Wanted to get into programming and making stuff for myself because i've been so bored. I've heard of the raspberry pi for a while but was really intimidated by it. I decided to watch one (1) YouTube video about how to set it up and get it started so I felt very qualified. I got this kit because its a good price and has everything that I need, I dont have to worry about getting more stuff and making sure its right, this kit has it. It works great, I was able to set up my website and host my domain for free which is what I really wanted. I've since formatted an old mini PC that I had to run more complex bots and python scrips and I now use this little Pi as a remote server for storage. If you're curious about trying something new, just get this!

I finally got my hands on a Canakit after waiting nearly two years for one due to the pandemic supply-line shortages. I had to return the first one back to Amazon due to a defective WiFi. The replacement one is working great without any noticeable issues. I'm using it to run pi-hole and as a server for the UniFi controller. I access it via SSH & XRDT, using putty &/or windows 10 remote desktop. Once resbian is installed & configured, mouse, keyboard, and monitor are not necessary. My next purchase will just be the board, a cheap case & power supply to save money because in my humble opinion the kit is a waste of money because some of those extras are unnecessary after the initial installation. Thus, the kit is an overkill. Recently, I experienced a corrupted microSD card & wasted time formatting & preparing the new microSD for a new image. I didn't know you could just insert the blank microSD & use network installation option instead. This method is so much easier vs manually downloading & creating a new resbian image, which is time consuming. Installing the UniFi controller on Raspberry Pi 4 was lengthy & a tedious process... it was so frustrating 😤. There are so many old & useless information on the web when you use Google on how to install the UniFi controller on Raspberry Pi 4. Some of those websites sent me to that proverbial rabbit hole. To avoid going to that rabbit hole like me... First, you must use the 64 bit version of the Rasbian OS because Ubiquity no longer supports the 32 bit version. Second, you'll see many useless websites still pushing obsolete info if you use Google for help, the website with the current info is..."PiMylife", hopefully Amazon will not block me for listing it. I'm new to linux. I'm learning useful new linux commands to efficiently operate this amazing little machine 😍. It runs quietly even with the fan running, somewhat a little warm & relatively nimble. This credit card sized PC is highly recommended!

First of all, I'm brand new to Raspberry Pi. I loved the CanaKit Raspberry Pi kit. I had everything I needed to get up and running fast, except for a mouse and keyboard, which is clearly indicated in the description, so I was ready to go when the kit arrived (which it did VERY quickly!).INITAL HARDWARE SETUPThe design of the included case did not even require one single screw. The top and bottom of the case "snap" off from the middle easily and the board drops into place onto the bottom plate. Be sure to attach the three heatsinks on the chips and the wire connectors for the fan before snapping it all back together if you are going to use them (which I strongly recommend). It's much easier to attach them with the full board exposed. Then you snap the top and bottom back on onto the middle and you're done. It would have been a tiny bit faster to assemble than it was but I had to search the internet for the right pins on the board to connect the fan to. The two rows of pins were not numbered on the board nor referenced in the quick guide included. It took like 10 seconds to verify the board pinout and another 10 seconds to find which pins the fan connects to. There were lots of videos and diagrams available to help, including videos specifically for this brand and model. Since the fan has two power/speed options I wanted to be sure I was connecting to the right pins. I chose the higher power/faster speed. Some review comments mention more noise with the higher speed but I found the "noise" to be almost silent, even at the higher level. I can save you a bit of time on the fan pinout bit. The row closest to the outside of the board are the even numbered pins. Since this is a computer (one's and zero's) that row starts with 0, then 2,4,6, etc. The row towards the inside starts with 1,3,5,7. The numbers go higher as you move from the outside edge to the inside along the row. For the higher fan speed, connect the red wire to pin 4. For the lower fan speed, connect the red wire to pin 3. The black wire is ground and always connects to pin 6. Easy peasy once you know! Overall this part took about 10-15 minutes.INITIAL OS SETUPThe pre-loaded NOOBS (New Out Of Box Software) was fast in helping choosing which operating system and what options you wanted. Choosing other options like new password. time zone, wireless and keyboard went fast. After the OS booted up it took a while to check for and install any needed upgrades (perfectly normal and expected for any OS). If you have a 5G wireless wifi, be sure to connect to it (or use an ethernet cable) to save download times for OS and application software upgrades that may be needed. Overall this part took about 30 minutes including downloads, then it rebooted and started working perfectly.CONSThe kit would be perfect if it included pin out instructions for the fan and a little more clarity on installing the heatsinks. That's the only parts that caused me any delay in putting it all together.SUMMARYGreat kit and good price. It's possible that searching for the individual parts might have save a few pennies or dollars, but having almost everything from one manufacturer in one box, assured me that everything would work together and there would be only one place to go if troubles appeared. I would absolutely recommend this kit if you are getting started in the PI world, and even if you're more experienced. This kit is GREAT!

Easy to use and great learning tool for kids