Overview

The Geekworm P173 is a passive cooling metal case designed exclusively for the Raspberry Pi 4 (Model B). Its aluminum alloy body acts as a large heatsink, drawing heat away from the CPU and memory without any moving parts. This fanless design means zero noise, making it an excellent choice for quiet environments, home servers, or media centers.

Manufactured by Geekworm (China), this case is sold on Amazon.co.jp by seller Geekworm-JP and fulfilled by Amazon. The ASIN is B07ZWSTV8T, and the model name is P173 (Black).

Key Features

  • Aluminum alloy construction: Efficiently dissipates heat from the Raspberry Pi 4's BCM2711 SoC and memory.
  • Fanless passive cooling: No moving parts means silent operation and no dust intake.
  • Raspberry Pi 4 specific design: Securely holds the board while providing access to GPIO pins, camera, and display connectors.
  • Compact dimensions: Approximately 90mm x 65mm x 28mm, easy to place on a desk or in a rack.
  • Black finish: Simple, understated look that blends into any setup.

Compatibility Guide

  • Supported models: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B only. Not compatible with Raspberry Pi 3B+ or Raspberry Pi 5.
  • Thermal interface: Includes a silicone thermal pad that sits between the SoC and the case. No additional heatsink required.
  • Port access: All ports (USB, HDMI, Ethernet, audio jack, USB-C power) remain accessible from the outside.
  • GPIO: The 40-pin GPIO header is accessible from the top of the case. Tall HATs may interfere with the lid.
  • microSD card: A cutout on the bottom allows access to the microSD card slot.

Ideal Use Cases

  • Home server (Pi-hole, NAS, web server): Silent 24/7 operation with adequate cooling.
  • Media center (Kodi, Plex): No fan noise to disturb your movie or music experience.
  • Desktop use (Raspberry Pi Desktop): Suitable for light browsing, document editing, and programming.
  • Education: Perfect for classrooms or home learning where quiet is important.

Upgrade Considerations

  • If you plan to move from Raspberry Pi 4 to Pi 5, this case will not fit the newer board. You will need a separate case.
  • For heavy workloads (overclocking, video encoding), passive cooling may not be sufficient. Consider a case with an active fan or add a heatsink and fan combo.
  • When attaching HATs to the GPIO, check the height: the case lid is about 28mm tall, so HATs taller than 10mm may prevent the lid from closing.
  • This case is strictly for Raspberry Pi 4. It will not physically accommodate Pi 3B+ or Pi 5 boards.

Product Disclosure (Amazon)

  • Manufacturer: Geekworm
  • Seller: Geekworm-JP
  • Fulfilled by: Amazon
  • ASIN: B07ZWSTV8T
  • Note: This article covers a manufacturer-made product based on Amazon listing details.