An upgraded 10.1 inch display reTerminal DM is now available from Seeed for $409. The reTerminal range of products are Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4-powered handheld computers made for rugged and industrial applications. But this latest model is twice the size (and much heavier).
Seeed's original reTerminal provided a 5-inch touchscreen display, along with a series of GPIO pin access points, buttons, and versatile 3/4 inch screw mount points. The reTerminal DM has a much larger 10.1-inch touchscreen, which is IP65-rated. The resolution isn't stellar — 1280 x 800, 8-bit color and 400 nits — but for the intended audience it is more than enough.
The large touchscreen is most welcome, as is a panel on the rear of the case for an SSD — specifically, an NVMe M.2 SSD. Installing Raspberry Pi OS to the SSD will really make this kit fly. Around the perimeter are LED indicators, an infrared light sensor, and a microphone. Around the side is where we see an interesting addition: a PCIe extension slot for use with a connector on the mainboard. Speaking of which, the mainboard sees the CM4 at its heart, along with connectors for an optional Mini-PCIe LoRa module, NVMe SSD, USB and CSI/DSI. Gone are the 3/4 inch screw mounts, instead there's a Vesa mount and connection points for industrial use DIN rails.
So who is the intended audience? Seeed's product page is nebulous, and describes the reTerminal DM as an "HMI/PLC/Gateway/Panel PC all-in-one device" — which seems to boil down to this device being an interface and data output device for IoT projects, industry, and embedded systems. While this is a handheld, it lacks a battery, just like its smaller predecessor.
Unlike its predecessor, this unit is hefty. It tips the scales at 1.8Kg, which is heavier than my Lenovo X390 laptop (approximately 1.3Kg).
Seeed's reTerminal DM is on sale now, starting at $409 for the base model. Optional extras can be added to increase the functionality of the unit.
