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243
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ranked #119,776 most helpful out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★☆
Includes Pi & good accessories but a little overpriced
The CanaKit *basic kit* includes the Pi, clear case & 1 amp USB power adapter so you can get started quickly. Here's what I think of the components (& recommendations for other stuff). 5V USB power adapter has long 6 foot cord. Adapter has LED to indicate power. Adapter has 1 amp output to ensure that the Pi receives sufficient power. Since the cord is removable from the adapter you can use this feature to switch the Pi on/off by just unplugging the cord from the adapter end. I would recommend doing this instead of repeatedly plugging/unplugging the micro USB end to avoid damage or wear on the soldered-on microUSB connector. Clear case is nice. Pi press fits into lower case (don't be alarmed if you hear a snap at some point, that will mean it is locked. NOTE: Do not press on fragile components/connectors and if you're already using your pi before installing it into the case remember to remove your SD card otherwise you will most likely break your SD card connector!). Also, the top of the case has clear light pipes so you will still be able to monitor the LEDs with the case assembled. Finally the bottom of the case does have mounting holes so you can screw the case to a surface for permanent mounting (for projects etc). Case also has cutout for the GPIO pins so it wouldn't get in your way for hardware projects. As for the Pi, well not much to say - it's a stock Model B (512MB) Pi with no modifications. (Note this review was written for the Basic Pi 512MB kit sold at the time and predates the B+ & Pi 2 models now sold). RECOMMENDATIONS Since this is not a complete kit of everything needed to get started, you still may still need any of the following: SDcard - I use Kingston Digital 8GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Card Twin Pack (2 Pieces) (SD4/8GB-2P) with the Pi and it works fine. It's handy to have another SD card to try an alternate OS. HDMI cable - You might want to check out Eforcity HDMI Cable, 10 feet to connect the Pi to your TV or monitor. I prefer a 10 foot cable over cheaper 6 foot ones as it gives you a more little room/space. USB keyboard & mouse - you probably have these already, if not hit up your local computer store or check the dozens available on Amazon. USB WiFi adapter - I have used and recommend TP-LINK TL-WN821N Wireless N300 USB Adapter, 300Mbps, w/WPS Button IEEE 802.1b/g/n, WEP, WPA/WPA2. It's larger in size and a little more expensive than cheaper 150Mbps adapters but remember you can use this for more than the Pi - works on Windows/Ubuntu Linux etc. USB Hub - You might have noticed that the Model B Pi only has 2 USB ports, but using a keyboard, mouse, and WiFi adapter will require 3 ports. This is where a USB hub is necessary. With the Revision 2 Pi you may not need a powered USB hub once the 5V power supply can supply enough current to everything. So far I have gotten away with a unpowered USB hub but I have upgraded the power adapter to a 2 amp one (specifically, EasyAcc US 5V 2A Universal Travel AC Micro USB Wall Charger Adapter long cord for Tablet: Google Nexus 7,Google Nexus 10,Most Smartphone, external battery and other Micro USB Port Devices (1.6M/5.25 Feet Black)). NOTE: The B+ and Pi 2 models now have 4 USB ports built-in, which may eliminate the need for a USB hub in many cases. Personally I find this a major advantage of B+/Pi 2 over the older A/B models OVERALL I feel this is a good setup for getting acquainted with Raspberry Pi - the only negative thing is that the price has increased somewhat since I purchased the kit and is not such a good value as it was. Also, this product is available in 3 different versions but all reviews are listed together so be aware reviews may be for a specific version. (Basic kit reviewed here). I hope you have found this helpful!
July 2013 · Electronics · verified purchase
the product in question
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 2 with 2.5A Micro USB Power Supply (UL Listed)
4.1★ · 191 ratings, as of 2023
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