Forget a $120 barebones Raspberry Pi 5, I found a much better $120 mini PC with a 512GB SSD, a much more powerful CPU, and a real case.

• A more expensive Raspberry Pi might not appeal to everyone, so I looked for an alternative x86 model
• The Pi is still ideal for DIYers and enthusiasts
• But I have the impression that RPi did “An Apple” – 50% more expensive for 2x RAM, it’s quite unexpected

The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently introduced the Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of RAM, with increased memory intended to benefit heavy-duty distributions such as Ubuntu for desktop use cases. But the new model costs $120, almost twice as much as the 8GB model, and very expensive for a single-board computer, which begs the question: Could we find a better device for the same price? The answer is a resounding yes.

The Dreamfyre Mini PC (DR02) offers a competitive x86 option with higher specs and a real case for $120 at Amazon. Designed for home, educational and professional use, it is powered by a 12th generation Intel Celeron N95 processor, capable of reaching speeds of up to 3.4 GHz.