“This case is really stylish right down to an aluminium alloy cover held over the GPIO pins by magnets. All the GPIO pins are clearly labeled. A GPIO extender would be needed to connect a HAT. This is a common feature of most Pi cases. if indeed the case provides access to the GPIO pins without disassembly.
It took me a bit of reading to get it assembled, but the only issue was seating the power and socket extension board to the Pi5.
I have installed M.2 devices, before. It is possible to insert the M.2 card securing screw without the board being fully inserted in the socket. Fortunately, I knew that the board should spring up when correctly installed and should be pushed down to insert the screw.
The SSD (from Pimoroni's safe list) was recognised immediately. The downloaded scripts set the boot order with the SSD first. Thus, once Imager had burnt the Bookworm image to the SSD, a reboot was from the SSD and not the SD card.
The sockets are well arranged along the back of the case. Full-sized HDMI sockets are provided. The power button is also at the rear. I could not get the Pi 5 to start, initially. It was only when I noticed a red glow from inside the disassembled case that I realised that it was working. I was holding the power button too long and turning it back off again.
The red power led and the green memory light are only visible along the front of the case, when lit.
A brief dab at the power switch boots the Pi. When on, a short push gracefully soft-powers Linux down. A double tap initiates a reboot and a long push forces a power-down.
It may have a fan: I've never hear it running. The CPU temperature stays stubbornly below 40 degrees no matter how I stress it. The aluminium case parts seem to do a good job of cooling.
I alwqys want decent audios with all my Pis. The Pi5 has no audio. I purchased the Argon BLSTR DAC which has a higher spec chip than the usual DAC hats and shims. There is an audio socket for it at the rear of the case.
So, expensive, but with a compelling set of features well-implemented.”
“One case to rule them all !.
As a desktop pc this can't be beaten (don't forget the sound card),
Stylish,"Cool" and as much storage as you can afford to throw at it.
All that's missing is a slot for the camera cable but a standard usb can be used instead.”
“All working so far. Didn't boot at first till I jumpered power to always on. Then when you're up and running the argon case can be setup in the operating system. Haven't got an NVME drive installed yet as I have just taken delivery from you of a DAC and an ir remote.”
“The Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVMe case for the Raspberry Pi 5 is an impressive piece of kit that seamlessly combines functionality with aesthetics. It's designed to not only protect your Raspberry Pi 5 but also to enhance its performance and usability. The standout feature is the M.2 NVMe SSD slot, which significantly boosts storage speed and capacity over traditional SD cards, making it a game-changer for heavy computing tasks or media projects. The case maintains a sleek, aluminum design ensuring efficient heat dissipation, which is crucial for maintaining optimal performance without throttling. It also cleverly integrates all ports neatly at the back, making cable management a breeze and keeping your setup tidy. Additionally, the inclusion of a built-in power button and programmable fan control adds a layer of convenience and customization not often found in other cases. While it may come at a premium price compared to standard cases, the Argon ONE V3 M.2 is a worthy investment for enthusiasts looking to push their Raspberry Pi 5 to new heights.Sleek and sturdy aluminum design enhances cooling.M.2 NVMe slot is a significant upgrade for storage.Integrated power button and programmable fan for added convenience.Rear-facing ports for tidy cable management.Might be pricier than basic cases but offers great value for the features.”
“Had this case for a few weeks now and I'm really pleased with it. Same problem as another reviewer that I had to move the power jumper to permanent, otherwise it wouldn't power up. I made a mistake buying a WD Blue drive which is SATA so not compatible, that was my fault. Have since bought a Crucial Pro 2TB NVME drive and that works perfectly.
I will point out to people that there is NO access to the SD card slot. This isn't a design shortcoming of the case but a byproduct of the Pi5 itself which stupidly has the PCIE port directly above the SD slot, fine if you have a top hat board but useless when using a bottom board (such as in this case). Even if an access hole was made available in the case you still wouldn't be able to change the SD card because the slot is covered by the PCIE cable. Why or why Raspberry Pi did you not offset these two ports from each other? Therefore, swapping SD cards requires taking the case completely apart (thus disturbing the thermal pads etc). This isn't a problem for me as I'm booting from the NVME drive (the whole reason for buying this sort of case surely) and using USB storage for alternative storage.
The upper of the case is metal so the whole upper case acts as a massive heatsink so even with the Pi5 overclocked to insane in Batocera the temp has never risen above the low 50s.
If you want a base mounted NVME case and don't have any need to change SD cards then this case is fantastic.”
“A great looking case for the Raspberry Pi 5 and M.2 SSD. I know people are saying that you could buy a cheap mini PC for less than the cost of a Pi+PS+SSD+case but that's not the point really. I must admit I had problems getting the NVME to be detected but after reseating it (maybe I had seated it badly initially - who knows?) it is all working fine. Quite a few people have had a similar problem but without a resolution yet, so beware. I had a spare Pimoroni LED shim so stuck it on the GPIO pins and made a colour coded CPU thermometer. I'm very happy with it.”
