack that game. DOS games are easier to penetrate with ArtMoney and IDA than modern garbage with closed source servers. So it makes sense which games are playable on device, not playability of games as is. Parents may spend some time with kids in network DOS games, discuss how it was to experience it first. And that Raspberry Pi, what is it good for? It does not have DOS legacy, it does not have Amiga legacy. It is disconnected from all great stuff of the past, and does not have own charm. Its games are either emulators or some open source games ported to ARM. An architecture that is new on desktops and who knows how long will it be. There is Windows ARM, but it does not run on Raspberry Pi. There is Mac OS ARM, but also won't run. Proprietary ARM is pushed to be replaced by RISC-V, so should we tie ourselves to ARM if it is doomed? I mostly see Raspberry Pi in hardware. MT-32Pi for Roland sound emulation in ITX-Llama. PiStorm for fast CPU emulation in MiniMig. Not primary CPU for desktop. I don't know what to discuss with kids in Rasperry Pi. No past and no future.
dzink 1y ago
I tried it today at the Maker Faire. It was very nice - the Pi was snappy and the keyboard I wish I could just buy as a keyboard. Low profile but incredibly, gloriously, perfectly clicky! The framework laptop with the NVIDIA GPU looked nice too, but man that pi 500+ keyboard was soooo enjoyable.
- turtlebits 1y ago
  Too bad the keyswitches aren't swappable. That price point is veering into enthusiast territory and seems odd not to allow customization. I'll stay away as I prefer linear switches.
- mastazi 1y ago
  > I wish I could just buy as a keyboard It seems that they are Gateron KS-33 Blue low profile switches[1][2], so you can look for keyboards that come with those preinstalled. [1] https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus/ https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus/ [2] https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-500-plus-teardown-and-overview/ https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-500-plus...
- boneitis 1y ago
  You might check out the Keychron K3. The 500+ looks (at least, in the photos) so much like my K3 that I thought at first it was a collab with Keychron. If you're looking at configurations that look very different aesthetically, keep in mind you can replace with aftermarket keycaps. There are several variants of the "K3"; some configurations will have swappable switches, others not. Beware. If you want software hackability as well, you'd probably go with one of the QMK/VIA versions.
robertdaniels 1y ago
[dead]
OCTAGRAM 1y ago
SUBOR SB97 looks fantastic because it clones IBM Model M. Most keys are white, but Esc is grey, and and F5-F8 are grey. And arrows are grey. And some other keys are grey. Keyboard is contrast, alive, full of sense. All such conventions that were taken for granted, and this RPi 500 is dull all white.

67 points by arkensaw 1y ago

I never got a pi 400 or 500, but this one looks interesting. basically an RGB LED mechanical keyboard but with a 16GB pi 5 inside, and a 256GB SSD

JdeBP 1y ago

Manufacturer's WWW page discussed at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370021 .

sedatk 1y ago

To mods: This is RPi 500+, not RPi 500. The title is quite editorialized too.

gnabgib 1y ago
The mods know, the auto title fixer removed the +, but this is also a day old post that got voted into the second chance pool (probably mistakenly since it's just a sales page)

Retr0id 1y ago

I've spent a similar magnitude of money on just a mechanical keyboard before, and from that angle alone it seems like excellent value.

jsheard 1y ago
Eh, there's mechanical keyboards and then there's mechanical keyboards. Boards with a basic plastic construction similar to the Pi500+ can be had for much cheaper, while for the cost of a Pi500+ you can get a super fancy CNC machined aluminium brick of a keyboard.
- 1oooqooq 1y ago
  plus you can make a keyboard that actually works as a keyboard and not just for the pi
- xmonkee 1y ago
  I have a lot of mechanical keyboards, and honestly I prefer plastic over aluminum. I don't really understand the allure of all that heavy metal. The new 8BitDo one is a good example of a "premium" mechanical keyboard with a plastic case and it sounds and feels amazing.
keyle 1y ago
When you consider you get an ARM linux machine with a SSD (compared to an SD card), it's mind bogglingly good!

