Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

A PC anyone can build: The 2018 Kano computer kit is the cheapest it’s ever been

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Building a traditional desktop PC is no small endeavor, but as hardware has continued to diminish in size, some innovative modern devices like the Raspberry Pi have popped up that put a unique spin on things. The pocket-sized Raspberry Pi board in particular is a dream toy for tinkerers, programmers, do-it-yourselfers, and even kids now, thanks to kits like the Kano computer (a perfect gift for any budding tech enthusiast) which is now on sale from Amazon for the lowest price we’ve ever seen.

The Kano computer kit has been around for a few years now, with the previous model seeing a widespread release in 2016. The minds behind Kano later released an updated model in 2018, and this refresh is on sale right now. The Kano computer kit runs on a Raspberry Pi 3 board – one of the newer Raspberry iterations – and comes with everything you need to built your own computer, minus a display (although an HDMI cable is included for you to hook it up to your existing TV or PC monitor).

Along with the Raspberry Pi 3 board, the 2018 Kano kit comes with a plastic housing for the computer, a Bluetooth keyboard with built-in trackpad, and programmable LED lights, plus an instruction booklet that comes with 100 step-by-step coding projects to help a young techie learn to code the fun way. The included MicroSD card comes loaded with the Kano operating system that includes a unique copy of Minecraft for kids to hack and program themselves. You also get a number of other coding apps and software for making art, browsing the web, and more.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Kano computer typically runs for around $120-150, but the updated 2018 version is on sale on Amazon right now at the lowest price we’ve ever seen. A 59% discount knocks $89 off the $150 price, letting you grab this great little do-it-yourself Raspberry PC kit for just $61. All you’ll need (aside from some assembly on your part) is a display to hook it up to, but if you want an all-in-one kit, then the Kano touchscreen bundle is also on sale for $167.50, letting you save $112.50.

Looking for more great stuff? Find more on our curated deals page.

Editors' Recommendations

Lucas Coll
Deals and News Writer
Lucas Coll has been a freelance writer for almost a decade and has penned articles on tech, video games, travel, cars, and…
You can pick up the Google Pixel 7 Pro for only $500 today
The Pixel 7 Pro with its display turned on, showing the home screen.

 

If you've been holding out on buying a new phone for a while because prices are still expensive, then you may want to consider going for one of the older flagship phones. For example, while the Pixel 8 Pro is out, the Pixel 7 Pro is still a powerful and viable alternative, and even better, it has quite a few great deals on it. In fact, you can buy a brand new and sealed Pixel 7 Pro from Woot for just $500, rather than the usual $1,100, and that's for the 512GB version of the phone, so you get a lot of storage with it as well.

Read more
Best Xbox Game Pass deals: Upgrade to Game Pass Ultimate for cheap
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate logo.

Much like the PS Plus, Xbox also has an online subscription service that is required for you to play any sort of game online. So, whether you have an Xbox Series X or Series S, you're going to need to subscribe to it, although luckily, it's pretty cheap, and it does offer a ton of excellent perks when you grab it. There are three levels for you to pick from, including Game Pass Ultimate, which gives you access to a huge library of games on both the Xbox and the PC, so it's a great option if you also have a gaming PC you like to game on.
Xbox Game Pass Core -- $8, was $13 per month

Game Pass Core is the cheapest tier of Game Pass, but it still lets you access important features, including online multiplayer. Game Pass Core was launched with access to 36 games off the bat, and you can get exclusive discounts on certain downloadable games. If you're on Xbox and need access online, this is the way to go.
1-month subscription -- $8, was $13

Read more
This popular Dell business laptop is discounted from $849 to $579
Dell Vostro 14 sitting on a table

If you're looking for a solid business laptop that's both portable and won't break the bank, then you'll be very happy with the Vostro 14. Not only is it highly rated, but it's still packed with features for being such a small device, and while it can be a little bit pricey at MSRP, you can get it for a steep discount. Dell has knocked an impressive $270 off the usual $849 price tag, bringing it down to a much more affordable $579, making it an excellent deal if you've been looking for a new device.

Why you should buy the Vostro 14
For being only a small 14-inch laptop, the Vostro 14 has some pretty good specs and a couple of ones that maybe should have been slightly better. For example, you get 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which is really excellent, especially for a more business-oriented laptop, so you can open a lot of apps and tabs at the same time. On the other hand, you only get an Intel Core i5-1335U, which is a mid-range processor, and while it's absolutely fine for business work and productivity, it would have been nice to get the higher-end Intel Core i7-1355U for a bit extra power and versatility.

Read more