waveshare Mechanical Keyboard, Compatible with Raspberry Pi 500+,WiFi/Bluetooth Support, Dual-4K Outputs, Comes with Official Raspberry Pi 256GB NVMe Solid State Drive, RGB Backlight
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-08-22. Price and availability subject to change.
Bottom line: The waveshare Mechanical Keyboard, Compatible with Raspberry Pi 500+,WiFi/Bluetooth Support, Dual-4K Outputs, Comes with Official Raspberry Pi 256GB NVMe Solid State Drive, RGB Backlight is a specs-and-price decision rather than a crowd-consensus one in the emulation hardware category, priced around $311.99. Check the specification table above against one or two close alternatives — on price and spec fit, not on star ratings.
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored waveshare Mechanical Keyboard, Compatible with Raspberry Pi… using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to our editorial and benchmark analysis across the emulation hardware category. waveshare's emulation hardware lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for emulation hardware of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the Amazon listing before purchase. Prices, stock, and Prime eligibility update directly from Amazon's catalog and may have moved since this page was last verified.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Backed by waveshare's warranty and support channels
- ✓ Ships via Amazon with Prime eligibility and the standard returns policy
Cons
- ✗ Confirm socket / form-factor / power-rating compatibility against your build before ordering
- ✗ Price, stock, and Prime eligibility update from Amazon and may have changed since this page was last verified
Key Features
- Raspberry Pi Power in a Compact Keyboard The Raspberry Pi 500+ combines the powerful quad-core 64-bit Arm processor of the Raspberry Pi 5 with the RP1 I/O controller, all integrated into a tactile mechanical keyboard. With 16GB of RAM and 256GB of NVMe storage, it offers a premium desktop computing experience, delivering both high efficiency and fast response times.
- Mechanical Switches for Enhanced Tactile Feedback Each key features a Gateron KS-33 Blue low-profile mechanical switch, offering a satisfying clicky sound and crisp tactile feedback. Paired with custom RAL 7001 silver-gray key stems, this keyboard ensures an exceptional typing experience. It also includes a keycap puller for easy key replacement and is compatible with most third-party keycaps designed for Cherry MX.
- Expandable NVMe Solid State Drive Pre-installed with a 256GB NVMe SSD and Raspberry Pi OS, the Raspberry Pi 500+ boasts fast boot times and stable data transfer. The device features an M.2 NVMe slot supporting up to a 2280 form factor, allowing for easy expansion of storage or the addition of PCIe peripherals. It can also boot from both a MicroSD card and a USB SSD, offering versatile setup options.
- Programmable RGB Backlighting for Customization The built-in RGB backlighting is fully programmable with individually addressable LEDs, enabling users to customize lighting effects to match their preferences. Powered by the RP2040 controller running QMK firmware, it provides robust functionality for personalizing the keyboard's appearance and enhancing the user experience.
- User-Friendly Design with Easy Expansion The Raspberry Pi 500+ is designed for both ease of use and customization. Its internal storage is easily accessible via a plastic opening tool, allowing for convenient SSD replacement or upgrades. The keyboard's low-profile custom keycaps are spray-painted and laser-etched, allowing the backlight to shine through the characters for a stylish and functional design.
Full Specifications
| Brand | waveshare |
|---|---|
| Material | Plastic |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Switch Type | Mechanical |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, USB, WiFi |
| Model Number | Raspberry Pi 500+ Desktop Kit ORD US |
| Compatibility | Switch |
| Number of Keys | 104 |
| Mfr Part Number | Raspberry Pi 500+ Desktop Kit ORD US |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Number of Packs | 1 |
| Special Feature | Programmable RGB Backlighting, Mechanical Switches |
| Antenna Location | Gaming, Office |
| Hand Orientation | Ambidextrous |
| Compatible Devices | Raspberry Pi 500+ |
| Enclosure Material | Plastic |
| Additional Features | Programmable RGB Backlighting, Mechanical Switches |
| Keyboard Description | Mechanical, Standalone |
| Connectivity Technology | WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Gaming, Office |
Ready to buy?
waveshare Mechanical Keyboard, Compatible with Raspberry Pi 500+,WiFi/Bluetooth Support, Dual-4K Outputs, Comes with Official Raspberry Pi 256GB NVMe Solid State Drive, RGB Backlight is sold on the used and vintage market, where eBay carries the live inventory — Amazon does not stock this part. Prices and condition vary by seller and move in real time, so we link the live listing rather than quote a cached price. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-08-22. Price and availability subject to change.
Related Emulation Hardware
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Sound Blaster G6 on a Modern Retro Build: When a USB DAC Beats an AWE32
- Best Gaming Monitor Under $400 in 2026: 5 Top Picks
- Offline Suitcase Robot: Jetson Orin NX SUPER + Gemma 4 E4B
- Best SATA SSD for a PS4 Slim and Emulation Box in 2026
- Mistral Medium 3.5 Local Inference: Hardware Requirements and Benchmarks
- CRT Monitor for Retro Gaming: What Actually Matters in 2025
- Best Sim Racing Wheel and Shifter Combo for Beginners: Logitech G920 + Thrustmaster TH8A
- Claude Now Writes 65% of Anthropic's Code: The Local Coding-Rig Angle
- Ryzen 5 5600G as a Budget Local-LLM Host: iGPU + System RAM in 2026
- Samsung Winds Down Chip Production Six Days Before Strike: What Memory Buyers Should Do Right Now
- Best Cooler for the Ryzen 7 5800X: Noctua vs DeepCool vs CoolerMaster
- Best Controller for Emulation and Fighting Games in 2026
- Best Raspberry Pi Alternatives for SBC Enthusiasts in 2026
- Best Performance-per-Dollar Hardware Rankings 2026
- Best Gaming Mouse Pad for Esports FPS in 2026
- Noctua NH-U12S vs DeepCool AK620: Best Air Cooler for a Ryzen 5800X
- AI-Assisted Driver Hunting on Voodoo3 + GeForce 4 Ti: A 2026 Win98 Workflow
- Microsoft's SkillOpt Boosts GPT-5.5 With Just a Trained Markdown File
- Viral: Hobbyists Are Tracking Every Plane With a $50 Raspberry Pi - Here Is What You Need
- GPT-5.6 Pro's Three-Model Split: What It Means for Local RTX 3060 Builders
- Best PC Gaming Controllers in 2026: 5 Top Picks
- Can a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB Run Local LLMs in 2026? Ollama tok/s + SSD-Boot Setup
- Can Local Qwen 3.6 Match Frontier Models at Canvas Code?
- Memory Prices Climb as Samsung and SK Hynix Pour $590B Into Chips
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090