SunFounder Pironman 5 Pro Max Review: Is It Worth It?

A few months ago (mid-2025), Sunfounder released the Piroman 5 Max case, and I felt it was the best Raspberry Pi 5 case ever made. Now, they’ve just released the Pironman 5 Pro Max case, and I’m at a loss for words. I had a chance to review this case firsthand, and honestly, it’s something you’ll want to get your hands on immediately.

The Pironman 5 Pro Max is SunFounder’s flagship enclosure for the Raspberry Pi 5. It combines a dual M.2 NVMe expansion board, a 4.3-inch touch screen, an adjustable camera, a built-in microphone, RGB cooling fans, and a solid aluminum chassis into a unified package.

After spending considerable time assembling, configuring, and pushing it through its paces, I have a lot to say. Whether you’re building a compact NAS, a media center, or want your Raspberry Pi 5 setup to look and perform like a proper desktop machine, this review has everything you need.

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!

Introducing the Pironman 5 Pro Max

Turns out it’s much more than just a case!

The Pironman is a premium line of cases from SunFounder. One thing you need to know is there have been other cases previously released in this lineup:

• Pironman (Original): This was specifically designed for the Raspberry Pi 4, and we reviewed it back when it first came out.
• Pironman 5: This was the first tower-style case released for Raspberry Pi 5. We also gave it a glowing review when it was released, and I can see it’s still in stock.
• Pironman 5-Mini: This was a compact, more affordable version of the Pironman 5 with simplified cooling and fewer features.
• Pironman 5-MAX: This case was the first version to feature dual M.2 slots for NVMe drives/AI accelerators, and we wrote an unboxing review about it here.

Today, we’ll be reviewing the latest release, the Pironman 5 Pro Max case for Raspberry Pi 5.

Key Features

After using this case for two weeks straight, I can confidently say the Pironman 5 Pro Max takes things to a whole new level. This isn’t just another case; it really feels like a complete mini PC experience built around the Raspberry Pi 5.

Disclosure: I received this case from SunFounder for free, but this review is based solely on my genuine experience and is not influenced by the company.

Let’s have a look at some of its key features.

Dual M.2 Slots

First on the list is the built-in PCIe Gen 2 switch, which unlocks dual M.2 slots. I really liked this because it means you’re no longer limited to just basic storage setups.

With two M.2 slots to work with, the possibilities of what you can do with Pironman 5 Pro Max open up quite a bit:

• Dual NVMe SSDs: With two M.2 slots, you can connect two NVMe SSDs. That opens the door to RAID configurations, which makes it perfect if you’re thinking of building a compact NAS or just want faster, more reliable storage.
• SSD + AI accelerator: Another interesting option is pairing an SSD with an AI accelerator like the Raspberry Pi AI Kit. This is something I found quite exciting, since it lets you combine fast storage with dedicated AI processing, or even go all-in with dual accelerators for more advanced projects.

Display, Cooling, & Aesthetics

Another thing I must talk about is the looks. The Pironman 5 Pro Max has a premium, almost futuristic design that immediately stands out on any desk. But what’s really interesting is that this isn’t just for show.

It’s driven by a set of practical, well-integrated features. Let’s see some of the features that contribute to this design.

• Comprehensive Cooling System: Pironman 5 Pro Max comes with a massive tower-style cooler that sits on the CPU. It features a huge heatsink and an RGB fan. There are also two other addressable RGB fans, which let you set custom colors.
• Dual Display: After the exciting colors from the RGB fans, the next thing that catches your attention is the set of interactive displays.
  One of them is the 4.3” DSI Touchscreen (800×480), which you can use as either a secondary display or even as a main screen for your Raspberry Pi.
  
• Mini OLED: Another small addition is the 0.96” smart OLED display, which shows real-time system stats like CPU usage, temperature, and IP address. It also includes a handy tap-to-wake vibration sensor, so you can quickly wake it up by interacting with the case.

Multimedia Capabilities

Another thing I cannot leave out are the multimedia features. I’m someone who loves music, and anytime I’m working, I always have something playing in the background.

If you’re also someone who holds virtual meetings now and then, or just enjoys having a bit of audio while you work, this case has you well covered.

