A slim, snap-together protective case for the Raspberry Pi 5, finished in a bold black-and-red colourway with full port access and passive cooling.
The Argon NEO 5 BRED (Black-Red) is a minimalist, form-fitting case designed exclusively for the Raspberry Pi 5. Built around a snap-together construction, it requires no tools to assemble — the two-piece shell clicks firmly into place around your board in seconds, making it an ideal choice for makers who want clean, no-fuss protection without sacrificing access to any of the Pi 5's connectors or GPIO pins.
The BRED colourway gives this case a distinctive look, pairing a black body with red accents that set it apart from the standard black variant. Despite its compact footprint — just 3.30 × 7.30 × 9.70 cm and 145 g — the NEO 5 BRED leaves every port on the Raspberry Pi 5 fully exposed, including both micro-HDMI outputs, all four USB ports, the USB-C power input, the Gigabit Ethernet jack, and the 40-pin GPIO header.
Cooling is handled passively, meaning the case itself acts as a heat spreader with no moving parts, no fan noise, and no software dependencies. This makes the NEO 5 BRED particularly well-suited to light-to-moderate workloads such as home automation controllers, educational projects, desktop computing, and always-on IoT nodes where silence and simplicity are priorities. For sustained CPU-intensive tasks, consider an actively cooled Argon 40 case such as the Argon ONE V3.
📝 Note: The NEO 5 BRED is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5 only. It is not compatible with Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 400, or any earlier model.
📝 Note: The full contents list is drawn from the product catalog. For the complete packing list, refer to the printed Quick Assembly Guide (
FOR_PRINT_QUICK_ASSEMBLY_GUIDE_NEO_5_20240703.pdf) included in the box or downloadable from the Argon 40 website.
[TODO: Confirm complete in-box contents from arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf and FOR_PRINT_QUICK_ASSEMBLY_GUIDE_NEO_5_20240703.pdf — e.g., thermal pad, screws, standoffs, rubber feet]
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Argon NEO 5 BRED Case for Raspberry Pi 5 |
| SKU | ARG-NEO-5-BRED |
| Model Number | A23-001 AR-NEO5-BRED |
| UPC / EAN | 860011360001 |
| HTS Code | 8473.30.5100 |
| Product Family | NEO 5 |
| Colour | Black-Red (BRED) |
| Design Type | Slim, minimalist snap-together case |
| Compatible Device | Raspberry Pi 5 (only) |
| Cooling Method | Passive |
| Port Accessibility | All ports fully accessible |
| Assembly Method | Snap-together (tool-free) |
| Dimensions | 3.30 × 7.30 × 9.70 cm |
| Weight | 145 g (0.145 kg) |
| Certifications | CE, RoHS |
📝 Note: CE and RoHS certifications confirm the product meets European electromagnetic compatibility and hazardous-substance standards respectively.
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the fifth-generation flagship single-board computer from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, featuring a significant performance uplift over its predecessor with a new quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor, PCIe expansion capability, and an onboard real-time clock.
Source for all board specifications: raspberrypi.com
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2712, quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 @ 2.4 GHz |
| GPU | VideoCore VII — OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2 |
| RAM | 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, or 16 GB LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Storage (built-in) | microSD slot (UHS-I) |
| Storage (expansion) | PCIe 2.0 ×1 connector (M.2 HAT required for M.2 NVMe) |
| Wi-Fi | Dual-band 802.11ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 / BLE |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB | 2× USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) + 2× USB 2.0 |
| Display outputs | 2× micro-HDMI — up to dual 4K @ 60 Hz simultaneous |
| Camera / Display connectors | MIPI CSI (camera), MIPI DSI (display) |
| GPIO | 40-pin standard Raspberry Pi GPIO header |
| Power input | USB-C Power Delivery |
| Recommended PSU | 5 V / 5 A (27 W) USB-C PD — e.g., Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply |
| Minimum PSU | 5 V / 3 A (15 W) |
| Real-time clock | Yes — onboard RTC with battery connector |
| Power button | Yes — onboard power button |
| OS support | Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit recommended), Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions |
| Board dimensions | 85 mm × 56 mm |
arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf]📝 Note: The step-by-step assembly guide below is based on the catalog description (snap-together, tool-free design, full port access). For illustrated assembly diagrams, refer to the Quick Assembly Guide PDF (
FOR_PRINT_QUICK_ASSEMBLY_GUIDE_NEO_5_20240703.pdf) included in the box or available from argon40.com.⚠️ Warning: Always power off and unplug your Raspberry Pi 5 completely before placing it into any case. Never attempt assembly with the board powered on.
⚠️ Warning: The Raspberry Pi 5 contains ESD-sensitive components. Handle the board by its edges and, where possible, work on an anti-static surface or use an anti-static wrist strap.
[TODO: The following steps are based on the snap-together design described in the product catalog. Full illustrated steps must be verified against arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf and FOR_PRINT_QUICK_ASSEMBLY_GUIDE_NEO_5_20240703.pdf before this section is published.]
Gather the following before starting:
Unbox and inspect. Remove both case shells from the packaging. Check that no tabs, clips, or snap points are cracked or damaged before proceeding.
Prepare the Raspberry Pi 5. Ensure the board is powered off and all cables are disconnected. If a microSD card is already inserted, it can remain in place during assembly.
