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

• A more expensive Raspberry Pi may not please everyone, so I looked for an alternative x86 model
• The Pi is still great for hobbyists and enthusiasts
• But I feel like RPi made “An Apple”: 50% more expensive for 2x RAM is quite unexpected

The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently introduced the Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of RAM, and the memory increase will benefit heavy distributions like Ubuntu for desktop use cases. But the new model is priced at $120, almost double the 8GB and very expensive for a single-board computer, which begs the question: Could a better device be found for the same price? The answer is a resounding yes.

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