Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Basic Kit, Header, Heatsink, USB Cable, HDMI Adapter (with Quad-core CPU,Bluetooth 4.2,BLE,onboard Antenna,etc.)

I don’t say this often about electronics, but the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is one of those rare devices that feels like it shouldn’t be this cheap. It’s tiny, it’s capable, it’s endlessly reusable, and it turns “cool idea” projects into something you can actually build without dropping serious money. If you’re even mildly curious about tech, learning, homelabs, robotics, or DIY—this is the kind of gadget that earns a permanent spot in your drawer (and usually ends up in your bag). Why it’s such a ridiculous value The Pi Zero 2 W hits a sweet spot: it’s small enough to disappear into projects, but powerful enough to do real work. You’re not buying a toy—you’re buying a real Linux computer that can be repurposed a hundred different ways. It’s the kind of hardware that makes you think, “Wait… I can do that?” and then you actually can. What I’ve used it for (and what it’s perfect for) Here’s where this thing shines: 1) Personal “pocket server” / offline knowledge vault This might be my favorite use case. You can turn the Zero 2 into a portable offline library—an emergency knowledge node you can run anywhere. Host an offline copy of Wikipedia, survival/first-aid/repair guides, maps, PDFs, and training material (even with images and videos if you size your storage accordingly). Pair it with a battery and a simple hotspot setup and you’ve basically built a “knowledge box” you can use when you have no internet—or when you don’t want to depend on it. 2) A portable cybersecurity / field tool For authorized, legal use: it’s an excellent little companion for network tasks, scanning, monitoring, and field diagnostics. Because it’s small, you can build it into a discreet, purpose-built kit: throw it in a case with a small screen, power bank, and the right adapters, and you’ve got a portable utility device that feels like a professional tool—not a laptop balancing act. 3) A real computer for someone on a tight budget If someone doesn’t have the funds for a full desktop or laptop, the Zero 2 can be a genuine stepping-stone. It’s not going to replace a modern workstation, but for basic computing tasks, lightweight desktop environments, terminal work, learning Linux, coding, and simple projects—it can open doors. And it teaches skills that transfer directly to “real” systems. 4) A “many operating systems” learning machine Booting from microSD means you can keep different cards for different purposes—one for a clean daily driver, one for a server build, one for experimentation, one for a kiosk-style setup, and so on. It’s like having multiple computers in your pocket. This is also why it’s so good for learning: you can break things, wipe it, swap cards, and you’re back in business. 5) Portable AI / chatbot brain (lightweight + practical) No, you’re not running giant models like a datacenter GPU—but you can run small local models or build a “front-end brain” that connects to another machine, a home server, or an API, and still have a handheld/embedded AI interface. Add a small display + mic/speaker HAT and suddenly you’ve built a portable assistant you can customize. 6) The brain of your next robot This is where the Pi Zero line has always been legendary. The Zero 2 is small enough to mount anywhere and capable enough to handle sensors, controllers, basic vision tasks (with constraints), and overall “robot logic.” It’s the kind of board that turns a pile of parts into something alive. The “maker freedom” factor The biggest thing people miss when they compare specs is this: the Pi Zero 2 doesn’t just do tasks—it enables projects. It lets you build small, focused devices that solve real problems: a network monitor you leave in a bag a travel “media + files” node a mini dashboard that shows system status a home automation controller a camera trap a dedicated music player a secure offline notes device a little kiosk display for a workshop or business It’s an idea machine. What to expect (real talk) To keep the review honest: the Pi Zero 2 is amazing because of what it is, not because it’s a high-end PC. It’s best at lightweight computing and purpose-built roles Storage and speed depend heavily on your microSD quality If you stack heavy workloads, you’ll feel the limits (that’s normal) It’s small, so plan for power and cooling if you’re pushing it continuously in a tight enclosure Some advanced “hacking Wi-Fi” workflows require the right external adapter depending on what you’re doing (monitor/injection, etc.) None of that is a downside to me—it’s just the reality of a tiny, low-cost computer. And honestly, those constraints are part of what makes it such a great learning platform. Who should buy it? Students learning Linux/coding Homelab folks who want tiny nodes everywhere Makers/robot builders Preparedness-minded people who want an offline knowledge library Anyone who loves the idea of a computer you can repurpose endlessly People who want to build tools instead of buying them Bottom line The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is one of the most valuable “cheap” devices you can buy because it isn’t a single product—it’s a platform. It can be a pocket server, a knowledge vault, a portable utility tool, a starter computer, an AI interface, or the brain of a robot. The cost-to-capability ratio is insane, and the number of real, practical things you can do with it is even better. If you’re on the fence: get one. Most people who buy a Pi Zero 2 don’t stop at one—because once you realize how useful it is, you start seeing projects everywhere.

