CrowView Note Review: All-in-One Raspberry Pi Workstation

Cables everywhere, accessories, SD cards, even electronics: a Raspberry Pi setup can quickly become a mess. Manufacturers try to come up with cases and other things to improve it, but in the end, it’s rarely revolutionary. Today I’m reviewing a new, promising product that might change that.

The CrowView Note by Elecrow is an all-in-one solution for your Raspberry Pi: monitor, keyboard, mouse and power supply. It’s a laptop into which you can plug your Raspberry Pi, so it’s all in one device, in one clean setup.

I’ve had the chance to test it for you before its official release, so I will give you my honest opinion to help you decide if it’s right for you, and what you should consider before buying it.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next Raspberry Pi project, I’ve put together a list of 75+ ideas with full descriptions, difficulty ratings, and links to tutorials. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, there’s something here for you. Grab the list for free here!

CrowView Note

Pros:
✅ All-in-one solution (monitor, keyboard, touchpad).
✅ Looks nice and keeps desk tidy.
✅ Built-in 5000mAh battery.
✅ Works with various devices (mini-PC, phone, etc.).

Cons:
❌ Raspberry Pi remains external.
❌ May not be ideal for electronic projects.

Get yours first!

Overview of the CrowView

Before testing it, let’s clarify what the CrowView Note actually is. It’s not as common as a Raspberry Pi case or a standalone monitor, it’s more than that.

On their product page, Elecrow describes it as a “portable workstation” for Raspberry Pi and other devices, including mobile devices or mini PCs. I’m not sure I’d keep the “portable” adjective since the computer brain is technically outside the laptop, but more on that later.

Anyway, here are the main technical specifications to have in mind:

• 14-inch IPS monitor: which is pretty comfortable for a Raspberry Pi setup, way bigger than traditional Pi monitors.
• 1920×1080 resolution: perfect for any use, including Raspberry Pi OS.
• Built-in 5000mAh battery: to keep your Pi running for a few hours even if you disconnect the power supply.
• Built-in speakers.
• Full keyboard and touchpad: like a traditional laptop.
• Ports on the left side: USB-A, Mini HDMI, USB-C
  They are all used by the Raspberry Pi adapter if you plug a Raspberry Pi 5 into it.
• Ports on the right side: Power input, USB-A, USB-C, and a headphone jack.
  So you can plug in additional accessories (some Raspberry Pi ports also stay accessible if needed).
• Weight: 2.53 lbs (1.14kg)
• Thickness: 0.78″ (2 cm)

I’ll explain how all these features come into play later. But for now, let’s open the box.

UPDATE: The CrowView Note 2.0 now comes with an even larger 15.6-inch screen!
Check it out here.

Bonus tip: When I started, the hardest part wasn’t the setup, it was figuring out what to build next. I ended up creating a list of 75+ project ideas with links and difficulty, so it’s easier to just pick something and try it. Grab the list here.

Recommended next step

Master Raspberry Pi in 30 Days

If you want a clearer path than jumping from tutorial to tutorial, my book gives you a step-by-step roadmap to really understand your Raspberry Pi.

Check the book here

Unboxing the CrowView Note

When you get your hands on the CrowView Note, you feel like you received a new MacBook. But hang on, let me tell you what’s inside the box:

• The CrowView Note, of course, is the main piece that looks like a laptop. Unlike the CrowPi2 (reviewed here) and CrowPi3, it’s a laptop format with the keyboard attached and everything.
  My keyboard was a typical QWERTY layout (no number pad) and I think they have a German layout too.
• A power supply suitable for all kinds of uses (including the Raspberry Pi 5). Mine was compatible with EU/FR outlets, so I guess you’ll have one based on your country.
• Adapters for the Raspberry Pi 5 and Jetson Nano. To plug these devices into the laptop, more on that below. They don’t offer adapters for other SBCs and devices, but you can use it with anything if you have the right cables.

I was a bit lost at first, probably because I didn’t understand the product. I was expecting something like the CrowPi, where there is a hidden space inside the laptop to put the Raspberry Pi in. But that’s not what the CrowView Note is.

With this product, the Raspberry Pi stays on the side (see pictures below), like an external hard drive. That’s why the CrowView Note looks so nice and light, it’s meant to be a monitor/keyboard with a battery. The real computing power is outside (whether it’s a Raspberry Pi, Jetson Nano or any other compatible device).

So you don’t need to open the laptop to stuff the Raspberry Pi inside. You have to use the included bridge to plug the whole thing into the left side of the laptop.

The adapter consists of two parts: one that plugs into the side of the Pi (USB-C and display ports), and the other that connects a USB-A 3.0 port to the first part. No screws, just plug and play. The Raspberry Pi’s Ethernet port and 3 other USB-A ports remain usable.

The Pi gets its power from the CrowView Note directly, so the only cable you need is the CrowView power cable (and there’s the battery, so it’s not even mandatory if it’s properly charged). I received a power voltage issue on the first boot, but never after that. It might be because the battery was empty. I don’t know.

NEW: The CrowView Note 2.0 now works with standard USB-C fast chargers.
Get the newest model here.

First Impressions of the CrowView Note

Once the minor frustration of having the Pi out of the case was over, I was quite pleased with this new setup. Using the SD card I already had in my Pi, it booted right away. You don’t need any specific operating system or driver, everything works natively.

As you can see in my picture, I’m using Raspberry Pi OS with Desktop. The display resolution is perfect, the keyboard is detected perfectly with the right layout, the touchpad works, and everything is pretty comfortable.

To be honest, the keyboard keys are a bit stiff, don’t expect a high-end computer feel, but compared to my other Raspberry Pi keyboards, it’s good enough in my opinion. There are “Fn” keys that you can use to see the battery charge, adjust volume and luminosity and things like that.

I tried using the USB-A port on the right for USB boot and it worked perfectly. So it works as if the laptop ports were directly on the Raspberry Pi (and you can still use most of the ports on the Pi anyway).

Note: When you shut down the system, the Pi 5’s active cooler starts spinning at full speed and never stops. You need to do a long press (3s) on the power button of the laptop so it stops powering it.

And the system continues to run when you close the laptop. I think the screen even stays on, causing the laptop to heat up a bit. I don’t think you can configure this differently, so just keep this in mind if you buy one.

Other than that, the battery does a fantastic job of keeping the Pi running at the ideal voltage, even without the power cord attached. I did a test and the whole thing (Pi+monitor) stayed up for 4 hours without external power, way more than needed in most cases.

Summary: Is It for You?

At the time of writing, I don’t know the final price of this product (you can check their product page for more details), so it’s hard to give an opinion on quality vs. expectation. I feel it should be great for most Raspberry Pi users. It will keep your desk tidy and provides an easy way to put everything away into your closet if you don’t use your Pi as often as I do.

I think it’ll be especially good for desktop use, maybe for kids or light use (web, email). It can also work for some small programming projects. But it won’t be as convenient for electronics projects or home servers, where a typical setup is probably better (and you generally don’t need a monitor/keyboard for that anyway).

Recently, they’ve also released a more premium model, the CrowView Note 15.6″. It comes with a larger screen, higher battery capacity, and a secondary USB-C port that can be used to charge your phone or the Note itself. I think it’s a great step forward at a reasonable price (check here).

Will I use it myself? I might give it a try. It’ll take up more space on my desk than my current setup, but I like the all-in-one concept and the wide screen. And I can easily put it away if I don’t use it for a few days. Now that I use the Pi 5 most of the time, it’s interesting to have everything ready at a glance instead of cables everywhere. I’ll let you know how it goes.