No disclaimer for this one – I bought it
With a couple of Raspberry Pi Model B+s I, of course, needed a couple of cases. So, I ordered a couple and thought I’d provide my opinion on them.
The first one is the Multicomp case, available from a number of retailers for around £5-6.
First the good points.
- It’s got a nice finish with the Pi logo embossed in the top, which makes it feel like an official product, even though I’m pretty sure it’s not.
- If you insert the Pi into the bottom half of the case, it fits securely and makes it a good choice if you want to leave the GPIO pins exposed.
- The overhang of the plastic at the point of the SD card protects the card but still allows you to remove it easily.
- The design is nicely curved, fitting with the aesthetics of the new Pi model.
- It has a handy mounting point for the camera on the inside so that the lens pokes through the case. Screws are included.
- The holes for all the ribbon cables are all well-positioned, although the width of the CSI and DSI holes look a bit tight to me (I’ve been reliably informed that they’re fine).
- On the base, there are some mounting slots so that it can be mounted on the wall.
- The case is well ventilated with slots on the underside.
- There is a slot on the side for a GPIO cable.
Now for the bad. Brace yourselves.
- The plastic is not of the highest quality. It actually feels very flimsy in your hands when you take it apart. I wonder how long it will be before the bits around the USB/ethernet ports snap. It just feels… cheap, which I guess it is for £5, but still…
- The insertion procedure to get the Pi in there isn’t all that obvious. You need to put the GPIO side in first under some lugs and then press it down onto the other lugs.
- It rattles. I hate a case that rattles once the Pi is in and the top is on. I suspect it’s because the lugs aren’t a tight fit. A bit disappointing.
- It’s extremely difficult to get the top of the case off once the Pi is inside. You need to have the knack. So, if you want to quickly get at the GPIO pins, you’re out of luck. A little patience and just the right amount of squeeze is required.
- The parts of the case around the USB ports protrude slightly from the ports, i.e. it’s not a flush fitting. I can imagine some USB devices with wider bits around the connector would have trouble making a solid connection.
Overall
Overall, I think I’ll have to give the case a 7/10. For the money, it’s acceptable, but it does feel on the cheap side. It provides adequate protection for your Pi, and it’s attractive, but it is inordinately difficult to take apart. It earns an extra mark for the camera mount, which is a nice feature. Not entirely recommended, but okay.
