Check out our selection of stocking fillers and gift ideas for the Raspberry Pi fan in your life for the coming festive season.
The Raspberry Pi has been a runaway success since its launch in 2012, and each year since then has brought us a new Pi board or Pi-related piece of kit to tinker with. In fact, the number of accessories now available for the Raspberry Pi is vast – which is great for Raspberry Pi fans, but less so for the unfortunate journalists tasked with putting together Pi-related gift guides each year.
While the Raspberry Pi makes a pretty good gift by itself – the latest Pi 4 Model B comes in at a very respectable $35 – a new piece of Raspberry Pi kit for the Pi lovers already in your life could make the perfect stocking filler for the coming festive season. Read on for our favorites.
Image: The Pi Hut
The Raspberry Pi desktop kit comes with everything you need to get the device set up as a desktop PC, including a keyboard, mouse, microSD card and the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B.
Also included in the bundle is the Official Raspberry Pi Beginner’s Guide, which contains offers helpful guides, tips and tutorials for new Pi owners.
Image: Pimoroni
The Picade Console is perhaps the ultimate gift for fans of retro gaming. Available in 8-inch and 10-inch variants, this DIY arcade cabinet comes with authentic arcade controls, a high-resolution 4:3 display and a built-in speaker.
The 8-inch display option comes in at $177, while the larger 10-inch version will set you back $241.
Image: Raspberry Pi
For photography fans, the official Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera sports a 12.3MP Sony IMX477 sensor that offers adjustable focus and better low-light performance than its predecessor. Available for $50, the High Quality Camera is widely compatible with Raspberry Pi models from the Pi 1 Model B onward that feature camera connectors. It supports off-the-shelf C and CS-mount camera lenses.
Image: Mime Industries
This lightweight robotic arm is designed to teach kids about engineering and programming. It’s easy enough for kids aged 11 and over to build and can be assembled using the included hex keys. Once put together, the arm can be controlled directly through the onboard joysticks, or programmed to move with a Raspberry Pi. Kits for the BBC micro:bit and Arduino boards are also available.
Image: Adafruit
This tiny 13-key piano add-on board lets you tap out tunes on your Raspberry Pi with a clever bit of Python coding. Compatible with all 40-pin header Raspberry Pi models, the PianoHAT features light-up LEDs and can even be used to control software or hardware synths over MIDI.
Image: The Pi Hut
This Raspberry Pi-branded mug is an ideal stocking filler for any devout Pi fan. Widely compatible with tea, coffee, or any other drinkable liquid, for that matter.
Image: Pimoroni
A funky mood light to add color and atmosphere to any room. Great on a bedside table, bookcase, or gloomy alcove, this Pi Zero W-powered light features 32 programmable RGB Neopixel LEDs, which can be configured to all manner of colors and patterns.
Image: Pimoroni
Drawing obvious inspiration from the Nintendo Switch Lite, this eye-catching Bluetooth gamepad can be used for Raspberry Pi-powered gaming, or for controlling Raspberry Pi or Adafruit Feather-powered robots. Featuring dual D-pads and shoulder buttons, 8BitDo Lite sports wireless Bluetooth 4.0 as well as USB-C connectivity. It’s also compatible with Windows, Android, macOS and Steam.
Image: Pimoroni
This four-wheel-drive robot can be programmed to drive itself or taken off-road using remote controls. The rugged design is designed to take on knocks and bumps, and can even drive upside down.
The MonsterBorg kit comes with the wires, screws, motors, hubs and wheels that you need to get it running. All that’s needed is a Raspberry Pi, a micro SD card, 10 AA batteries, and an optional Pi camera.
Image: Adafruit
This slick, full-sized keyboard features chiclet keys and a build-in trackpad, making it perfect for on-the-go computing with your Raspberry Pi. It can be used wireless using a USB-A dongle; alternatively you can hook it up to your device directly using a mini-USB cable.
Image: Pimoroni
This kit has everything you need to build your own internet-connected radio, complete with a Raspberry Pi Zero W, 5W speaker and fetching, retro-inspired enclosure. Putting the whole thing together should take about 30 minutes.
Image: The Pi Hut
For those who regularly travel with their Raspberry Pi 4 or are just looking for some added protection, the Aluminum Heatsink Case offers a sturdy shell that not only keeps your pocket-sized PC safe from the bumps and scrapes of modern life, but also doubles as a heatsink offering 10°C to 15°C of passive cooling.
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