UConsole

Last updated
uConsole
Black uConsole by ClockworkPi (transparent background).png
The black variant of the uConsole
ManufacturerClockworkPi
TypeHandheld computer
Display 720p 5.0-inch IPS screen (w/ micro-HDMI output)
Sound
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • Internal stereo speaker
Input
Connectivity
  • 802.11ac WiFi
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 1x MicroSD card slot
  • 1x USB 2.0 port
  • 2x internal USB 2.0 interface
  • 40-Pin GPIO (FPC)
  • 52-pin Mini PCI-E
  • 200-pin DDR2-SODIMM (for compute module)
Power

uConsole is a modular handheld computer made by ClockworkPi, designed as an enclosure for compute modules such as the Raspberry Pi. It is sold as a kit and aimed at computer hobbyists, intended to be easily adapted and modified, following the concepts of open-design and modularity.

Contents

The uConsole was announced in October 2022, and began shipping in July 2023. It originally supported the Raspberry Pi CM4, but ClockworkPi also offered three alternative modules for the carrier board: the A-04 and A-06, which have different configurations based on the Armv8-A architecture, and the R-01, based on RISC-V.

Hardware and design

The uConsole was created with the open-design philosophy. The case is available as a 3D model, released under the GPL v3 license, and can be downloaded and recreated for free (such as with a 3D printer). [1] [2]

The case is made from metal. [3] [2] The front plate comes in black or silver, [4] however the back of the device is silver on both variants, with a metal stand attachment to elevate the device when it is on a flat surface. [4] Inside, the components are modular, [2] with a ClockworkPi mainboard which takes a compute module (or the CM4 adapter to attach a Raspberry Pi CM4). [3] [2] There is an additional module for two rechargable 18650 batteries which power the device, [1] [5] [6] and a single USB-C port which is used to charge but has no data transfer. [4] On the top right, there is space for a single extension board into the mainboard using a 52-pin Mini PCI-E slot, [3] and the case also has space for the stereo speaker. [7] [3] The device works with Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, however ClockworkPi also sells an official 4G extension with SIM card slot for mobile and cellular connectivity. [1] [8] [5] [2]

The keyboard and screen are kept separate, secured underneath the front panel. The screen is a 5-inch IPS display with a 1280x720 resolution with output via micro-HDMI, [3] [1] [5] and the keyboard has 74 keys with a backlight (including gamepad-style keys) [1] [5] which use Dome switches. In addition, there is a mini trackball for control. [9] [1]

Compute modules

The uConsole requires a "core module" to operate, which attaches to the mainboard via a 200-pin DDR2-SODIMM slot to provide CPU, memory, and GPU capabilities at a minimum. [3] It officially supports the Raspberry Pi CM4 which is attached with an additional extension board, as well as three custom modules developed by ClockworkPi which are based on the Armv8-A and RISC-V architectures. [3] [2] [6] The uConsole kits come in several variants, with or without a core module and 4G extension. [1]

ClockworkPi modules
ModelSpecsNotes
Core A-04 ARM Cortex-A53 (quad core), Mali-T720 GPU, 2GB DDR3 RAMLimited availability; most A-04 uConsole orders were upgraded to A-06
Core A-06ARM Cortex-A72 (dual core), ARM Cortex-A53 (quad core), Mali-T864 GPU (Rockchip RK3399) [3] , 4GB DDR4 RAM
Core R-0164-bit RISC-V processor (RV64IMAFDCVU) [5] , 1GB DDR3 RAMNo GPU, experimental. Unavailable since early 2025.

Unofficial support

The uConsole unofficially supports other compute modules with varying degrees of success. As of 2025, the Raspberry Pi CM5 is virtually fully functional when used with community-made software patches. [9] [10] Similarly, the Raspberry Pi CM3 board is mostly supported through community patches, and it is also possible to run the Radxa CM5 with limited functionality. [11]

Use cases

A silver uConsole being used to browse the web ClockworkPi uConsole in Silver Being Operated.jpg
A silver uConsole being used to browse the web

The uConsole is intended to be used as a handheld computer running a full version of Linux. [9] It is marketed as a portable programming device for field work and portable programming, including indie game development. [9] [12] Because it can be adapted and modified, including via the expansion board, [13] the uConsole is also used by technology and electronic engineering hobbyists for various purposes, including RTL-SDR and LoRa extensions. [12] It has also been used in the creative community as a controller in music production, [14] [15] as well as a retro game emulator. [16] [7]

Because ClockworkPi offers a 4G/LTE extension providing cellular connectivity and mobile data, [1] [8] the uConsole has been compared to a PDA, particularly devices like Gemini PDA. [17] [18]

Availability

The uConsole was announced in October 2022, [1] [3] [5] however orders didn't begin shipping until July 2023. [19] [20] [6] It is produced for ClockworkPi by a manufacturer in China through a batch production process, a method which has been criticised for causing long delays and stock issues. [17] [19] In 2022, orders for the A-04 variant were upgraded to an A-06 due to limited availability of modules. Since its release, orders for the uConsole have typically taken in excess of 90 days to ship, [20] in some case taking upwards of several months between order date and fulfillment.

