![]() The bumper on the top of the case is where you’ll also find the “re-mappable power button”. This flap covering the GPIO is quite stiff and a little awkward to use. ![]() It has flaps that cover the SD-Card slot and the GPIO connections which are present on the side of the case, instead of the top, this has some issues which I’ll cover later. It has a slot on the end to allow thin ribbon cables to be fed out for a camera or display. The TPU bumper wraps the sides of the case, along with covering a small section of the top. The strips on the Cooler Master Pi CASE 40 are securely fitted from the factory and haven’t shown any signs of movement. So many other cases use flimsy stick on circular feet that seem to easily come off, especially when the case gets warm. I have to admit the “feet” on this case are the best I’ve experienced. The plastic base also features two rubber stips, which hint at some of the hexagonal shape of the logo. An outline of the hexagonal Cooler Master logo is featured on the top and bottom of the case, as a mirrored metal element on top and imprinted into the centre of the plastic case. Turning to the Cooler Master Pi CASE 40 itself, the aluminium shell covers the top and partly down the sides, the bottom of the case is made of smoked plastic, which still allows the power and activity LEDs to be easily seen. The instructions also suggest you could use a couple of the mounts to wall mount the case. Inside the box, you’ll find the case, along with 4 bolts and an Allen key to secure the case together, 2 thermal pads (nice to see a spare included) and 4 plastic wings which can be added to the case so that it can be attached using the standard VESA mounting system (75×75 or 100×100). Under a lift up section is printed a QR code which takes you to the Cooler Master Pi CASE 40 product page, where you’ll also find the download instructions for the software along with some accessories which can be 3D printed. The Cooler Master Pi CASE 40 arrived in a neat cardboard box, with clear assembly instructions printed on the inside surfaces of the box, avoiding the need for an extra printed instruction booklet, clearly, some thought was given to minimising waste. My testing has shown that this case shows promise, but it’s let down firstly by a fundamental design issue and secondly by the software made available with the case. I’ve mixed feelings about the TPU bumper, but more on that later. The “travel” aspect of this case design, seems to be about combining aluminium with a softer rubber/TPU bumper around the case. The aluminium shell mates with the Raspberry Pi processor to transfer heat and keep the Raspberry Pi 4 running cool. Afterall Cooler Master has been making PC case, cooling products and other accessories, so have the design experience, skills and budget beyond the more typical specialist Pi Case makers. Pitched originally on Kickstarter, the Cooler Master Pi CASE 40 is described as “The travel case of Pi enthusiasts, by Pi enthusiasts”, I was optimistic they would build on the experience of the community to create something special. ![]() Learning that Cooler Master was entering the Raspberry Pi case market was an interesting development. If you’ve read any of my other Raspberry Pi 4 case reviews, you’ll know I’m a fan of passively cooled cases. The issues with their pi-tool software still remain unresolved, so best still to avoid using that. I’ve no intention of purchasing this case to test the new version, but I’m pleased that it now exists. This addresses the issue with the mirrored GPIO pins. Update 21 October 2021: Cooler Master have released a revised version of this case without, the Pi-Case-40-v2.
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