HackerGadgets' uConsole Upgrade Kit - adding NVME SSD(PCIe), RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 to your Uconsole

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Update(2025-10-18): The upgrade kit, AC1200 WiFi Adapter, and the AIO V2 are now launched for pre-order. Go and check the below links for more informations:

1) uConsole Upgrade Kit: 【Pre-Order】uConsole Upgrade Kit - Adding NVMe SSD/RJ45 Ethernet/ USB 3 – Hacker Gadgets

2) AC1200 WiFi Adapter: 【Pre-Order】AC1200 USB-C WiFi Card(supports monitor mode) – Hacker Gadgets

3) AIO V2 Expansion Board: 【Pre-Order】uConsole AIO V2 (RTL-SDR/LoRa/GPS/RTC/USB Hub/USB 3.0/RJ45 – Hacker Gadgets

Don’t forget to use the coupon code DST-UCUK to save $5 on your orders.

End of update(2025-10-18)

You guys have been looking forward to this for a long time. And here it comes.

The uConsole upgrade kit lets you unleash the full potential of uConsole.

assumble_cm5_with_battery_holder
assumble_cm5_with_battery_holder1024×1024 254 KB

This upgrade kit contains three boards: the adapter board, the NVMe battery board, and the RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 expansion board.

Adapter Board:

adapter_two_side
adapter_two_side2048×1024 447 KB

Features:

  1. PCIe Connector: expose the PCIe signals of the CM4/CM5, which can be connected to the NVMe Battery board.
  2. USB-C Port for flashing: Can be used to flash the EMMC version computer module.
  3. USB 3.0 Connector: CM5 only, which can be connected to the RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 expansion board.
  4. PWM Fan connector: This connector is compatible with fans designed for the Raspberry Pi 5 and CM5. When used with the CM4, the fan runs at a fixed speed.
  5. RPITX connector: This connector was connected to GPIO4, which was used by the RPITX project to transmit radio signals(not tested yet).
  6. CSI2 connector: This connector follows the exact pin definition of the CSI port of the Raspberry Pi 5, which can be used to connect the camera module that made for the Raspberry Pi.
  7. RTC battery connector: To power the RTC of the CM5, do not connect when use CM4.
  8. Ethernet signals: The Ethernet signals of CM4/CM5 were routed to the pins which were used for CSI in the expansion port.

There will be a Radxa CM5 version, which will resolve the HDMI output issue and expose the PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet, and USB 3.0 ports (note that only one USB 3.0 port is currently functional; the Type-C USB 3.0 port is not working).

NVMe Battery Board:

NVMe_battery_board
NVMe_battery_board2048×1024 369 KB

Features:

  1. NVMe Battery slot: Supports NVMe SSDs with sizes ranging from 2230 to 2280.
  2. Better battery reverse protection: No more heat generated when connecting the battery in the wrong way. And the reverse warning LED will light up.
  3. Manual on/off control: Desolder R14 and connect a push-lock switch to J6. The battery will be turned on when the switch is locked. And turn off when the switch is released.
  4. 18650/LiPo Battery Pack: There are two variants of the boards, one supporting two 18650-size batteries (Left) and the other supporting a LiPo battery pack (Right).

RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 Expansion board:

expansion_board_small
expansion_board_small993×430 723 KB

Features:

  1. USB 3.0 Type-A and Type-C: These ports support USB 3.0 speed when using CM5, downgrade to USB 2.0 when using CM4. The Type-C port supports a flip-over feature.
  2. USB 2.0 Type-C and Pin-Header: These connectors can be used to connect the USB devices inside the uConsole.
  3. GPIOs Pin-Header: Expose 17 GPIO pins and power pins.
  4. RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet: This Ethernet port was directly connected to the CM4/5 with LED indicators supported.

AIO V2:

IMG_7199
IMG_71991024×536 358 KB

The AIO board(RTL-SDR/GPS/LoRa/RTC/USB HUB all-in-one expansion) will also upgrade to V2 with the following changes: USB-A on the side will be replaced by an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet. GPIOs will control the power of the GPS/LoRa/RTL-SDR/Internal USB ports. USB-C ports will be USB 3.0 when using CM5.

25 Likes
2

Looks great, thanks for the hard work!

1 Like
3

Thanks for the update, @Vileer. just want to ask though, will the AC1200 wifi be available for preorder the same time as the boards? also can we expand the battery so it could use 21700 batteries instead?

2 Likes
4

Thats awesome!

Already subscribed, now the waiting starts..

1 Like
5

Looking forward to the Radxa CM5 version.

6

Yes, AC1200 wifi will be launched at the same time. The 21700 is not fit in the uConsole, but you can use a 10000mAh LiPo battery pack.

2 Likes
7

刚买了v1的AIO，又对v2版本新功能心动咯 :face_holding_back_tears:

8

Congratulations, this is excellent work. I have a question: could any of these boards fix the issue of the keyboard and trackball turning off after plugging in a USB device when using the CM5? I might not need the 3 boards, but if this issue can be fixed by using the new adapter board for instance then that’d be perfect.

Thank you for all your work @vileer

9

Is there any advantage to using a 10000 mAh LiPo over 2x10000mAh 18650s? Also what happened to that inductor on the 18650 battery board?

EDIT:nevermind on the battery question, 10000 mAh aren’t a reality.

10

that’s very smart placement! :shaking_face::astonished_face:

11

I have the CM5 and have no problem plugging in a USB device. You have something else going on with your system so I don’t think a new adapter board will fix it.

12

If you plug in the USB device into the devices into the USB ports on the expansion board, it will be fixed. Each port have large capacity capacitor on the VBUS track. If plug in the USB port on the mainboard, the issue is still exist.

13

That issue only happen when you plug in the USB device which have large capacitor in it.

14

Because you can’t find 10000mAH 18650 battery, the maximum capacity of the a normal 18650 battery is 3500mAH. 2x is 7000mAH, way far from 1000mAH.

1 Like
15

So I would need to get at least the adapter board and the expansion board, right?

16

Realised after I’d asked, though I had bought 10000 mAh cells from respected UK supplier, but they are their own brand high capacity 4000 mAh with max 10A drain. Need to get these on a tester to see just how close they come to their claims, but want to get a few normal discharge cycles on them first.

17

I think the 10000 mAh you are talking is actually 10000mWh, 10000mWh devide by the battery voltage(3.7V) is around 2700mAh.

18

If you don’t want the USB 3.0 and RJ45 Ethernet features, you can only buy the expansion board.

19

Having internal GPIO is gonna make it much easier to get something like https://www.pixart.com/products-detail/76/PAW-A350

Integrated to replace the trackball. Super excited!

20

That’s something I want to try. But my plan was to make another keyboard board with this optical sensor.

3 Likes