References

Commons-logo.svg Media related to uConsole at Wikimedia Commons

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Evenden, Ian (2022-10-26). "Clockwork Pi Reveals uConsole Portable Computer". Tom's Hardware . Archived from the original on 2025-07-02. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Linder, Brad (2022-10-25). "Clockwork's uConsole is a modular portable computer & "fantasy console" for $139 and up". Liliputing. Archived from the original on 2025-03-17. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Aufranc, Jean-Luc (2022-10-26). "uConsole is a modular Arm or RISC-V handheld computer with optional 4G connectivity - CNX Software". CNX Software - Embedded Systems News. Archived from the original on 2025-06-22. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  4. 1 2 3 "3万円台でディスプレイ＆フルキーボード搭載のRaspberry Piベースポケットコンピューター「uConsole」が登場" [Raspberry Pi base pocket computer 'uConsole' with display; full keyboard on the 30,000 yen level appears]. GIGAZINE. 2022-10-26. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alderson, Alex (2022-10-27). "Clockwork uConsole: Fantasy console arrives in multiple variants with optional 4G". Notebookcheck. Archived from the original on 2025-04-30. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  6. 1 2 3 "A handheld computer for real computer geeks". Računalniške novice . 2023-08-07. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  7. 1 2 Norton, Phil (2025-03-30). "Clockwork Pi uConsole CM4: A Review | #! code". #! code. Archived from the original on 2025-04-21. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  8. 1 2 Aufranc, Jean-Luc (26 October 2022). "uConsole is a modular Arm for RISC-V handheld computer with optional 4G connectivity". RISC-V International. Archived from the original on 2025-03-21. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Horsey, Julian (2025-02-04). "uConsole from Clockwork Pi DIY Handheld Linux PC Gets A Raspberry Pi Compute Module CM5 Upgrade". Geeky Gadgets. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  10. ↑ Horsey, Julian (2024-11-27). "How the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 Redefines Modular Computing". Geeky Gadgets. Archived from the original on 2025-01-09. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  11. ↑ Mendoza, Giorgio (2025-07-10). "Radxa CM5 Gets Adapted for Use with uConsole Pocket Terminal Radxa CM5 Gets Adapted for Use with uConsole Pocket Terminal". LinuxGizmos.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-10. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  12. 1 2 Halfacree, Gareth (2025-02-13). "Deng Dazhong's uConsole Add-On Board Turns the Gadget Into a Multi-Radio Meshtastic Powerhouse". Hackster.io. Archived from the original on 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  13. ↑ "The Definitive uConsole Expansion Card Roundup [2025]". uConsole World. 2025-05-31. Archived from the original on 2025-06-09. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  14. ↑ Floyd Steinberg (2024-07-14). The music tracker you've propably never heard of . Retrieved 2025-07-24– via YouTube.
  15. ↑ Lofi Fren (2025-06-09). Clockwork Pi uConsole Kali Linux Automation + PicoCalc Updates including New Synth Features! . Retrieved 2025-07-24– via YouTube.
  16. ↑ retroCombs (2023-09-23). Reasons Why the Clockwork uConsole CM4 is My Favorite Cyberdeck!. Event occurs at 6m 14s. Retrieved 2025-07-24– via YouTube.
  17. 1 2 Ohkubo, Masahiko (2023-07-17). "ClockworkPi uConsole: 開封の儀と簡単レビュー". RemoteRoom (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  18. ↑ Lunduke, Bryan (2023-09-25). "The Great uConsole Giveaway". Lunduke. Archived from the original on 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  19. 1 2 Alderson, Alex (2023-07-08). "ClockworkPi uConsole handheld computer starts shipping with company taking new orders". Notebookcheck. Archived from the original on 2025-07-02. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  20. 1 2 Linder, Brad (2023-07-25). "ClockworkPi uConsole is now shipping (modular portable computer & game console)". Liliputing. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
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