review
Keyestudio STEM Starter Kit for Arduino
This starter kit is sold on the Keyestudio website, but can also be found on the Aliexpress and Amazon marketplaces (product code KS0505)
Keyestudio STEM Starter Kit
Keyestudio offers a starter KIT for very young children who wish to approach the world of Arduino.
The packaging is very accurate and the board (called Plus Development Board) is customized.
It is compatible with the Arduino IDE development environment and it is possible to use, with this board, all the modules and sensors normally used for Arduino.
CONTENTS OF THE KIT
The KIT is complete and has everything you need to start discovering the Arduino world in the best possible way. In fact, in addition to the development board, it has LEDs of different colors, RGB LEDs, active and passive buzzer, LCD display, SG90 servomotor, stepper motor, several sensors including the HC-SR04 for the detection of obstacles with the ultrasound system, etc … The video shows in detail the unboxing performed.
The material contained in the KIT allows the realization of 28 projects. Actually many other projects can be realized, but the manufacturer describes 28 of them.
In fact, the interesting thing is that this KIT is also supplied with pdf files, in electronic format (downloadable via a link provided by Keyestudio) which illustrate the realization of the individual projects. The dossiers are written in English, but easy to understand. There is also a booklet showing how to configure the board to be used with the IDE.
As shown in the next photo, the development board, the Plus Development Board, differs from the original Arduino UNO because it makes available, by duplicating them, several digital PWM and analog PINs including the 5V power supply PINs and the GND, such as an expansion board. It also adds the A6 and A7 PINs and the expansion also affects the SCL-SDA and Tx and Rx PINs. Furthermore, this card gives the possibility to connect the modules and sensors that work at 3.3V directly to their PINs. Keyestudio declares that the maximum current that can be supplied by the board is 2A at 5V.
PRICE
The KIT can be purchased at a price that varies between € 45.00 and € 56.00 approximately, this depends on the marketplace, on any additional services (for example: Prime on Amazon) and on any offers proposed. Personally I bought it on November 28th with the Black Friday offers at about 42 euros on Aliexpress with delivery after 12 days from the order.
ASSESSMENTS
At the writing date of the review [27-01-2022]; on Aliexpress the Keyestudio KIT received 45 reviews with a score of 4.9 / 5.0. On the Amazon site it received 14 votes with an average score of 4.7 / 5.0 and on the Keyestudio site it received 3 reviews with an average score of 5.0 / 5.0.
Personally I find the STEM Starter Kit for Arduino by Keyestudio well done and all in all the price is also acceptable, especially if you are patient and buy it with offers. I appreciated the extension of the Digital and Analog PINs. As for the documentary part to be downloaded in PDF format, in my personal opinion it can still be improved.
