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Blog Adafruit Pi Pico Enclosure: A Quick Review
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Engagement
  • Author Author: shabaz
  • Date Created: 28 Jan 2026 9:43 PM Date Created
  • Views 460 views
  • Likes 13 likes
  • Comments 12 comments
  • Pi Pico W
  • enclosure
  • adafruit
  • case
  • pi pico
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Adafruit Pi Pico Enclosure: A Quick Review

shabaz
shabaz
28 Jan 2026

I recently purchased an unusual Adafruit product: a Pi Pico enclosure. Rather an odd product, it's really more for standalone projects because there is no space to easily attach additional hardware. The case is two-part and snaps together, but easily re-opened if desired, using fingernails to pull off the top cover. Technically, it is a waste of money (although admittedly it's not an expensive item), since you could just wrap a Pico in some paper, or maybe heatshrink tubing. 

If you're using this enclosure and really need to wire the Pico to external circuitry, then, at a pinch, you could tack a few wires onto the Pi Pico connections and thread them through the cover slots.

image

Aesthetically, the case doesn't look or feel great; it seems to be a 3D-printed item. I don't really mind that, since it doesn't need to look pretty.

The Pi Pico loosely fits in the locator pegs.

image

The Pi Pico rattles inside the enclosure; the Pico is only lightly held in the vertical plane at one end by the small internal bump on the Boot button lever. 

image

USB connectors have enough clearance.

image

The Pi Pico's green LED is usable; it glows through the white plastic.

I think a better enclosure would have left some space to insert a few standard tact buttons, so you could wire them to Reset and a few GPIO pins.

An even better enclosure would have left space on one side, perhaps, for a small prototyping board. Adafruit was probably constrained by the cost of 3D printing, so they may have needed to keep the enclosure size small.

I will probably glue an SMD switch to poke out through one of the slots if possible, as well as an LED.

In summary, the enclosure is more than fine for what it is, but obviously, a larger enclosure would be more useful. I think this enclosure is intended for those without a 3D printer. If you have a 3D printer and some time, you'd be better off making a larger, better enclosure. Or, if you have a few tools and some time, you may as well use a larger standard project box, cut and file a small hole for a USB socket, and maybe create a 3D-printed clip to secure the Pi Pico inside the box.

Thanks for reading.

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Top Comments

  • shabaz
    shabaz 1 month ago in reply to robogary +1
    It is indeed a fairly pointless product!
  • dougw
    dougw 1 month ago in reply to genebren

    No power, no I/O, no user interface - pretty inert wearable accessory.

    It could be a HID login device - plug it into a PC and it logs on for you....or types your email address

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  • genebren
    genebren 1 month ago

    But don't forget that this cute little thing could be strapped to your wrist for the ultimate computing to go experience Grinning

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  • beacon_dave
    beacon_dave 1 month ago in reply to dougw

    "...Here is a cute and minimal enclosure for your Pi Pico to keep it safe during use and transport..."

    Snap-on Enclosure for Raspberry Pi Pico / W / 2 / 2W

    Features in this Adafruit new products video after the similar looking one for the Feather DVI

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  • dougw
    dougw 1 month ago

    The primary usage would seem to be as a case that allows Pico modules to be stored & programmed without touching the actual CCA - reduced ESD risk during some small part of the workflow?

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  • balajivan1995
    balajivan1995 1 month ago

    Reminds me of people putting back case on iPhones that covers everything except the Apple logo.

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