Raspberry Pi 400 Announced - Raspberry Pi Foundation

This is the Raspberry Pi 400, reminiscent of the classic Atari 400. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is unveiling a new product today—a completely new device. As the photograph shows, the Raspberry Pi 400 is a computer built directly into a streamlined keyboard, offered at a price of $70.

It represents the simplest method for beginning to use a Raspberry Pi. For those unfamiliar, a Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer, equipped with numerous connectors, and comparable in size to a standard deck of playing cards.

It’s an ideal tool for children to explore programming and terminal commands, a versatile component for weekend projects as the central processing unit, or a practical replacement for older, slower Windows XP computers used by family members for email.

When the Raspberry Pi Foundation launched the Raspberry Pi 4 last year, they also introduced a charming mouse and keyboard as accompanying accessories. These accessories were, naturally, compatible with the Raspberry Pi, creating a typical setup like the one pictured:

These additions were welcome for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts. However, considering the abundance of keyboard and mouse manufacturers, developing their own seemed unnecessary.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation actually had a different concept in development. The Raspberry Pi 400 effectively integrates the same keyboard functionality, but with a Raspberry Pi built-in. Their subsequent project was, in essence, already visible a year ago.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation provided me with a Raspberry Pi 400 for evaluation. While many in the tech community are focused on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, I was equally enthusiastic about receiving this new device.

Indeed, the Raspberry Pi 400 (as Brian Heater of TechCrunch termed it, the PiStation) is quite appealing. Connecting a few cables is all that’s required to begin operation. As far as I’ve observed, it operates without a fan, resulting in silent performance.

The idea of embedding a computer within a keyboard isn’t novel. One could argue that personal computing originated in this manner. In the 1980s, connecting a computer-in-a-keyboard to a television allowed for immediate use.

Over time, computers became more complex, requiring separate components like a computer tower, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Laptops reversed this trend by consolidating everything into a single unit. However, laptops aren’t without their limitations.

The Raspberry Pi 400 is an excellent choice for students. In many respects, it surpasses the capabilities of a Chromebook, offering a more comprehensive learning experience and greater flexibility.

I envision its use in classrooms, at home in play areas, or simply on a shelf, ready to be connected to a display. It’s a fantastic entry point into the world of computing.

The benefits become even clearer when considering older children. The challenges presented by school closures this year have been significant, particularly the lack of sufficient computers for all students at home.

Even if a child has a smartphone, it may not provide a suitable environment for remote learning. The Raspberry Pi 400 offers an affordable solution to this problem. Furthermore, it can help distinguish between schoolwork and recreational activities (and social media).

Let’s now examine the specifications. The Raspberry Pi 400 is largely comparable to a Raspberry Pi 4, though not identical. It features an ARM-based system on a chip (a 64-bit quad-core ARM Core-A72 processor running at 1.8GHz, for those interested). It includes 4GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Gigabit Ethernet.

Regarding ports, it provides two micro-HDMI ports, enabling the connection of two 4K displays if extensive screen space is needed. It also has two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, and a USB-C port for the power adapter.

Like other Raspberry Pi devices, it utilizes microSD cards for the operating system and data storage. You can choose Raspberry Pi Desktop, a Debian-based Linux operating system, or a third-party operating system like Ubuntu.

Different models are available with U.K., U.S., French, Italian, German, and Spanish keyboard layouts. In addition to the $70 standalone device, a Raspberry Pi 400 kit—including a mouse, power supply, micro-HDMI to HDMI cable, pre-formatted microSD card, and the official beginner’s guide—is available for $100. It is expected to become available in the coming days.