[Hardware]The Best Raspberry Pi Cases

[Revo]

 

 

Though you can run a Raspberry Pi effectively without one, many want a case that can protect the single-board computer while offering an attractive design, built-in cooling or even special features. The amount of Raspberry Pi cases available is almost as numerous as decimal places in the number Pi, but choosing the right one for your model and use case can be a challenge.

There’s no single best Raspberry Pi case for all uses, because what you would want for a media center is different from what you need for maker projects.  Below we’ve listed our favorite Raspberry Pi cases, including picks not only for the current-generation Raspberry Pi 4 but also for the Raspberry Pi 3 series and the diminutive Raspberry Pi Zero / Zero W.

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Raspberry Pi Case Shopping Tips 
Do you need GPIO / Camera / Display Access? Many cases limit or completely block your access to the GPIO pins, which you need to attach the best Raspberry Pi HATs and other lights, motors and sensors. Before you buy, consider whether you plan to use the GPIO pins and whether you need to put a HAT directly on top of your Pi or you are comfortable using a ribbon cable to connect to the pins as some cases allow only that. The CSI camera and DSI display ports may also be blocked on some cases.
What kind of cooling? Some cases come with built-in fans while others use passive cooling by turning the top of the case into a heatsink. Still others leave room for a fan but don’t come with one. If you’re buying a case for a Raspberry Pi 4, cooling is critical.
Need anything special? While there are plenty of generic cases that just hold the Raspberry Pi, there are others that offer unique design or functionality. Some cases allow you to put the Pi on the back of a screen or come with a screen attached. Other models are meant to look like or function like retro game consoles.
Would you be better off without a pre-made case? For any project that involves building a robot or other physical device, you may be better served by using either no case at all or building your own case that incorporates the wires, buttons or other devices you need.
Do you already own a Raspberry Pi? With the release of the Raspberry Pi 400 we see a modified Raspberry Pi 4 4GB inside a keyboard chassis. We have access to the GPIO, great cooling but no connections for the official Raspberry Pi Camera or touchscreen. If you are just starting out, the Raspberry Pi 400 may be the best all round purchase.
The Argon Neo is an attractive gunmetal-gray aluminum on its top and sides, with a shiny black plastic bottom. An aluminum plate covers the surface of the Raspberry Pi 4 and uses an included thermal pad to bond the CPU and RAM to the metal for passive cooling. However, there are generous cutouts in this plates for the GPIO pins and the CSI / DSI ports. You can easily fit a standard-size HAT on the Argon Neo, without the need for an extender or a ribbon cable. There’s even a little nook on the right side of the case -- above the USB ports -- where you can prop up a Raspberry Pi camera module. 

A removable, magnetic cover goes over the top and completes the sleek aesthetic, but if you plan to use a HAT or camera module, you’ll need to leave the attractive cover off. However, with the cover on, you get really strong passive cooling. Even with the Raspberry Pi 4 overclocked to 2.1 GHz and the stressberry test taxing the CPU, the temperature never exceeded 78 degrees Celsius, which is well below the 85-degree throttle point.
If your priority is ease of access to the GPIO pins so you can add a HAT, Raspberry Pi 4, Pimoroni’s Pibow Coupe could be your best choice. The Coupe is not completely sealed on top so it   leaves the GPIO pins completely unobstructed and provides enough room to run cables to both the camera and display CSI ports. If you like a dash of color, the rainbow-colored version (it also comes in “red” and “ninja” aka black shades), will brighten up your desk.

The Pibow Coupe doesn’t come with any cooling solution, but the CPU isn’t covered by anything so you can attach a heatsink, a fan HAT or Pimoroni’s own fan shim (our favorite of these choices), which just slides over the first 12 GPIO pins, but allows you to put a HAT on top of it. 
Pimoroni’s colorful plastic case is put together in layers that you stack carefully around the Pi and then screw together, which means that you have to disassemble the entire case to remove the computer from it. It also leaves part of the top surface of the Pi and the side area around the ports open to the air, which means it doesn’t protect or hide your Pi as much as many other cases. That’s a worthwhile tradeoff for easy access to all the pins and connectors. There are also similar Pibow models for the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ , 3 A+ and Pi Zero / Zero W.

While we’re underwhelmed by the official Raspberry Pi Case for Raspberry Pi 4, the Pi Foundation’s official case for Pi Zero is an excellent choice. The plastic case is made from red and white plastic that match the official Raspberry Pi color scheme so purists will be happy with the aesthetic. 

However, what really stands out on the Raspberry Pi Zero case is its removable lib. The kit comes with three lids: one that’s completely skilled, another with the GPIO pins exposed and a third with a round hole specifically for mounting a camera. A small camera ribbon cable is also bundled case so you can easily connect a camera module and have it peer out the hole, without leaving lots of slack cable inside.

If you want to have a simple camera that you can carry or even use as a Raspberry Pi body camera, the official Raspberry Zero case is for you. It also provides a nice and stylish way to protect your Pi Zero while still having solid access to the GPIO pins. However, you’ll probably need an extender if you wish to put a HAT on over the case. 
The SmartiPi Touch 2 allows you to combine Raspberry Pi’s official 7-inch touch screen with a camera module and just about any Raspberry Pi board (except the Zero) to create an awesome kiosk-style device. You mount the official touch screen in the SmartiPi Touch, which provides a space on the back to screw on your Pi and a camera hole as well.

Once put together, the SmartiPi Touch 2 can live on a table where you can adjust its angle up or down and / or use screws to permanently attach it to a surface. It even has space on the back for an optional VESA mount. 

The camera area of the front comes with three different face plates, one that has room for the camera and is flat, one that has no camera hole and one that has a camera hole but also lego-compatible studs you can build on.

When it comes to protecting the Raspberry Pi itself, you have a few choices. The SmartiPi Touch 2 comes with a fan cage that you can snap in place over the Pi or plain, black fanless cover with a hole for GPIO pins. Or you could do what we did and screw the Pi in but forgo the covers so you have plenty of room to attach a HAT as needed. 
The SmartiPi Touch 2 allows you to combine Raspberry Pi’s official 7-inch touch screen with a camera module and just about any Raspberry Pi board (except the Zero) to create an awesome kiosk-style device. You mount the official touch screen in the SmartiPi Touch, which provides a space on the back to screw on your Pi and a camera hole as well.

Once put together, the SmartiPi Touch 2 can live on a table where you can adjust its angle up or down and / or use screws to permanently attach it to a surface. It even has space on the back for an optional VESA mount. 

The camera area of the front comes with three different face plates, one that has room for the camera and is flat, one that has no camera hole and one that has a camera hole but also lego-compatible studs you can build on.

When it comes to protecting the Raspberry Pi itself, you have a few choices. The SmartiPi Touch 2 comes with a fan cage that you can snap in place over the Pi or plain, black fanless cover with a hole for GPIO pins. Or you could do what we did and screw the Pi in but forgo the covers so you have plenty of room to attach a HAT as needed.