[TODO: Confirm whether a thermal pad is applied at this step — check arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf.] If a thermal pad is included, remove its protective film and apply it to the top of the Raspberry Pi 5's main processor (BCM2712) before proceeding.
Place the Raspberry Pi 5 into the lower shell. Orient the board so that the USB and Ethernet ports align with the corresponding port openings on the lower shell. The board should sit flat and level.
Align the upper shell. Hold the upper shell above the lower shell, aligning the snap clips on all four sides. Confirm that port cutouts on the upper shell line up with the micro-HDMI, USB-C, and GPIO header on the board.
Snap the case closed. Press the upper shell down firmly and evenly until you hear or feel all snap clips engage. Do not force the shell — if it does not close cleanly, check for misalignment before re-attempting.
Verify port access. Once assembled, confirm that the following are all unobstructed:
- USB-C power port
- Both micro-HDMI ports
- 2× USB 3.0 and 2× USB 2.0 ports
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- microSD card slot
- 40-pin GPIO header
Connect power and boot. Plug in your USB-C power supply and any required peripherals. Power on the Raspberry Pi 5 normally.
⚠️ Warning: Do not overtighten or force any snap points. If a clip feels like it requires excessive force, remove the upper shell and re-check board alignment before trying again.
The Argon NEO 5 BRED uses passive cooling only — there is no fan, no fan controller, and no software required for thermal management. The case functions as a heat spreader with no additional configuration needed.
📝 Note: No software installation,
config.txtedits, scripts, or packages are required to use the Argon NEO 5 BRED. Simply assemble the case, insert your Raspberry Pi 5, and boot as normal.
While no fan control software is needed, you may wish to monitor your Pi 5's temperature during use, particularly under sustained loads.
Check CPU temperature from the terminal:
vcgencmd measure_temp
Watch temperature in real time (updates every 2 seconds):
watch -n 2 vcgencmd measure_temp
Check for CPU throttling:
vcgencmd get_throttled
A response of throttled=0x0 indicates no throttling has occurred. Any non-zero value indicates the processor has throttled due to temperature or undervoltage. See the Troubleshooting section for guidance.
Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) is the recommended operating system for the Raspberry Pi 5 and is fully compatible with this case configuration.
Download Raspberry Pi OS and install it using the Raspberry Pi Imager tool, available from:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
📝 Note: If you are migrating from another Argon 40 case (such as the Argon ONE V3) that required fan control software or
config.txtedits, those configurations are not needed and should be removed when switching to the NEO 5 BRED.
[TODO: Confirm with Argon 40 support whether any config.txt entries or software are recommended for the NEO 5 BRED — e.g., any GPIO or power button configuration. Check arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf.]
Likely cause: The Raspberry Pi 5 board is not seated correctly in the lower shell, or a port is catching on a cutout edge.
Resolution:
1. Separate the shells and lift the board out.
2. Re-seat the board in the lower shell, confirming USB/Ethernet ports are flush with their openings.
3. Check that no ribbon cables, jumper wires, or GPIO attachments are trapped between the board and the shell.
4. Re-attempt assembly, pressing down evenly across all four corners.
Likely cause: Passive cooling alone may be insufficient for sustained CPU-intensive workloads (e.g., video encoding, compilation, heavy multitasking).
Resolution:
1. Check current temperature:
bash
vcgencmd measure_temp
2. Check for throttling:
bash
vcgencmd get_throttled
3. Ensure the case is in a well-ventilated area with airflow around it — do not place it in an enclosed cabinet.
4. Avoid stacking objects directly on top of the case, which blocks passive heat dissipation.
5. If sustained high-performance workloads are required, consider upgrading to an actively cooled Argon 40 case.
Likely cause: The board may be slightly misaligned inside the lower shell, shifting port positions relative to the cutouts.
Resolution:
1. Power off and unplug the Raspberry Pi 5.
2. Carefully unsnap the upper shell.
3. Reposition the board so all port openings align precisely with the shell cutouts.
4. Reassemble and re-test all connectors.
⚠️ Warning: Do not force a connector into a partially obstructed port opening — this can damage both the connector and the board.
Likely cause: The microSD slot cutout alignment may require the card to be inserted at a specific angle, or a small amount of case flex may be needed.
Resolution:
1. Ensure the case is fully and correctly snapped together — a partially assembled case can shift the board and misalign the slot.
2. Insert the microSD card with the label facing up (or down, depending on your Pi 5 orientation) and press firmly until it clicks.
3. To remove, press the card inward until it ejects slightly, then pull it free.
4. If access remains difficult, [TODO: confirm microSD slot access details from arg-neo-5-bred-manual.pdf].
Likely cause: Loose power connection, power supply insufficient, or the board was not fully seated before the case was closed.
Resolution:
1. Check that the USB-C power cable is fully inserted into the port.
2. Confirm your power supply meets the minimum 5 V / 3 A requirement (27 W / 5 A recommended).
3. Verify the green activity LED is visible through the case ventilation or port openings — if no LED activity, the board may not be receiving power.
4. Unsnap the case and confirm the board is flat and fully seated in the lower shell with nothing trapped underneath.
5. Try powering the Raspberry Pi 5 outside the case to isolate whether the issue is with the board or the assembly.
Likely cause: Shipping