Raspberry Pi Touchscreen Display Case Options
A new case for my 7" touchscreen display
I recently acquired an official Raspberry Pi 7″ touchscreen display from my pals over at Element 14. These screens have been out for a long time and are already well documented, so I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of the screen itself today.
Whilst I do have some fun project ideas for the screen, I can’t do any of that until I sort out some decent protection for it.
If you haven’t seen one of these screens in the flesh then you won’t know that they feel VERY delicate! I’ve also heard multiple reports of the glass layers on the front of the screen slipping off – so wrapping this thing in a lovely chunk of plastic is my first priority.
After a lot of searching I found the perfect case (for me) – so I thought I’d share the cases I considered, and why I made my choice…
Touchscreen Display Case Options
Unlike cases designed just for the Pi itself, the there aren’t many touchscreen display case options for the official screen (here in the UK at east). There must be hundreds of cases available for the Pi, but for some reason the touchscreen case market hasn’t taken off in the same way.
However, the options we do have all appear to be quality choices for your new vulnerable panel of glass.
Pimoroni Frame
The most common case I came across was the acrylic frame from Pimoroni. This thing is sold everywhere!
It follows the theme of their huge Pibow line of cases, slapping layers of well-designed and well-cut acrylic together to create a good looking see-through casing. I believe you can also fit a Pibow case to the back of this stand, for ‘pibowey’ harmony (and a bit more protection).
This was one of the cheapest cases available at £10 and comes in 6 colour options, however it wasn’t an option for me as I was after something that covered up the Pi.
The Pimoroni frame is ultra-affordable – great for those that just want a simple stand (Image: Pimoroni)
ModMyPi 7″ Touchscreen Case & Stand
Another option popping its head up on my search was this rugged looking number from ModMyPi. This case rocks up at £14.99 which is middle of the road for the selection I’m covering here.
It certainly ticked the protection box, but was a little too chunky for my liking. It also appears to leave the Pi open to dust – which really isn’t a massive deal – but others at the same price offered a more sealed back end.
Worth mentioning that this case gives you the option to add your own printed design to the front layer as well – very cool!
The ModMyPi case looks like it offers good protection, but was a little too bulky for me (Image: ModMyPi)
Multicomp Dev Board Enclosure
I have no idea who Multicomp are, but here is their offering for the official display.
It actually doesn’t look too bad at all. From what I can see in the product pictures, it has nice smooth lines, is reasonably low profile and looks to offer that flush front that I desire.
However, the product shots don’t show you around the case so I couldn’t really see what I would be buying. I’m also not a fan of the ‘badger’ stripe through the middle either – and above all – that £27 price tag is way beyond my average wallet!
The Multicomp case doesn’t have a lot of product shots – so it’s a bit of an expensive gamble at £27 (Image: CPC)
SmartiPi Touch
SmartiCase are quite a unique company and damn good at what they do. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s a one-man-band operation run by industrial designer Tom Murray.
Tom recently ran a Kickstarter for the SmartiPi Touch, which is his take on a case for the Foundation’s display.
Tom’s case is low profile, has an adjustable angle and LEGO compatible sections. The Pi is easily removed thanks to a little door at the back, works well with HATs, and the screw mount options make it a great shout for attaching to your wall.
Unfortunately it isn’t out for Retail purchase just yet, but pre-order is open starting at around £18. As I needed protection fast, I had to skip this option.
The SmartiPi Touch looks like another great design from Tom Murray (Image: SmartiCase)
OneNineDesign Touchscreen Case
I ended up buying this case from the Pi Hut after considering all of the options above.
First up, the entire screen and Pi are cuddled in a solid single piece of plastic. That offers the protection I wanted from both knocks and dust, and gives me confidence that no parts of the casing can snap off.
The OneNineDesign case offers excellent rear protection (stop sniggering at the back)
Secondly, the screen sits flush with the front of the case. That gives it the stylish and modern look I wanted for my office, however doesn’t quite offer the screen glass protection as some of the other options here.
The case can hold a camera module in the top section, the rear panel pops off to allow HATs to be fitted, and the entire body is black (or white if you buy from Micro Center in the USA).
It ticked all the boxes for me, and that middle pricepoint of £15 got my MasterCard out in record time!
The front of the case has a clean flush finish
Summary
Case selection is always a very personal thing. From your protection needs to your favourite colour, we’re all going to want something different and at a level we can each afford.
I wanted to share the screen cases I found as there aren’t many to choose from, and I had quite a few people ask where I got mine when sharing on Twitter. If you stumble across this blog when shopping for your own, maybe it’ll help you find some touchscreen display case options you weren’t aware of.
If you’ve come across any others please add a comment below, I’d love to see what else is out there.
Continue reading here: Proto Cam - The Raspberry Pi Camera Module Prototyping Board
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