Best Single Board Computer Cases
Most single board computers (SBCs) that you find tend to be exactly that; a computer that runs from a single board, and absolutely nothing else. You get to see the entire working insides of the machine. Essentially they are naked.
If you are serious about the long term use of your SBC then the only decent thing to do is to give it something to wear in the form of a case. These come in all shapes and sizes and you can even create your own if you have access to a 3d printer. In fact some people have been known to create exceptionally unique cases out of lego!
I have owned numerous SBCs over the years and have dressed them all in some pretty snazzy gear, but there are a few that stand out from the rest. Many of those listed are for the Raspberry Pi range of SBCs as these are by far the most common units available, I have however managed to reserve a bit of space on the fashion runway for my old friend, the Odroid XU4.
So, on with the fashion show
Best For Functionality – Flirc Case
When practicality is number one on your priority list, the Flirc case should be the SBC case at the front of the queue. Sure, it looks pretty generic with its simple square form, but underneath that drab exterior is the true nature of the Flirc case.
The Flirc case basically functions as an oversized passive heat sink for your SBC. When the case is closed up the aluminium frame makes contact with the CPU allowing it to draw excess heat away from the chip and help keep the SBC cool. Tests have shown the performance of the Flirc case as a heat sink are fantastic and compare well with other active heat sinks.
The Flirc case is available for the Raspberry Pi 2, 3 and 4. Flirc have even produced a black, Kodi branded edition if that takes your fancy.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONBest For Nintendo Lovers – Retroflag SuperPi SNES Case
Now, this is an awesome piece of kit! Ever wanted to turn your Raspberry Pi 2/3b into your very own SNES Classic? Well, the Retroflag SuperPi SNES Case is just the thing you are looking for! With just a few screws to fit and a couple of cables to connect this fantastic case provides great looks and even greater functionality.
The case is very easy to put together and includes a cooling fan, a choice of passive heat sinks and all the cables you need to route the USB ports to the front of the case. The eject button opens up a handy compartment for storing micro SD cards, but I’ve saved the best feature till last. The on/off switch and the reset button are also functional and both feature safe shutdown/reset process. This means that when you push the reset button or flick the power switch to off, the Raspberry Pi performs the appropriate safe shutdown process before it deactivates. The main benefit of this is that performing a safe shutdown minimises the chances of the SD card being corrupted and therefore the possibility of losing all the data on your SD card is dramatically reduced.
Also, if you’re willing to spend a bit more of your hard earned cash there is even a bundle offer which includes 2 SNES style USB controllers
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONBest For Sega Lovers – Retroflag MegaPi Case
So as not to upset the many Sega fans out there, I give you the Sega Megadrive equivalent of the previously mentioned case.
The Retroflag MegaPi Case includes all the fantastic features of it’s SuperPi brother but in the arguably more elegant form of the Sega Megadrive.
Once again the case is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 2 and 3b models and we are hoping that a version for the Raspberry Pi 4 is on the horizon. A truly awesome case!
Best For The Odroid XU4 – OGST Gaming Console Case
Unfortunately cases for the Odroid XU4 are a little slim on the ground, but it stands to reason that one of the best cases available resembles a console that the Raspberry Pi struggles to emulate and that the XU4 excels at.
I am of course referring to the N64 and while this case is not a perfect revision of Nintendo’s cartridge based power house, it does do a Rory Bremner quality impression of it.
The unique feature about this case is that it includes a 2.4 inch screen that goes on the front of the case. This screen can be programmed to display still images such as the N64 logo or the box art of the game you are currently playing, or it can even play full motion video. Alternatively, a correctly configured system’s screen can even display system information such as CPU usage and the remaining space on the SD card.
While there aren’t many cases available for the XU4, it is great that one of the best ones available (for any SBC) includes such a unique little feature that you won’t find on any of the Raspberry Pi cases.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONBest For Style – GeeekPi Argon ONE
If you’re looking for a case which looks like it comes from the future then the Argon ONE should ring your bell.
Bearing a striking resemblance to the Tesla Cybertruck, the Argon ONE serves a similar function to the Flirc case mentioned earlier. The main part of the case is composed entirely of aluminium meaning that it performs perfectly as a passive heat sink. The cooling features don’t stop there however. Also included in the pack is a fan to allow for active cooling giving this item a massive one up on the lowly Flirc case.
More boxes are ticked for the Argon ONE as it also features a safe shutdown power button which can be easily configured by initialising a simple one line script.
One feature that makes this case totally unique is the magnetic removable top, which allows easy and efficient access to the GPIO pins of the installed SBC. The GPIO pins squeeze into a recess that contains a colour coded header which corresponds to labelling on the side making the different pins easy to identify. Extremely handy even if you rarely use the GPIO pins.
The one drawback of this case is that it is only compatible with the Raspberry Pi 4 which obviously limits it to owners of that specific board. I guess it’s fitting that a futuristic case only be developed for the most recently developed SBC.
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