Great product. If you are looking for something between a Raspberry pico and a Raspberry pi, this is perfect. This is a great board for a ton of different projects. Low power consumption, and works as with an actual os (unlike the pico). The one thing that irritates me is that it uses a different (mini) hdmi than the Raspberry pis use (not the sellers fault, but it would have been nice if they used the same ones as since I already had the adapter for the pis) I run this headless though, so I any time I need to use a screen I pop out the microSD and pop it in my pi 400 (which is how I set it up) It's really small (small enough that with a 3d printed case and an adapter you can use it as a pretty powerful bad usb) It would have been nice if they put the miniUSB on the short end where there is I'm assuming some kind of display port (but its non standard and there is a mini HDMI too so its totally useless) would have been even better if they put a mail usba on the end, but no that would have been logical and useful.. Honestly I like the knock off versions better (they are more powerful and better designed and cheaper)

Great little unit for extremely light computing. It's going to work great for my project. The kit is particularly helpful although I wish it came with a power supply and a microSD card. I was able to find a smartphone charger with 5 volts 2 amps that works great but don't expect to overclock the unit very far without a decent heatsink, fan, and better power supply.

Works well, comes with everything listed. Running Pi software and blocking software.

Using this as a octoprint server. Installed Octopi via the rasberrypi install tool. Worked great. The included USB hub handles the printer, a 1920x1080 20 fps camera, and I added a USB NIC for better streaming capabilities. So far it runs great. Just be sure to get a good microSD card that can handle deaccent speeds and you'll be golden. I threw it in a cooling enclosure and the cost of it, the PI, and a SD card ran me less than $50 total for everything. Now it doesn't specifically mention this but it does have built in WiFi. It was not so great for me, hence the USB NIC addition. UPDATE. If you plan on using Linear Advance do not get this. It just does not have the I/O's on the USB bus to handle it. So you will end up with bad prints, blobs and layer shifts. Using the exact same gcode on my NAS it prints flawlessly. Yes both Octoprint printer settings were identical. So running standard marlin or klipper firmware should be ok, but marlin with LA is a nogo...

This kit has really everything you need to get up and running for a weekend project. For me, I wanted to use this for PiHole, which it has been excelling at. Highly recommend.

So far, so great. Currently only utilizing for pihole, pivpn/Wireguard, some minor nmap, wireshark typicals but I’ve put it through some paces with multiple simultaneous package installs while still handling DNS and it was a trooper! The kit was helpful so I didn’t have to track down all of my adapters, as I did wind up needing to connect during setup but only briefly and then everything via shell (the default wallpaper of my os was nice tho). Raspberry imager on microsd (just tossed in a 32gb I had on hand and all’s well so far) and was off to the races. Plugged it directly into the usb port on router for power and have not had any issues. Grabbed a cheap case for it and it looks clean, but be aware that with the added heatsink in place, not all cases will fit properly as they don’t account for the added height/clearance. This is strong/fast enough to handle everything I need for now but I can definitely see myself making future purchases, already. TLDR: great value for the money and been enjoying it!

Exactly as expected, came with all the peripherals and is good experience if you want a simple edge computer/SBC

My first pi, and works flawlessly.