In a move poised to disrupt the maker community, a little-known startup called Luckfox has unveiled the Lyra Pi—a credit card-sized development board packing built-in 4G LTE connectivity at a price point undercutting even the entry-level Raspberry Pi. For developers tired of cobbling together cellular add-ons or sacrificing portability for connectivity, this could be a game-changer.
What Makes the Lyra Pi Stand Out?
At first glance, the Lyra Pi resembles familiar single-board computers (SBCs), but its integrated LTE Cat-1 modem sets it apart. Unlike the Raspberry Pi, which requires external HATs or USB dongles for cellular access (adding $30–$60 to the cost), the Lyra Pi ships with cellular capabilities baked in. Yet it manages to retail for just $25—$10 cheaper than the base Raspberry Pi 5.
Other key specs include:
Quad-core ARM Cortex-A35 processor (1.2 GHz)
512MB RAM (expandable to 1GB)
Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS
MicroSD slot for storage
2x USB 2.0 ports and GPIO pins for sensors/peripherals
Power-efficient design (idles at 0.5W)
Why the Price Matters
Raspberry Pi’s supply-chain woes in recent years pushed prices upward, frustrating hobbyists and educators. The Lyra Pi not only undercuts the Pi on cost but eliminates the need for extra cellular hardware—critical for IoT projects in agriculture, remote monitoring, or disaster zones where Wi-Fi is unreliable. As one beta tester noted: “This is the board I wish existed when I built my wildfire detection system last year.”
Targeted Use Cases
Luckfox is positioning the Lyra Pi as an “out-of-the-box” solution for:
Field-deployed IoT sensors (e.g., soil monitors, wildlife trackers)
Emergency communication nodes (using LTE as a failover)
Low-cost telematics for vehicles/machinery
Educational tools for teaching cellular IoT without complex setups
The Catch?
Performance won’t rival high-end Pis—it’s optimized for connectivity, not heavy computing. But for edge applications, efficiency trumps raw power.
Learn More or Preorder
Ready to dive deeper? Luckfox just opened preorders with a detailed technical breakdown:
👉 Check out the Lyra Pi specs and pricing here
The Bigger Picture
This launch signals a shift in the SBC market. Startups like Luckfox are niching down—prioritizing real-world utility over generic flexibility. With cellular IoT predicted to grow 30% annually through 2030, the Lyra Pi’s combo of affordability and integrated connectivity could pressure established players to rethink their strategies.
What do you think? Will the Lyra Pi find a spot in your toolkit? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Disclaimer: Tech Enthusiast Daily has no affiliate partnership with Luckfox. Pricing/availability subject to change.
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