The first thing that strikes you is the sheer size. This is not a small case, and that’s because it has a few tricks under its tough exterior. Argon is clearly intending this case to be your powerhouse server. Removing the solid aluminium lid, we find space for your Raspberry Pi 5 along with some impressive passive heatsinking and a mounted PWM 30 mm fan. On-board ports – including the GPIO header – are exposed within the housing for projects and there’s a few millimetres of clearance for adding your own bits and pieces. Argon’s signature daughterboard design is here too, with a PCB that plugs into the USB-C and HDMI ports of your Raspberry Pi, breaking them out to full-size HDMI and an additional two front-mounted USB-A connectors. Slotting it all together onto the plastic base creates a solid unit for your next project.
Features and upgrade options
There is a very good reason this case is so much larger than standard. Alongside the Raspberry Pi, there is space for two M.2 NVMe slots for up to full-sized 2280 solid-state drives. This case then becomes a NAS with SSD RAID capability. You can purchase the add-on PCBs for each M.2 separately or pre-mounted, offering flexibility on price and future upgrade options. Then, nestling next to the front-mounted USB ports, there’s an audio-out port. This case comes with a DAC built-in, which upgrades it further to a potential media server.
Home automation enthusiasts may be tempted by the optional Zigbee add-on which plugs into the daughterboard and comes complete with an antenna which mounts to the case externally. If you’re using the case headless and want to see some info at a glance, the £9 OLED module adds a tiny screen to the top of the case for you to use as you wish. Finally, another option is to add a dedicated uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which sits neatly under the case. Argon has created an entire ecosystem around the simple concept of a case.
We were supplied with a manual, thermal pads for the various Raspberry Pi chips, and additional thermal pads for protecting the M.2 SSDs. Assembly was easy and the result was formidable. It may not look as pretty as its predecessors on your living room cabinet, but you’ll probably be able to drop it from some height without causing it much damage.
Verdict
10/10
If you are looking to build a home server for media, automation, or just data storage, this is a well-priced option that will keep your Raspberry Pi cool and protected with a wealth of upgrade options.
Specs
Ports: 6 × USB, USB-C, 2 × full-size HDMI, 3.5 mm audio
Add-ons: Up to 2 × NMVe M.2 SSD (2230, 2242, 2260, 2280), Zigbee module with antenna, OLED screen, UPS
Cooling: Passive aluminium, active 30 mm PWM fan