Let’s take a look at what it has to offer in terms of multimedia features:

• Stereo 3W Speakers: The case comes with two built-in 3W speakers, and honestly, they deliver more sound than you’d expect from something this compact. In my setup, they’re actually louder than the built-in speaker on my old HP desktop sitting right here on the desk.
  
  The sound is clear enough for basic multimedia use, video calls, and everyday audio without external speakers.
• Camera mount: The case also comes with a camera mount, which is placed at the top of the case. It opens up a lot more than you’d expect from a Raspberry Pi case, whether you’re experimenting with video calls, monitoring projects, or diving into various projects that require the Raspberry Pi camera.
  This mount can hold the official Raspberry Pi camera module V2 or the Raspberry Pi AI camera.
  
• IR receiver: Pironman 5 Pro Max comes with an IR receiver that allows you to control media apps like Kodi or Volumio using a remote control.
• USB microphone extender: In your Pironman box, you will find a small USB dongle. It is a USB microphone adapter that adds flexible audio input support for recording or voice-based projects.
  

Other Notable Extras

Apart from the main highlights, SunFounder also includes several thoughtful extras in the Pironman 5 Pro Max (many of which are also found in the Pironman 5 Max) that improve usability and everyday convenience.

• Two standard HDMI ports: This is one feature I loved. Whenever I am working with a bare Raspberry Pi board, I always have to look for a mini-HDMI-to-standard converter. But with the Pironman case, I am already sorted.
  
• Labelled external GPIO extender: This provides easy and organized access to GPIO pins for add-ons and projects. It is actually great if you are getting started with hardware projects. The Raspberry Pi GPIO pinout can sometimes be a little confusing.
• Retro-style metal power button: As you know, the Raspberry Pi 5 is the only Raspberry Pi board with a power button. It’s actually very tiny, located at the side of the board. However, the Pironman 5 Pro Max case comes with a well-sized power button that enables safe and controlled shutdown or boot with a satisfying tactile feel.
• RTC battery compartment (CR1220): Have you ever taken your Desktop PC apart and seen a small, flat, shiny battery? Well, Pironman 5 Pro Max brings that to the Raspberry Pi 5. This battery keeps accurate system time even when the device is powered off.

Optional Add-Ons

One interesting thing about the Pironman 5 Pro Max is that it doesn’t come as a fixed “one-size-fits-all” package. Instead, SunFounder lets you customize the entire experience depending on your needs.

Of course, these add-ons come at an extra cost, but they give you a lot of flexibility depending on your project requirements. For exact pricing, it’s best to check the official SunFounder website.

Let’s see what extra options you have when buying the Pironman 5 Pro Max case.

Add-on	Available Options
Power Supply	US, EU, UK
RTL-SDR	RTL-SDR Blog V4 + Dipole Antenna Kit
Raspberry Pi (with 32GB microSD)	Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB variant)
SSD 1	None at this time.
SSD 2	None at this time.
Camera	Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2, Raspberry Pi AI Camera
AI Accelerator	None at this time.
Heatsink 1	Heatsink for 2280 SSD
Heatsink 2	Heatsink for 2280 SSD
Keyboard	2.4G Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad
HDMI Cable	3FT 4K@60Hz HDMI 2.0, 6FT 4K@60Hz HDMI 2.0

Pricing

The price of the Pironman 5 Pro Max might seem a little bit steep at first, but trust me, this is not your regular Raspberry Pi case.

After using it for about a week before writing this review, I can honestly say it packs in a lot of features and delivers far more capability than you would typically expect from an enclosure like this.

Now the real question is, who would I actually recommend this case to?

• Home server enthusiasts: If you’re looking to build a NAS or a reliable home server, this case gives you the flexibility and performance to do it right.
• Desktop replacement users: If you want to push your Raspberry Pi 5 into becoming a personal desktop computer, this setup gets you very close. You can go through our comprehensive article – Can the Raspberry Pi 5 replace your main PC?
• Educators and learners: It’s an excellent educational tool for teaching and exploring modern tech concepts like AI, edge computing, and system design.
• Tinkerers and explorers: If you simply love experimenting, this case opens a lot of doors – from running Android (like Emteria), to testing Kali Linux, building IoT projects, working with sensors, or even controlling servo motors.