Jeremy1026 1y ago

Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304

metadat 1y ago
Thanks! Macro-expanded: Raspberry Pi 500+ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 - 1 day ago, 285 comments

downrightmike 1y ago

It'd be great if there was OTG mode, it would be the perfect macro keyboard

nereye 1y ago
The Pi 5 does support OTG mode, e.g. see: https://www.foxipex.com/2024/10/26/virtual-keyboard-over-usb-raspberry-pi/ https://www.foxipex.com/2024/10/26/virtual-keyboard-over-usb...

int_19h 1y ago

I look at these things and think how amazing it would be to have one back when "home microcomputers" with TV as output were in their heyday. But these days, I'm struggling to think of a use case. For casual users it makes more sense to get a regular mini-PC or laptop, and for hacking... well, what exactly would you be hacking on that makes this form factor preferable?

ycui1986 1y ago
Good for young kids to learn computer, programming, etc. It comes with free Mathematica. There are also limited game option, which is good from parent's perspective.
- ninetyninenine 1y ago
  The thing about this is that I know kids will hate it. They always want the thing parents don't want them to have.
  - xyzzy123 1y ago
    I think it's "worse" than that. I have at different times put out windows, mac & rpi as "lounge computer" used by kids (5, 7, 9 and their friends) and their main complaint with rpi is DRM issues, that's pretty much it. Kids who have used multiple devices understand they can physically look different and the things you click on are in different places. Also updates can move stuff around. Things are just randomly different sometimes for fundamentally un-knowable reasons. The operating system primarily exists to provide a button that launches a web browser; computers as a skill is ability to open the things you want despite bad ui/ux. A browser is a thing that if you type in "crazygames" lets you play games. The other important buttons / magic words are "netflix" / "disney" / "youtube". Spotify also a core request. Median child (<12) doesn't know what an operating system is, advanced kids will know about "apple" being different from "windows" but usually won't have a coherent mental model of why that would be. Engineer's kids know what Linux is.
- OCTAGRAM 1y ago
  ITX-Llama is good for young kids to learn computer, programming, etc. My first mathematical application was MathCAD 6 on Windows 3.1 with Win32s add-on, and that worked fine for me, and can work fine for young kids. My most used programming language in DOS was Turbo Pascal, and it worked fine for me and can work fine for young kids. I see nothing good in limited game option. It was inspiring to play game and then want to also program some game. Or to crack that game. DOS games are easier to penetrate with ArtMoney and IDA than modern garbage with closed source servers. So it makes sense which games are playable on device, not playability of games as is. Parents may spend some time with kids in network DOS games, discuss how it was to experience it first. And that Raspberry Pi, what is it good for? It does not have DOS legacy, it does not have Amiga legacy. It is disconnected from all great stuff of the past, and does not have own charm. Its games are either emulators or some open source games ported to ARM. An architecture that is new on desktops and who knows how long will it be. There is Windows ARM, but it does not run on Raspberry Pi. There is Mac OS ARM, but also won't run. Proprietary ARM is pushed to be replaced by RISC-V, so should we tie ourselves to ARM if it is doomed? I mostly see Raspberry Pi in hardware. MT-32Pi for Roland sound emulation in ITX-Llama. PiStorm for fast CPU emulation in MiniMig. Not primary CPU for desktop. I don't know what to discuss with kids in Rasperry Pi. No past and no future.

dzink 1y ago

I tried it today at the Maker Faire. It was very nice - the Pi was snappy and the keyboard I wish I could just buy as a keyboard. Low profile but incredibly, gloriously, perfectly clicky! The framework laptop with the NVIDIA GPU looked nice too, but man that pi 500+ keyboard was soooo enjoyable.

turtlebits 1y ago
Too bad the keyswitches aren't swappable. That price point is veering into enthusiast territory and seems odd not to allow customization. I'll stay away as I prefer linear switches.
mastazi 1y ago
> I wish I could just buy as a keyboard It seems that they are Gateron KS-33 Blue low profile switches[1][2], so you can look for keyboards that come with those preinstalled. [1] https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus/ https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus/ [2] https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-500-plus-teardown-and-overview/ https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-500-plus...
boneitis 1y ago
You might check out the Keychron K3. The 500+ looks (at least, in the photos) so much like my K3 that I thought at first it was a collab with Keychron. If you're looking at configurations that look very different aesthetically, keep in mind you can replace with aftermarket keycaps. There are several variants of the "K3"; some configurations will have swappable switches, others not. Beware. If you want software hackability as well, you'd probably go with one of the QMK/VIA versions.

robertdaniels 1y ago

[dead]

OCTAGRAM 1y ago

SUBOR SB97 looks fantastic because it clones IBM Model M. Most keys are white, but Esc is grey, and and F5-F8 are grey. And arrows are grey. And some other keys are grey. Keyboard is contrast, alive, full of sense. All such conventions that were taken for granted, and this RPi 500 is dull all white.