SANDWICH DOT IO is an all-in-one Raspberry Pi-powered desktop gaming system. It boasts onboard power, a dedicated cooling layer, and RGB LEDs for aesthetic oomph. We gather that it helps to have stuff with rainbow LEDs on if you want to be a real gamer.

Arnov Sharma is behind this multicoloured creation, and has published a full guide on Instructables if you’d like an in-depth look behind the scenes of this build. But stick with us if you’re only after a brief overview and some lovely photos.

Solving a gaming problem

Arnov built SANDWICH DOT IO after finding he needed more power and cooling capacity to be able to play a game on his Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+. So he designed a three-layer system to take care of each element of his gaming setup neatly.

Three-layer solution

The bottom layer is home to the batteries powering the whole system, including the Raspberry Pi. A power management integrated circuit works with four Li-ion battery cells to provide a reliable 5V output.

The middle layer of Arnov’s hardware sandwich houses the Raspberry Pi and the project’s glitz factor: the RGB LEDs. You can change the colour of the LEDs thanks to a simple push button.

Then we have the top layer, where all the cooling happens. A 5V fan is oriented down towards the Raspberry Pi to blast cooled air onto it as it flexes its gaming muscles.

Arnov designed the PCBs for each layer himself and sent the Gerber data over to PCBWay so they could transform his designs into reality.

As mentioned up top, the Instructable for this project is extremely comprehensive, so go there if you’d like more detail on every tiny element of each layer and how they were assembled.

Can it run DOOM though?

Yes. Arnov reports excellent game quality with no lag or screen freezing issues. He has also installed and successfully played Minecraft: Pi Edition.

Arnov has made tons of other cool builds. Head to his Instructables profile to check out curiosities such as a PCB mini hotplate, an over-engineered pen pot, a singing haunted pumpkin, and the Tea Master 5000.