Review on 💾 Argon ONE M.2 Case for Raspberry Pi 4 (Argon M.2 CASE ONLY) – Supports SATA SSD, B-Key, B+M Key Compatible by Edgardo Ennis

I already have five Argon ONE Version 1 Raspberry Pi 4 cases that I use for media streamers. I wanted to build an inexpensive Linux workstation but wasn't happy about having to use an external USB drive when I discovered the new version of the Argon ONE. I installed a 500GB WD Blue 3D NAND SATA M.2 2280 SSD, loaded the latest Raspberry Pi OS and configured it to boot from the SSD. (No microSD card installed.) Running the SD card speed test (not just for SD cards) that is part of the Raspberry Pi Diagnostics app gave me the results shown in the attached screenshot. While WD's claimed sequential write speed is nowhere near 530MB/s, 295MB/s is still 30x faster than many microSD cards. Raspberry Pi which is known to get very hot. In my environment, the system runs at 40 to 40 degrees Celsius (no fan on). The power button is a handy feature that allows you to safely shut down without having to command it from the operating system. And full-size HDMI ports mean you don't need special cables or adapters. Finally, ever since I bought my very first Raspberry Pi 1 Model B, I've wanted all the I/O ports on the back. If I had to have one complaint about this case, it would be that the metallic finish could be better. At least half of my six cases have uneven surfaces or minor scratches. They won't look bad on your desk, but if you pick them up and look at them in good light you're bound to spot imperfections in the finish. Given that most sit behind solid or smoked glass doors, this was a bit of an issue for me. I must also emphasize that this is a really good price. The base Argon ONE with active cooling and power control is only $25. Adding a USB 3 interface to M.2 SATA adds only $20.