Raspberry Pi has added a new model to its series of compact computers integrated into a keyboard. Following the more powerful version based on the Raspberry Pi 5, the company has now announced the Raspberry Pi 500 Plus, an improved premium version of last year’s model. This new device brings significant upgrades in both storage and performance.
Raspberry Pi 500+ unveiled
The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus, most notably, is the first model to offer an M.2 2280 SSD in addition to the SD card slot used for the operating system. The device ships with a standard 256GB SSD, but users can easily upgrade to a larger one if desired.
The product’s enhanced hardware is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 processor and 16GB of LPDDR4x-4267 RAM, double the 8GB of RAM in the previous model.
The device is priced at $200. This price is significantly higher than the previous Raspberry Pi 500, which was available for $90. However, the Raspberry Pi 500 Plus offers innovations beyond just the internal hardware and storage.
The typing experience has also been significantly improved. The keyboard features Gateron KS-33 Blue mechanical switches. These are accompanied by a custom-designed low-profile keycaps, a laser-etched matte finish, and RGB lighting support.
The replaceable keycaps allow users to customize the device. The keyboard’s software is managed by the RP2040 microcontroller running on QMK open-source software.
Connectivity options remain the same as the previous model. The device features Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth, one Gigabit Ethernet port, two micro HDMI ports, three USB-A ports, and one USB-C port for power.
The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus does not include any accessories such as cables, a power adapter, or a mouse. However, the company offers a “Desktop Kit” package that includes all the necessary accessories for $220.
