Waveshare has launched Raspberry Pi 5 to PCIe x1 adapter board, allowing users to upgrade or expand the SBC’s capabilities.
The board connects to devices with PCIe interfaces, allowing them to work with the smaller x1 slot, which is commonly used in compact setups like that of a Raspberry Pi – or ostensibly any other SBC, so long as it’s got a compatible FFC connector. Additionally, the board works with PCIe x4, x8, and x16 card types.
Installation appears to be a relatively simple endeavor, with several screws attaching the adapter board to the RPi itself. Potential use cases – as expanded upon in CNX Software’s brief-yet-detailed write-up – include “AI acceleration, high-speed networking, and storage expansion” by way of “network cards, storage controllers, and other PCIe peripherals”.
At the outset, this appears to be an interesting way of giving your Raspberry Pi 5 a power boost – and, at $12.99 on Waveshare’s website, a cheap one, as well. You can also grab one on Amazon for $21.99. At first, that seems like quite the price jump, until you factor in shipping on both sites, after which the price is about the same.
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