Raspberry Pi 500+: A Full Computer Built Into a Mechanical Keyboard

Raspberry Pi has announced an updated version of its keyboard computer—the 500+ model. The key upgrade for this iteration is a full-featured, customizable mechanical keyboard.

At its heart is the Raspberry Pi 5 single-board computer, powered by a 2.4GHz quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor. It boasts a record-breaking 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM for the company's products, which typically cap out at 8GB. It also comes with a 256GB branded SSD pre-loaded with Raspberry Pi OS. For users who need more storage, there's an M.2 2280 slot for higher-capacity drives.

The centerpiece of the computer is the keyboard chassis itself, which uses Gateron KS-33 Blue mechanical switches. The keys are low-profile, laser-etched, and feature per-key RGB lighting controllable via QMK firmware. Thanks to a separate RP2040 controller, enthusiasts might even eventually port games like Doom to run on the keyboard itself.

For those who love to personalize, the keycaps can be swapped out for any compatible third-party sets, and a keycap puller is included in the box. Besides the base version priced at $200, a $220 Desktop Kit is also available, which bundles in a mouse, a 27W power supply, a micro-HDMI-to-HDMI cable, and a printed "Getting Started" guide.

The arrival of the Raspberry Pi 500+ highlights the growing interest in the all-in-one form factor. This is further evidenced by the near-simultaneous launch of the Rakeydo project on a crowdfunding platform—a similar-looking device but based on an x86 platform with an Intel N100 processor. This presents two distinct approaches to the minimalist PC idea: the Raspberry Pi 500+ offers an energy-efficient ARM architecture and an open ecosystem at an accessible price point, while the Rakeydo project banks on familiar x86 compatibility for office tasks, albeit at roughly twice the price.