I’ve got a BIG bargain on show here today – a Raspberry Pi retro gaming case for $8!

About a month ago I was casually sniffing around AliExpress when I came across some retro gaming cases for my Pi, but they were all asking for upwards of $25.

Then this $8 NESPi case showed up on the list. It seemed a bit too cheap – I suspected I’d be sent a pair of socks or a razor, but I decided to order a couple in the name of research.

To my surprise they turned up, so let’s take a look at this super-affordable case – with a little surprise for my subscribers too…

Unboxing

As is the tradition now at Averagemaker.com, a 60-second unboxing to show you around the NESPi:

NESPi Features

The case is made up of two pieces of plastic screwed together, with a flap for USB access.

Despite that simple design, the NESPi does pretty well when it comes to features.

The basics are all there – the Pi’s ports are all accessible, the Pi is secure inside and you can get your SD card out pretty easily (tweezers help). The box it comes in is pretty fancy too (see video above).

On top of the basics, there are holes for the PI’s LED indicators and also a few vents around the case for removing heat.

On the roof you’ll even find a dedicated spot for a small fan (with fixings included). The case has ‘built-in’ feet, but they’re not rubber, so expect this thing to dance around your desk a little.

The USB access flap is the party piece here. It’s the feature that catches your eye and adds the “ahh that’s neat” feel. I guess it keeps dust out as well, and helps remove some heat when it’s open for your controllers.

Price

Well, this is part of the headline, so you already know that the NESPi costs just $8.

There’s not a lot here in terms of parts or materials, however let’s not forget that these things need to be designed, prototyped, tooled, packaged and then finally sold.

Does $8 sound a lot for that? It doesn’t to me – especially when you consider the above-average features this case offers.

Buy or Win?

If you want to buy a NESPi case, they’re available in two different colour options over at AliExpress.

Another option is to win a NESPi from me!

I mentioned at the start of this blog that I ordered two of these cases, so I’m giving one away. If you’re an email subscriber, you’re automatically entered into any giveaway competition I run – including this one.

If you’re not yet subscribed, do it now! The winner will be picked by a random number generator in a week’s time and announced here.

** The winner is…Lane Trobee from the USA! Congrats Lane, email is on its way! **

Good luck!

Rich