In just a few days, I’ve already tested Raspberry Pi OS, Android via Emteria, Kali Linux, and more – and it handled all of them impressively well.

Unboxing the Pironman 5 Pro Max

Tips for build day.

I have worked with several Raspberry Pi cases, but unboxing the Sunfounder Pironman 5 Pro Max felt different right from the start. It gives off that “mini PC” vibe immediately, and you can already tell this isn’t going to be your typical Raspberry Pi setup.

What’s in the Box

The Pironman 5 Pro Max comes fully disassembled, with all the parts neatly packed inside the box shown below.

If you selected additional add-ons like the Raspberry Pi 5 board or power supply, they are included in the same package, but packaged separately from the main Pironman 5 Pro Max box. The box itself contains everything required to assemble the Pironman 5 Pro Max casing from scratch.

Inside, you’ll find all the individual components – from the black aluminum panels that form the case, to the cooling system (fans and heatsink), speakers, displays, cables, and even the tiny screws needed to put everything together. It really feels more like a DIY mini PC kit than just a typical Raspberry Pi case.

Hardware Assembly

Let me welcome you to the fun part – hardware assembly. When I was building the Pironman 5 Pro Max, everything felt like you are solving a puzzle. The only difference with this puzzle is that it is guided with well-numbered pictures, which are found in a guidebook you will find inside the Pironman 5 Pro Max box.

The guideline is also available for free download on the Sunfounder official website (Pironman 5 Pro Max Assembly Instructions). It is easy to follow as every step is clearly laid out and well-labelled.

Below is a screenshot of the first page, which lays out all the components needed to build the Pironman 5 Pro Max case.

From my experience setting up the whole case, let me share with you some tips which I believe will be useful:

• Keep screws in their labelled packaging: Don’t mix them up or remove them all at once. The assembly guide actually relies on those labels to help you quickly identify the correct screws at each step.
• When installing the heatsink on the CPU, ensure the connector cable faces the front towards the SD card slot. The cable is quite short, and if it is oriented in any other direction after securing the heatsink, you will struggle to make it reach the port on the board.
• Don’t confuse the ribbon cables for the camera and touchscreen display. They look similar, but the touchscreen cable is labelled DSI. The first time, I connected my touchscreen using the wrong cable, and I kept wondering why the screen wouldn’t light up.
• According to the guide, the ribbon cable for the camera should go through the slot above the Ethernet port, but in my case, that didn’t work very well. Luckily, it is long enough, so you have the flexibility to route it differently.

The first step is to disassemble the casing and have the two metallic parts separate.

You will first work with Plate A, which is the plate that holds the Raspberry Pi, the I/O expansion board that holds the two standard HDMI ports, and the NVMe switch that adds two M.2 slots.

You will first put some stand-off screws, which will hold in place the Raspberry Pi 5 and the I/O expansion board.

Once done, you will then attach the expansion board to the Raspberry Pi, which connects via the two micro-HDMI ports and the power port.

From my experience, I advise you to treat this step delicately, as you don’t want to bend any of the ports. Ensure the expansion board goes in perfectly, and it’s not bent on any side. Next, insert the SD card expansion slot.

After you are done, you should have something similar to the image below.

The NVME switch, which comes with two slots for the M.2 SSDs, sits on top of the expansion board.

I will also advise that you be very careful while placing it since it connects to some pins on the Raspberry Pi. Actually, from my experience, these four pins should act as a guide for placing the NVME switch.

Once the pins are correctly in place, you will notice that the screw holes align automatically, making it easier to secure everything in position using the M2.5 x 4 screws. If you are using an M.2 SSD, this is also the stage where you insert it and fasten it into place.

The last item that goes into the Part A metal casing is the GPIO pins expansion board.

Something I noticed about this board is that you need to press it all the way down the GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi. If you leave gaps, you will have a problem fitting the cardboard that holds the touchscreen in place. This is also the board where you will connect the two RGB fans.

After you have inserted the GPIO expansion board, you are done with Part A of the metallic case.

From my experience, working with Part A is where you do much of the building. That is mainly because this is the casing that carries every board that is present in the Pironman Case.

