- Raspberry Pi shrinks the size of its touch screen while holding the same resolution
- It is cheaper and smaller but it does not introduce new options
- Retailers are already showing the new screen at higher prices
Raspberry Pi has announced a new addition to its display area, a 5-inch version of Touch Display 2.
The company says the new offering is a compact, cheap opportunity for hobbyists and developers who want to integrate contact interfaces into projects.
For $ 40, the 7-inch Raspberry PI model launched in 2024, though both share the same 720×1280 resolution.
A minor screen for PI projects
Apart from its reduced size, the 5-inch variant essentially carries the same specifications as the larger screen.
It supports multi-touch input, connects via the DSI port and pulls power directly from the Raspberry PI card.
Integration with Raspberry Pi OS is designed to be smooth without calibration steps or third -party drivers needed.
“Its capacitive touch screen works out of the box with full Linux driver support, no manual calibration required, no hunting through device trees and no wrestling with incompatible touch controllers,” said Gordon Hollingworth, CTO for Raspberry Pi Software.
For users who are already used to working with RPI -Distros, the device must feel straightforward to configure.
To illustrate the capabilities of the display, the Raspberry Pi’s Gordon Hollingworth demonstrated a slide show application built with the help of AI.
The process highlighted how AI can speed up development and provide a foundation for interactive coding, with multi-touch support, which eventually works smoothly after fine tuning.
The screen is presented as a good fit for compact smart home checks, portable kiosks or integrated dashboards.
In theory, the mounting of a PI card on the back of the screen offers an all-in-one system without external peripheral devices.
For relaxed projects, this can reduce the mess compared to juggling keyboards, screens and portable HDD storage devices.
Still, hardware itself does not represent a leap forward as the resolution remains attached to 720p, and touch reaction ability still depends strongly on software layers that can introduce quirks.
As with many Raspberry Pi -peripheral devices, the new screen finds an audience among Tinkers who are eager to explore interactive projects.
However, it is worth noting that the message reflects refining rather than revolution as the product is cheaper and smaller, but it does not introduce new capabilities.
For those already invested in the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, it may be another piece of the puzzle – but for others it just risks being another component intended to sit in a drawer after the initial tension fades.
This device is now available from multiple PI details. Pishop and Canakit show it for $ 50.95 while Vilros sells it to MSRP.
