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Review on πŸ“ Vilros Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Basic Starter Kit with Fan-Cooled Durable Aluminum Alloy Case for Enhanced Performance by Toni Cooper

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Great starter kit for Raspberry Pi 4

As advertised, this kit contains just about everything anyone needs to get started with projects on the Pi. According to the product description, it comes with a case, the Pi itself (I bought the 4GB RAM model), a USB-C power adapter, a micro HDMI to HDMI cable, two heatsinks, and a quick start guide in a plastic bag (all important components were in the boxes). A few more components are needed before everything is up and running, including: - an HDMI cable for the monitor - a keyboard/mouse for input (I'm using a Logitech K400+ wireless touch keyboard and it works great) - a micro SD Memory/OS card (8GB minimum or more recommended, Raspbian OS requires 1-5GB of storage depending on setup chosen; I am currently using a 32GB Samsung U1 MicroSDHC EVO Select memory card) Raspberry Pi 4 is a great computer in its own right with card and I am currently using it as a personal VPN device (with PiVPN) and PiHole to block ads and plan to install NAS in the future. ------------- ---- For the rest of the review, I'll try to focus mainly on the components that are unique to this kit: - At least for me, the included heatsinks fit in the housing; They were easy to place and the case closed with no problems. My Pi runs between 35-40C on a quieter pin setup during normal operation (including using the Chromium browser and running games) and fluctuates between 30-35C when idle. The case is inside and out completely matte black and appears to be made of high quality aluminum, with both the top and bottom of the case being reasonably well machined and fitting well together (it took a little effort to put the top and bottom together once the Pi was in place, but otherwise no details available). boards touch the case or fan and sit snugly inside). The case fan was already installed in the case top cover when it arrived, and I have not tried to remove the fan yet. At the request of the support team, the fan can be removed and replaced with a 30x30mm fan. The micro HDMI to HDMI adapter cable from Vilros included in the kit is suitable for this. Some reviews mention that the micro HDMI cable end seems to be loose; At first I thought this applied to me as well, until I realized that you have to insert the connector all the way into the connector itself for it to seat properly. Once you do that it's solid and won't wobble at all and I haven't had a broken wire problem since I bought the kit. I think one of the nicest assets of this set is the manual/documents that come with the set, especially the quick start guide. For someone new to the Pi (including myself), having decent instructions pointing me in the right direction right out of the box was reassuring and helped build my confidence to assemble and run everything (see my photos for some included inserts from the package that might help you, the reader). Overall I think it was a worthwhile purchase and will definitely post updates if anything happens to any part of the kit or the Pi while using them. .Pro: The included peripherals (HDMI adapter cable, case, fan, heatsink) are of good build quality (at least for my order) and are reasonably priced when purchased together as a set rather than individually. The body is solid and well made. Parts fit quite well - Good instructions included in Pi starter kit Cons: - None currently

Pros
  • This is great
Cons
  • Some bugs