Compact 27W uninterruptible power supply with a 5,000 mAh Li-ion battery, purpose-built to keep your Raspberry Pi 5 running through power interruptions.
The Argon PWR 27W UPS (SKU: ARG-PWR-UPS-5K) is a battery backup module designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 5. It delivers up to 27W of USB-C Power Delivery output — matching the Raspberry Pi 5's recommended power specification exactly — so your Pi operates at full performance whether it's running on mains power or drawing from its internal 5,000 mAh Li-ion battery. When mains power is interrupted, the UPS bridges the gap seamlessly, keeping your project, server, or workstation alive without a reboot.
At its core, the Argon PWR UPS is more than a passive battery pack. An onboard microcontroller unit (MCU) communicates directly with the Raspberry Pi 5 via the included Argon E-marker USB-C cable, giving the operating system visibility into UPS status and power conditions. A secondary USB-A port (5V, 1A) provides a convenient power tap for accessories such as cooling fans, microcontrollers, or small peripherals. Physical controls — a slider power switch and a battery check button with a multi-LED indicator — keep operation straightforward without requiring any software.
The 5,000 mAh variant is the compact option in the Argon PWR UPS lineup, sized for builds where portability or enclosure space matters more than extended runtime. It pairs especially well with the Argon NEO 5 case and is also compatible with the Argon ONE V3, Argon ONE V5, Argon NEO, Argon POLY+, Argon POLY+5, and bare Raspberry Pi 4 and Pi 5 boards. It carries both FCC and ETL certifications.
📝 Note: The Argon PWR UPS 27W is currently listed as sold out on argon40.com. No restock date has been announced at the time of writing.
📝 Note: A USB-C Power Supply Unit (PSU) is not included. You must supply your own. See Assembly Guide for PSU requirements.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| SKU | ARG-PWR-UPS-5K |
| Model Number | A24-012-PWR-UPS-AR-5000 |
| UPC / EAN | 5065019946232 |
| Price (USD) | $50.00 |
| Battery Type | Li-ion |
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh |
| Maximum Output Power | 27W |
| USB-C Output | 5V 5A (27W) |
| USB-A Output | 5V 1A |
| USB-C Input (Charging) | 5V 5A |
| Minimum PSU (basic setup) | 5V 18W |
| Recommended PSU | 27W Power Delivery |
| Optimal PSU (high-performance) | 45W Power Delivery |
| Communication Interface | USB-C data link (E-marker cable) |
| Onboard MCU | Yes |
| On/Off Switch | Physical slider switch |
| Battery Level Indicator | Multi-LED (button-activated) |
| Battery Check Button | Yes |
| Weight | 0.275 kg |
| Dimensions | 145 × 108 × 38.5 cm |
| FCC Certified | Yes |
| ETL Certified | Yes |
| HTS Code | 8504.40.7001 |
| Included Cable | Argon E-marker USB-C to USB-C |
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the primary target platform for this UPS. The 27W USB-C output matches the Pi 5's recommended power input exactly, enabling full CPU and GPU performance under battery power as well as mains power. MCU-based communication between the UPS and the Pi 5 is fully supported via the included E-marker cable.
Source: raspberrypi.com
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2712, quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz |
| GPU | VideoCore VII; OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2 |
| RAM | 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Storage (Built-in) | microSD card slot (UHS-I) |
| Storage (Expansion) | PCIe 2.0 ×1 connector (M.2 HAT for NVMe SSD, optional) |
| Wi-Fi | Dual-band 802.11ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 / BLE |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps) |
| USB | 2× USB 3.0 (5Gbps), 2× USB 2.0 |
| HDMI | 2× micro-HDMI (supports dual 4Kp60 simultaneous output) |
| Display / Camera | MIPI DSI (display), MIPI CSI (camera) |
| GPIO | 40-pin standard Raspberry Pi GPIO header |
| Real-Time Clock | Yes (onboard battery connector) |
| Power Button | Yes (onboard) |
| Power Input | USB-C Power Delivery; 5V 5A recommended (27W), 5V 3A minimum (15W) |
| Recommended PSU | 27W Power Delivery (matched by this UPS) |
| OS Support | Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit recommended), Ubuntu, and others |
| Dimensions | 85 × 56mm |
Compatibility notes:
- No adapter required — connect directly via the included E-marker USB-C cable.
- MCU communication is fully supported on Pi 5.