That includes the Raspberry Pi 5, the expansion card that connects to the power and the mini HDMI, the NVME switch board, the Heat Sinks, the SD card expansion board, and all the other connectors, including ribbon cables.

Next, you will need to work on Part B of the metallic casing. This is actually the easiest section to assemble. All you need to do is attach the two RGB fans and the two speakers. When installing the fans, make sure they are positioned as shown in the image below so they align properly with the connectors on Part A of the metallic case.

The speakers are secured using an adhesive layer that is exposed once you peel off the black protective film.

After that, put the two casings back together and use the screws to hold them in place. Remove the protective cover on the other two parts, which might look like they are made of cardboard.

Attach these two parts using screws together with the OLED display. Once everything is done, you should have a setup similar to the image below.

First Impressions & Build Quality

After putting everything together, the Pironman 5 Pro Max really comes to life. In my case, the full assembly took about an hour from start to finish.

I genuinely enjoyed the whole process. It felt more like building a mini PC than just assembling a Raspberry Pi case.

That said, there’s definitely a bit of tension while building, especially since you can’t really test anything until the very end. You’re just hoping everything clicks into place correctly.

Once powered on, though, it’s all worth it. The structure feels solid, the aluminum panels give it a premium finish, and nothing feels cheap or out of place. Every component fits together nicely, and the final build looks clean, compact, and surprisingly professional.

Just look at my setup below. I think only one word can describe it: AMAZING!

Software Configuration for Pironman 5 Pro Max

Let’s fire it up and see what it can do.

Up to this point, I believe you are done with setting up the Sunfounder Pironman 5 Pro Max case. Now, don’t just plug in your SD card yet, even if it already has the official Raspberry Pi OS installed.

The first thing I did was exactly that, and I was honestly a bit disappointed when I didn’t see any RGB lights or fan effects. At first, I even thought I had missed something during the hardware assembly.

What I later learned is that the RGB lighting and fan control are handled by the Pironman 5 service, which needs to be installed and configured first.

In this section, I will guide you through the software configuration from installing the OS, setting up the Pironman 5 service, all the way to configuring the GPIO pins so they don’t leave your fans running when the Raspberry Pi is off.

Installing the Operating System

If you have been an avid reader of the articles we post on this website, you definitely know this is always the first step for every project.

Now there are two ways in which you can do this. First, remember that you have two storage options. You can use an SD card or an SSD. Even if you have the latter (SSD), you will first need to install the operating system on the SD card.

But don’t worry, we have you sorted on that. Our article on how to install the official Raspberry Pi OS gives a detailed guide with pictures. And if you are a Raspberry Pi pro user, you can even try the headless installation.

Activating OLED Display

Something I realised is that you don’t need to configure to have the OLED touchscreen up and running. Immediately you insert the SD card into the Raspberry Pi and start the Pi, you should see some activity.

Now, here is the funny bit. In my case, I connected the touchscreen display using the HBV-Raspberry PI – 300 FPC ribbon cable that comes in the Pironman Box. This is actually meant for the camera, and they come as a pair. I guess Sunfounder just threw in an extra cable just in case you mess up the first one.

So I spent nearly 30 minutes trying to Google stuff online before I realised the DSI cable was lying just next to me on the cable. So be sure you have connected the touchscreen display using the ribbon cable labelled DSI.

You can also learn more about connecting the touchscreen display in our article on How to connect the Sunfounder TS-10 touchscreen display to the Raspberry Pi.

Activating the RGB Fans

Now, about the RGB fans. As I told you above, you will need to install the Pironman 5 service to activate the RGB fans. And it’s quite easy.

Just launch the terminal or connect to the Raspberry Pi using SSH and executing the commands in this section of the Sunfounder Pironman 5 Pro Max setup guide.

It is also here that you will learn how to configure shutdown to deactivate the GPIO power. You don’t want the RGB fans to keep running even after shutting down the Raspberry Pi.

Now you might notice that the guide tells you to go to Advanced Option -> A12 Shutdown Behaviour; however, at the time of writing this post it isn’t A12 but A11.

Enabling NVMe Support + RAID Array

One of the biggest improvements in the Raspberry Pi 5 Pro Max is support for NVMe SSD cards. I did try using the SSD card to run the OS, and it does come with a huge performance uplift.

