Pi-Top: This Raspberry Pi And Linux-powered Laptop Is For New Coders And Makers

In late 2014, Pi-Top, U.K.’s education startup raised about $200,000 on Indiegogo to fund its first DIY laptop. It was followed by pi-topCEED, a cheap desktop computer that’s powered by Raspberry Pi.

Their latest offering, the new Pi-Top, is a new tinkering machine that you can assemble on your own using modular approach. Compared to the past offerings, the number of steps needed to assemble the computer and start working are much less.

It comes with a new sliding keyboard design that reveals the built-in Modular Rail. There, you can store your accessories, electronic parts, etc. This is also the spot where Raspberry Pi is placed.

It comes with an “inventor’s kit,” which is basically a selected collection of electronic components to help you build a wide range of hardware DIY projects.

According to TechCrunch, the software also includes a step-by-step manual that navigates one through different guides.

Its major tech specifications are as follows:

14” full-HD LCD, 1920×1080 resolution
1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A53P
4 USB ports, 40 GPIO pins
HDMI, ethernet port
802.11 B/G/N wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.1
6-8 hour battery life
MicroSD card slot
8GB class 10 SD CARD with pi-topOS included

Talking about the operating system, the Pi-Top laptop runs a custom operating system named Pi-TopOS Polaris, which is built on Raspberry Pi’s official Raspbian Linux distro. The OS ships with all the basic software, including Gmail, LibreOffice, YouTube, Chromium, Minecraft Pi Edition, etc.

Talking about the cost, the new Pi-Top ships with a price tag of $320. In case you have your own Pi, you can cut that cost and get it for $285. Moreover, you can keep replacing the Raspberry Pi board with newer editions and keep increasing the power of your laptop.

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