- Optimised pairing: Argon NEO 5 case + Argon PWR UPS 27W 5000mAh.
The Raspberry Pi 4 is listed as compatible in the UPS compatibility matrix. A 27W PD PSU is recommended when using this UPS with a Pi 4.
Source: raspberrypi.com
Compatibility notes:
- The Raspberry Pi 4 uses a USB-C power input. Connect using the included E-marker cable.
- MCU communication capability with the Pi 4 has not been confirmed in available documentation. [TODO: Verify whether MCU-based monitoring functions on Pi 4 or is limited to Pi 5 only]
These Argon 40 cases are listed as compatible in the compatibility matrix. When using the Argon ONE V5 or Argon NEO 5, connect the UPS OUT cable to the case's Power In port rather than directly to the Pi.
Compatibility notes:
- Argon NEO 5: Optimised pairing — this is the recommended case for use with this UPS.
- Argon ONE V5 / NEO 5: Connect UPS OUT → case Power In port (not directly to Pi 5 USB-C).
- Argon ONE V3: Connect UPS OUT to the case's power input port.
| Device | Reason |
|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi Zero | Requires micro-USB; limited to 15W max — incompatible with 27W PD |
| Raspberry Pi Zero W | Same as Pi Zero |
| Argon ONE V2 | Requires 15W–18W PSU; UPS functionality not available |
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to use this UPS with Raspberry Pi Zero or Zero W using a micro-USB adapter. The power delivery negotiation is incompatible and may result in unreliable behaviour or hardware damage.
Gather the following before starting:
PSU selection guide:
| PSU Rating | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 5V 18W (minimum) | Basic / low-demand setups only |
| 27W Power Delivery | Standard recommended — full Raspberry Pi 5 performance |
| 45W Power Delivery | Optimal — high-performance or high-peripheral-load setups |
⚠️ Warning: Using a PSU below 18W may result in insufficient power delivery to both charge the battery and run the Raspberry Pi simultaneously. Always use a USB-C Power Delivery compliant PSU.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use a generic (non-E-marker) USB-C cable in place of the supplied Argon E-marker cable for the UPS OUT → Pi connection. A standard cable may limit current to 3A (15W), preventing full 27W delivery and MCU communication. The E-marker cable is required for 5A operation.
Connect your USB-C PSU to the UPS IN port on the Argon PWR UPS.
📝 Note: Do not power on the Raspberry Pi yet. Complete all cable connections first.
Using the included Argon E-marker USB-C to USB-C cable, connect the UPS OUT port to your device:
📝 Note: The E-marker cable carries both power (5V 5A / 27W) and the data signal used by the onboard MCU to communicate with the Raspberry Pi 5. Using any other cable will reduce this UPS to basic power delivery only.
📝 Note: You can check the current battery level at any time by pressing the Battery Check Button. The LEDs will illuminate for approximately 1 second to display the current charge level.
The UPS includes a smart fuel gauge that estimates remaining battery capacity and runtime. For accurate readings, complete one full charge–discharge calibration cycle the first time you use the unit:
📝 Note: Until this calibration cycle is complete, the charge level displayed by the LEDs and any software monitoring may not accurately reflect true remaining capacity. This is normal behaviour for Li-ion fuel gauge ICs.
⚠️ Warning: Ensure your Raspberry Pi's data is in a safe state before starting the calibration discharge. The Pi will shut down abruptly when the battery is exhausted if no graceful shutdown mechanism is configured. Back up any important work beforehand.
The Argon PWR 27W UPS includes an onboard MCU that communicates with the Raspberry Pi 5 via the E-marker USB-C cable. This connection allows Raspberry Pi OS to monitor UPS status and power conditions.
📝 Note: The exact software interface, driver requirements, and configuration options for MCU communication are not fully documented in currently available source materials. The sections below reflect what is confirmed; gaps are marked clearly.
The onboard MCU uses the USB-C data link (provided by the E-marker cable) to pass UPS power status information to the Raspberry Pi 5. This enables smarter and safer operation compared to a passive battery pack.
[TODO: Confirm the communication protocol used by the MCU (e.g., USB HID, I2C over USB, standard USB-PD, or proprietary protocol) and whether Raspberry Pi OS handles this automatically or requires a user-installed package]
[TODO: Confirm whether Argon 40 provides a software package, daemon, or utility for battery monitoring (e.g., battery percentage in terminal, desktop widget, or safe-shutdown script). Add installation instructions, package name, and repository