eSIM Studios
More than a year after launching a crowdfunding campaign for a pair of Raspberry Pi-powered handheld computers, the folks at Soulsircuit have announced a major change… and backers aren’t particularly pleased.
The Pilet 5 and Pilet 7 handhelds were originally positioned as handheld computer that would use a credit card-sized Raspberry Pi 5 Model B computer for brains. But this week Soulscircuit announced that the version that eventually ships to backers will be designed for a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 instead. And while that might make sense from a design perspective… it’s not what backers signed up for. Commenters are not amused.
Pilet 5 and Pilet 7 (image based on the original designs)
Here’s the problem: the Pilet handhelds don’t come with a Raspberry Pi. You’re supposed to bring your own.
So if you backed the project thinking you’d be able to use it with a Raspberry Pi computer that you already have, now Soulscircuit says it’ll ship you a handheld designed for use with a completely different computer. And if you don’t already have a Raspberry Pi Compute Module lying around, buying a new one could get expensive – after Raspberry Pi’s latest RAM-related price hikes, a top-of-the-line Raspberry Pi CM5 could set you back as much as $330 (although entry-level models sell for under $68).
For its part, Soulsci rcuit says it’s “been developing a version of the pilet based on the Compute Module 5” for the past year, “in parallel with the Raspberry Pi 5 design,” and ultimately decided that this model was more practical because it “allows us to integrated all major components, including display, audio, NVMe, and batter onto a single mainboard” for better reliability and durability and easier assembly.
All of that may very well be true. But it’s also true that nobody who backed the project expected that when they ple dged money. Some commenters complain that they already purchased a Raspberry Pi 5 specifically for use with a Pilet 5 or Pilet 7. Others are asking for refunds.
The move from a Raspberry Pi 5-based handheld to one with a custom Printed Circuit Board designed for a Raspberry Pi CM5 also brings some changes to the port layout. Pictures shared by Soulscircuit appear to show only a single USB Type-A port and no Ethernet port, for example.
It’s unclear what other changes may have been made. The original plan for the Pilet 5 had been to release a handheld computer with a 5 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel IPS LCD display and integrated keyboard, while the Pilet 7 would have a 7 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel screen and a modular design that would allow you to replace the keyboard with a gamepad or other accessories.
Both models originally had an estimated ship date of July, 2025, although Soulsircuit said at the time that there was a chance that “unforeseen issues” could lead to del ays. Looks like that wasn’t all they led to.
thanks John!
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