I received a Raspberry Pi 4 for Christmas and was genuinely excited. I had every intention of setting it up, experimenting, and turning it into something cool. But a few months later? It’s still in the box. I’ve been looking into fun, practical, and beginner-friendly projects lately. These are the ones that stood out. Any of them might finally be the excuse to plug it in and start building.
Raspberry Pi 5
It’s only recommended for tech-savvy users, but the Raspberry Pi 5 is a tinkerer’s dream. Cheap, highly customizable, and with great onboard specs, it’s a solid base for your next mini PC.
7Block Network Content with Pi-hole
If there’s one project that feels both useful and dead simple, it’sPi-hole. It acts as a DNS filter, giving you control over what types of content are allowed through your network. It can block domains known for trackers, malicious behavior, or other unwanted content across all connected devices, including phones, TVs, and anything else that doesn’t support browser extensions. you may even enable Pi-hole asyour DHCP serverif you want centralized network control. It’s fast, lightweight, and adds an extra layer of filtering to your home setup.
6Retro Gaming with RetroPie
This one’s been calling my name since I got the Raspberry Pi.RetroPieturns the device into a retro gaming console that can emulateretro consoleslike NES, SNES, PS1, Game Boy Advance, and more. Some heavier emulators, like Dreamcast or N64, run better on the Pi 4, but even my favorite PlayStation classics should work fine. All it takes is a controller, an SD card, and a monitor to turn the Pi into a little nostalgia machine.
5Smart Home Automation with Home Assistant
I’ve got a few smart devices scattered around, andHome Assistantlooks like a solid way to pull everything together.Home Assistantsupports over a thousand integrations and gives you local control with no cloud dependency. I’d need to use my Pi 4 for this one since earlier models struggle with performance. But once it’s running, I could automate routines, track device activity, or build a slick dashboard to manage it all.
4Cybersecurity Playground with Kali or NetAlertX
This one hits close to home. I’ve spent much time working withKali Linuxon my main machine, but I’ve never tried running it on a Raspberry Pi. Setting up a lightweight Kali install could be a fun way to experiment with recon tools and portable workflows. I’m also eyeingNetAlertX, a newer tool that replaced Pi.Alert. It monitors your network for new or suspicious devices, IP changes, and offline hosts. It’s not a full security operations center setup, but this would be a great way to sharpen my detection skills at home using affordable hardware.
3Personal Dashboard with DAKboard or MagicMirror
I’ve seen setups where people mount these on the wall or prop them up on their desks, and they look great.DAKboardgives you a clean, visual dashboard for weather, calendar events, and to-do lists.MagicMirrortakes it further by turning your display into a functional smart mirror. If you want that mirrored effect, you’ll need to pair your screen with a two-way mirror panel, but you can also just run MagicMirror on a regular monitor if you’re not building the full mirror enclosure. Both projects are great ways to make your Raspberry Pi feel like a polished, real-world tool.
2Self-Hosted Git Server or Wiki
Since I often write and work on content, having a private server for drafts, notes, and projects sounds tempting.Giteais a lightweight GitHub alternative that runs smoothly on a Pi, andWiki.jsoffers a clean, easy-to-use platform for organizing research or documentation. I like the idea of owning the platform with no logins, no tracking, just my stuff, my way.
1Low-Power File Server or Media Hub
OpenMediaVaultcan turn a Pi into a lightweight NAS, andPlexlets you stream local movies and music. I’m not running a huge media collection, but I could see this handy for backups or a portable music hub. The Pi 4 is ideal for performance, especially with USB 3.0 drives. And since the whole thing runs off a few watts of power, it won’t spike my electricity bill either.
There’s no shortage of Raspberry Pi projects out there, but these are the ones that interest me. They feel doable, practical, and most importantly, fun. I’m leaning toward the cybersecurity lab or Pi-hole to start with, but honestly, any of these might be the thing that finally gets the Pi out of storage and onto my desk.
