You can use a Rapsberry Pi without housing, but if you use it as a media server, secondary computer or other application, a case is that easy (and beautiful).
There are a lot of options, ranging from a simple plastic housing to artfully carved cabinets. We have looked at an eclectic mix of enclosures of different price levels to find a selection that is suitable for everyone, whether you like a minimalist basis or are a case-modeling hardware hacker.
1. uniPi
Did you also like those aluminum cabinets from Apple’s PowerMacs? Now you can put your Raspberry Pi in a similar cupboard. The uniPi started as a crowdfunding project on Kickstarter where it raised nearly six times more money than the company needed to make the project a reality. The cabinets are now for sale at different places and available in different colors.
We have to say that you really have to be a big fan of the case since it is more expensive than the Raspberry Pi itself.
2. PiTFT Case
Have you purchased a touchscreen for your Raspberry Pi? Then chances are that many of the enclosures are useless for you. No worries. The PiTFT case is especially for you. This housing can handle a Raspberry Pi with TFT touch screen. There are of course several manufacturers who have made housings for this Raspi-TFT combo, but we think this is really the best solution.
3. Pi desktop
It is in principle possible to make a nice desktop computer from your Raspberry Pi with all the housings that we mention in this article, but we think this is the best option. Simply because this custom has a few nice extensions on board that many other cabinets lack.
This case has its own power button so you can not only switch the Pi on and off by connecting or disconnecting the power supply. In addition, the cabinet has its own Real Time Clock and an mSata SSD interface on board, so that you are no longer dependent on the (slower) micro SD card.
4. Call from C4labs
The striking wooden cabinet of C4labs of less than 13 euros has a flaming pattern as with fast cars in the 50s and the Bel Air logo of car manufacturer Chevrolet. The box of engraved oak is suitable for the Raspberry Pi B +, 2 and 3. There is room for all available ports, including for any GPIO cable.
5. Helix from ModMyPi
If the Bel-Aire is not entirely your taste, but comes close, you might be interested in this ModMyPi housing. The Helix is ​​made of chipboard and works for the same models. Because of the material, the manufacturer advises not to disassemble the cabinet often, so as not to lub out the connections. It also does not use screws, but pins that snap into place.
6. Official Rapsberry Pi 3 Case
This case is pretty basic, but the attractive design is made in such a way that it is available cheaply, such as the Raspberry Pi itself. The case for the RasPi 3 could not be missing in this overview because it is the official model of the Raspberry Pi Foundation itself. The suggested retail price is around eight euros, but here and there you can even find it for a lower price.
7. Kodi Edition Raspberry Pi Case
Media center software maker Kodi worked with the manufacturer of USB receiver Flirc on this housing for the Rapsberry Pi, which is intended as an entertainment system. The case is very similar to Flirc’s own housing, but it has the Kodi logo and an aluminum core that functions as a passive cooler to dissipate heat from the CPU.
8. Pi Stacks
Do you have two Raspberry Pi’s? If you have a project with two Pi’s in one, the Multi-Pi Stack table is a useful option. The housing simply consists of two plastic boards to stack multiple Raspberry Pi boards. There are no sides, so heat can easily escape from the case if the devices are heavily loaded. If you have more than two, you can stack the boxes on top of each other for a tower construction.
9. Pi PIR Motion Sensor Camera Box
This case is something for project fans: it is a housing for a motion detecting camera that is controlled by a RasPi. There is room for the Pi Camera Module and a PIR motion sensor, in addition to the Raspberry Pi itself, of course. There is also room for a possible magnetic camera lens. The light from the red LED of the camera is not picked up by the housing and the housing has a bracket for hanging it.
The PIR sensor is included in the price (£ 16), but does not include the camera (and the RasPi 3).
10. Super Tinytendo
Make your inner retrogamer happy with this small replica of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The case has the same buttons on top as the classic console, although these are unfortunately purely for decoration. It also has a cooling fan to keep your Raspberry Pi from overheating during a marathon session Super Mario World.
11. Lego NesPi
Spanish manufacturer RasPiPC has a case modeled after the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). There are a lot of NES cases, but it collapses because it is made of Lego. He works with the Raspberry Pi 2 and 3. It is for real Lego fans, because you have to assemble it yourself (111 pieces).
12. Pip-Boy
This is a pricey box (with 61 euros more expensive than the computer itself) made for fans of the Fallout game series. It is a replica of the portable computer equipment in the game, the Pip-Boy. This is based on the Pip-Boy 3000 Mark IV from Fallout IV. If you this housing order on Etsy, you must provide your dimensions. Incidentally, the price does not include Rapsberry Pi or Adafruit touchscene or Pi Camera, so you must purchase it separately.
13. Retro Stick Arcade
As a last but not least, by far the most expensive case of this list, but he will make many a gamer heart beat faster. The housing has an arcade stick and joy buttons like on a classic arcade machine. There is also a 5 watt speaker of about ten centimeters to get sound. It is handmade and unique for every buyer, which partly explains the high price: 191 euros.
14. SunFounder Raspberry Pi Slim Case
Flat, flatter, flat. If you really want a thin Raspberry Pi system, you can of course go for a Raspberry Pi Zero with accompanying cases, but if you already have a 3 or 3B + you can also work with a flatter than average case. The SunFounder Raspberry Pi Slim case is an extra thin aluminum housing that can keep your Pi cool enough. The case is so flat that the USB and network ports protrude, but it is done so neatly that it looks nice.
15. Passively cooled aluminum case
This one unnamed case has extra protrusions on the inside of the cabinet that come in direct contact with the chipset and processor to passively cool the whole. It is a very sturdy case that not only keeps your Pi nice and cool, but also very well protected.
Also read: Great operating systems for the Raspberry Pi
Nice Raspberry Pi projects for the fan
16. Raspberry Pi 4B Open Shield Case
The Raspberry Pi 4 has been released this year and things have changed. Of course, this also includes adapted cases and the Open Shield Case is a nice example. This extra thin aluminum case closes the Pi well, cools the processor and memory and keeps the GPIO open so that you can easily connect all kinds of HATs without having to open the case every time.
The case is on the pricey side, but is more than worth its money.
17. Geekreit 3.5 inch TFT LCD Touchscreen case
There are different ways to turn your Raspberry Pi into a tablet, but if you really want a flat tablet, you’ll have to go for the Zero. If you want something more powerful, the “thick” Raspberry Pi is the better solution. If you still want the whole to be compact, the Geekreit 3.5 inch TFT LCD Touchscreen case is a great way to assemble a very compact computer. And the best thing about this case …? The price. For only € 15.36, this case with built-in screen is entirely for you.