But to get started with NVMe, you need to have the OS installed on the SD card first. Next, clone the SD card over to the NVME SSD, a process we cover in our article on How to Migrate From SD Card to NVMe SSD on Raspberry Pi.

Finally, you can change the boot order in the raspi-config. In my case, the boot order is configured to start with the SD Card, then the SSD, and finally the Network Boot.

Let me share a simple trick I’ve learned over the years when working with the Raspberry Pi. You can actually set up a form of dual booting without much complexity. If you have both an SD card and an SSD, you can configure the boot order to prioritize the SD card. This allows you to install one operating system on the SD card and a completely different one on the SSD.

In practice, this makes switching between systems very easy. Whenever you want to use the OS on the SD card, you simply insert it and power on the Pi. If you want to switch to the OS on the SSD, remove the SD card and reboot. In the case of the Pironman 5 Pro Max, this setup works especially well because accessing the SD card is much easier compared to the SSD.

For this particular step, I did not face any issues, and everything worked as expected. I removed the SD card, and the Raspberry Pi successfully booted from the NVME SSD.

Note: If the Raspberry Pi 5 can’t see your NVMe drive, try updating the firmware—it should be autodetected after that. If it still doesn’t work, you can do things the old-fashioned way and manually enable PCIe.

Remote Control

One of the biggest flexes of the Raspberry Pi is the built-in support for an IR receiver. That means, you can control it using a remote – just like a traditional TV setup.

So if you have an idea of building a retro gaming console or a home media center, then you are sorted. However, you will first need to install the lirc package from Sunfounder.

Overclocking

You cannot have one of the best Raspberry Pi cases in the world and still stick to basic performance. You will definitely need to squeeze all the juice. But before that, let me make something clear.

Disclaimer: Overclocking can permanently damage your Raspberry Pi. Make sure you know what you’re doing, and proceed with caution!

Overclocking is not as complex a task as it sounds. All you need is to edit the /boot/firmware/config.txt file and reboot your Raspberry Pi. However, its impact can be lethal if you have not taken the necessary precautions, such as cooling.

Go through our article – 7 Hidden Raspberry Pi Features You Should Be Using and read the overclocking section. It will give you a step-by-step guide.

Final Thoughts on Pironman 5 Pro Max

My honest review.

After spending time with the Pironman 5 Pro Max, I can confidently say this is one of the most complete Raspberry Pi 5 cases I have ever used. It actually exceeded my expectations.

In terms of performance, the three RGB fans combined with the well-designed ventilation keep the entire setup cool and running smoothly, even under load.

That said, I did run into a small limitation when it comes to vertical orientation.

For example, when using Emteria (Android), I often prefer a vertical layout, but in this case, that’s not really practical. You can’t comfortably place it on its side since one end houses the HDMI and power ports, while the other has the SD card and power button.

Other than that, I haven’t experienced any major issues with the setup.

Of course, it’s not a cheap accessory, and it is definitely not meant for casual users who want a basic Raspberry Pi setup. But if you enjoy building projects, experimenting, or pushing the Raspberry Pi 5 to its limits, then this case makes a lot of sense.

For me personally, it has completely changed how I look at Raspberry Pi cases. It’s no longer just about “housing” the board, but about building a complete hardware suite around it.

Whenever you’re ready, here are other ways I can help you:

Test Your Raspberry Pi Level (Free): Not sure why everything takes so long on your Raspberry Pi? Take this free 3-minute assessment and see what’s causing the problems.

The RaspberryTips Community: Need help or want to discuss your Raspberry Pi projects with others who actually get it? Join the RaspberryTips Community and get access to private forums, exclusive lessons, and direct help.

Master your Raspberry Pi in 30 days: If you are looking for the best tips to become an expert on Raspberry Pi, this book is for you. Learn useful Linux skills and practice multiple projects with step-by-step guides.

Master Python on Raspberry Pi: Create, understand, and improve any Python script for your Raspberry Pi. Learn the essentials step-by-step without losing time understanding useless concepts.

Master Linux Commands: Overwhelmed with Linux commands? This book is your essential guide to mastering the terminal. It includes practical tips, real-world examples, and a bonus cheat sheet to keep by your side.

You can also find all my recommendations for tools and hardware on this page.