Keyboard computers (400, 500, 500+) • Re: Advice needed by Pi 500 newbie on best options for memory and performance improvements

After reading everything I could find, I’m inclined to get a Samsung BAR Plus 256Gb USB (3.1 USB, 400Mps) flash drive as the new memory/OS location, to gain more space and speed it up, and then start saving up for a SSD later down the line

From the picture


https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-BAR-Plus ... 07BPKL2D2/

the shape of the BAR Plus does not seem ideal for plugging into a Raspberry Pi.

It's possible the 32GB SD card will fill if you try to install all the entertainment software needed for breaks between programming. While breaks are good, more screen time is not really a break.

I'd start with some Python projects because the Pi should already be set up for those. I suggest the breaks involve going outside. If you live in a city where that it dangerous, then anything that does not involve a video screen could be a good break from the computer.

Sometimes programming becomes so fun that it's better than playing a video game. The author of Linux expresses this well in the book Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary.

https://ia802301.us.archive.org/24/item ... 002%29.pdf

Welcome to the forum. Rather than buy a thumb drive immediately, I'd suggest using the Pi a little more and then getting a cheap USB SSD.

Statistics: Posted by ejolson — Wed Jan 14, 2026 9:18 pm

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