CrowPi L assessment: A low-cost instructional laptop computer with a Raspberry Pi inside

The Raspberry Pi was born as a means of rekindling the computing growth of the Nineteen Eighties, the place low-cost {hardware} gave beginning to a era of programmers. It is an bold imaginative and prescient, and one which’s made Raspberry Pi’s household of single-board computer systems a well-recognized device for educators all around the world. 

However a single-board laptop wants a display, keyboard and mouse to be usable, and people want area. What many customers need is one thing that builds on the Pi whereas providing options we look forward to finding in a laptop computer. That is what Chinese language electronics firm Elecrow is delivering with the most recent member of its CrowPi household of gadgets, the Raspberry Pi 4-based CrowPi L.

CrowPi L pricing

A Pi in netbook clothes 

Wanting very very similar to the 2007 Asus Eee PC netbook, the CrowPi L is a small 11.6-inch laptop computer, with a transparent and shiny IPS panel. It is in all probability greatest to check the CrowPi L with Raspberry Pi’s personal Pi 400. Each gadgets set up the acquainted Pi in a extra conventional computing kind issue — the Pi 400 utilizing customized {hardware} in a variant of Raspberry Pi’s personal keyboard, whereas the CrowPi L makes use of a regular Pi 4B in a customized laptop computer model case.  

You should purchase the CrowPi L with no Raspberry Pi, however I used to be despatched one prepopulated with an 8GB Raspberry Pi 4B. Should you’re utilizing your personal system all of the parts used to attach the case to a Pi are included: a twin MicroSD card adapter; a GPIO port extender with built-in fan; and an adapter that takes one of many Pi’s mini-HDMI ports to drive the display, with the opposite used for an exterior full-size HDMI port. The adapter hyperlinks the Pi to the CrowPi L’s energy port and battery. 

It is value noting that whereas the facility port and bundled energy provide appear to be USB-C, it is not a regular variable PD PSU. As a substitute, it is a fastened 12V 2A unit, which implies it may solely be used with the CrowPi L. Sadly you may’t use an alternate PD energy provide — I attempted utilizing the USB adapters from Dell and Apple laptops and neither labored. You will get variations with US, UK, EU, or AU plugs. 

Do not anticipate a lot from the 5000mAh battery as this can be a netbook-class system that solely manages as much as three hours of use per cost. This is sensible contemplating that the goal marketplace for the CrowPi L is faculties and different instructional institutions, the place it would spend most of its time as a part of a pc lab. 

Many of the Raspberry Pi ports are accessible. On the left there are two USB 3 ports, one USB 2, and an RJ-45 Ethernet port. One of many Pi’s two USB 2 ports is used to help an inside MicroSD card for storage that is underneath the detachable magnetic cowl that hides the CrowPi L’s Raspberry Pi. Additional storage is a helpful concept; college students might be issued with a small, low-cost card for his or her code, which is all they should convey with them to the lab — similar to a floppy disk, solely with much more storage and so much smaller. 

My one quibble right here is that there isn’t any entry to this slot with out opening up the system. It might have been higher to have a separate slot of its personal within the case. The suitable facet has an HDMI port for an exterior second display, together with a miniature set of GPIO pins, and a 3.5mm headphone socket. 

Utilizing the CrowPi L 

The CrowPi L is a utilitarian system, with an 11.6-inch 1366 by 768 show and a US keyboard. A small trackpad is located above and to the correct of the keyboard, subsequent to the facility button. It is an odd place to search out the trackpad and is considerably uncomfortable to make use of. Fortunately Elcrow bundles a wi-fi mouse, with a USB dongle that wants no configuration. There are two keyboard choices: one with white keys, the opposite with black. 

Having a display and battery makes the CrowPi L a horny system for faculties and hobbyists, particularly when you get the Superior Equipment possibility. This provides a GPIO breakout board with 20 fast plug connectors and a field of sensors and actuators. This makes use of Elecrow’s Crowtail connectors and the equipment contains LEDs, shows, motors, buttons, contact sensors, moisture sensor, and energy controllers. It is greater than sufficient to start out exploring the world of the web of issues. 

Begin by assembling the breakout board, which incorporates acrylic covers for high and backside in addition to a small ribbon cable that connects to an identical GPIO port on the facet of the CrowPi L. There is a pinout reference printed above the keyboard that will help you construct your personal {hardware}. As soon as plugged in and powered up, a shiny inexperienced exhibits it is prepared to be used. 

Activate the CrowPi L and it boots into its personal fork of Raspberry Pi OS. This provides a extra Mac-like theme with a quick-launch dock for put in functions. On start-up it launches its personal Pi Panel app, which comprises a launcher for frequent apps, hyperlinks to helpful web sites and boards, in addition to to programming instruments like Arduino, the Thonny Python editor, and CrowPi’s personal Scratch-based Letscode visible programming device. The Pi Panel launcher contains two massive buttons that launch Letscode and Python tutorials. 

These combine descriptions with guided entry to improvement environments, strolling you thru writing video games or working with the Crowtail sensors and actuators. They seem to be a helpful information to studying fundamental coding and will work properly as a part of a computing curriculum. Classes are introduced as a collection of steps, and the group guarantees further tutorials in future which will likely be obtainable from its web site. There’s even an on-screen information to creating your personal programs for Pi Panel, permitting you to import different supplies or write your personal, guaranteeing that the CrowPi L can be utilized exterior its bundled courseware. 

Utilizing different working methods 

One factor to notice: the default CrowPi fork of Raspberry Pi OS is predicated on the older Buster launch fairly than the present Bullseye and updates from repositories in China. That is the place the CrowPi L’s twin MicroSD card adapter turns out to be useful, because it helps you to maintain entry to its library of tutorials whereas nonetheless with the ability to entry the most recent Raspberry Pi software program. I used the Raspberry Pi Imager to make a brand new MicroSD card with the present launch, earlier than opening the CrowPi L’s magnetic flap over its Raspberry Pi. You will have to fastidiously take away the GPIO adapter earlier than sliding the Pi out to entry the twin SD card adapter. 

The Pi is held in place by magnets so is simple sufficient to take away. You may then slot within the second MicroSD card earlier than changing the Pi and reseating the GPIO adapter. A change on the MicroSD card adapter helps you to change between drives when the laptop computer is off. After switching to fit 2, changing the magnetic cowl, and powering up, you will be operating on Raspberry Pi OS. Sadly, the CrowPi L’s 1366 by 768 show decision is not natively supported by Raspberry Pi OS, so you will have to edit config.txt so as to add help. Alternatively, you need to use the display configuration device to set it to 1280 by 720, which works fairly properly. 

Conclusions 

There’s so much to love in regards to the CrowPi L. Sure, it is not skinny and stylish like the most recent laptops, however it’s practical and low-cost and that is what issues on the subject of Ok-12 budgets, or for hackable {hardware} that is able to be constructed round. The Raspberry Pi contained in the case stays the acquainted Pi, however CrowPi has achieved sterling work in turning it into the laptop-equivalent of the Pi 400. If you wish to study programming and dealing with IoT, it is a super place to start out — and if you have already got a Pi 4B, it is solely barely greater than $250. 

CrowPi L specs

Options to contemplate

Should you do not want a laptop computer however nonetheless need a Pi-based PC, Raspberry Pi’s personal Pi 400 is properly value a glance.

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