The Espressif-backed M5Stack has been keeping its Cardputer product line alive since 2023 by continuously updating it.
The original ran on an ESP32-S3, and the follow-up, the Cardputer-Adv, stuck with the same ESP32-S3 but brought in better audio, a larger battery, a 6-axis IMU, and more expansion options.
Both were decent microcontroller-powered devices, but neither ran a real Linux environment.
The CardputerZero is where that changes. It trades the ESP32 for a Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero (CM0), and with that, the Cardputer platform goes from embedded tinkering territory into something you can do proper computing on.
📝 CardputerZero: Key Specifications
The horsepower is provided by a Broadcom BCM2837 inside the CM0, equipped with a quad-core Cortex-A53 at 1GHz with 512MB of LPDDR2 RAM and a VideoCore-IV GPU for graphics and hardware video codec.
The device itself measures 84 × 54 × 23.1 mm (W×H×D), small enough to fit in your pocket, with the display being a 1.9-inch ST7789v3 LCD with HDMI output up to 1080p at 30fps, which is paired with a 46-key matrix keyboard and a 1,500mAh LiPo battery.
Here are the rest of the specs:
- RAM: 512MB LPDDR2
- Storage: microSD card slot
- Camera: Sony IMX219, 8MP (3280×2464), CSI 4-Lane (standard model only)
- Wireless: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2/BLE
- USB: 2× USB Type-C, 1× USB-A (both USB 2.0)
- Networking: 10/100M Ethernet
- Audio: ES8389 codec, MEMS mic, 1W speaker, 3.5mm TRS out
- Video: H.264/MPEG-4 decode at 1080p 30fps, H.264 encode at 1080p 30fps.
- Sensors: BMI270 + BMM150 IMU (gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer), RX8130CE RTC
- Expansion: Grove HY2.0-4P port (I2C/UART switchable), 2.54-14P bus (SPI, UART, I2C, USB, GPIO, 5V).
- IR: Infrared TX/RX
Depictions of some of the above-mentioned specs.
There are a few other things to know before you get yours, though. The screen is not a touchscreen, and the magnetic attachment found on earlier Cardputer devices is gone.
You also get access to a built-in app store where you can load your projects or grab community firmware without needing to involve a computer. Carrying out lightweight edge AI via tools like OpenClaw is possible for local automation and testing.
Many Choices
M5Stack is offering the CardputerZero in two variants. The CardputerZero gets you a Sony IMX219 8MP camera, the full IMU sensor suite, and a 32GB microSD card. The CardputerZero Lite skips those three and costs less.
The CM0, keyboard, display, battery, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, expansion ports, and infrared transceiver are all the same across both models.
For the standard CardputerZero, the MSRP is $149, but Kickstarter pricing looks like this:
- Super Early Bird (reserved only): $89
- Early Bird (72 hours): $104
- KS Special: $119
- Double Pack: $238
For the Lite, against an MSRP of $99:
- Super Early Bird: $59
- Early Bird (72 hours): $69
- KS Special: $79
Keep in mind that we are now well beyond the window for any early bird offers and have now moved on to "KS Special", which is the limited-time pricing for buyers on Kickstarter that will be live until July 3.
There is also a Transparent Black version that was unlocked as a stretch goal after the campaign crossed the $1 million mark. It is a Kickstarter-exclusive colorway, and backers of either model can pick it at no extra cost through a PledgeBox survey once the campaign ends.
They will send out the survey when the crowdfunding campaign ends. 📝
Get Yours
The Cardputer platform has built up a decent community over the past couple of years, with firmware projects, retro emulators, security tools, and dashboards floating around GitHub.
Bringing Linux into the mix with the CardputerZero should give that community a fair bit more to work with.
As of writing, the campaign has raised over $1.4 million against a $10,016 goal, with over 10,900 backers and 32 days still left. Units are set to ship some time around November 2026.
