The Raspberry Pi is one of those devices that seems to find its way into almost every maker's toolbox. From weather stations and smart home hubs to retro gaming consoles and custom dashboards, it's a platform that encourages experimentation.
But if you're looking to build something that's always visible, easy to read, and surprisingly power-efficient, pairing a Raspberry Pi with an E-Ink display is worth considering.
Unlike traditional screens, E-Ink displays don't need a backlight and only use power when the content changes. That means you can create dashboards, information boards, and status displays that stay visible all day without constantly consuming energy. They're also incredibly easy to read in bright rooms and direct sunlight, giving them a more natural, paper-like appearance.
Whether you want to build a Home Assistant dashboard, display the weather, show your family's calendar, track energy usage, or create a custom smart home control panel, a Raspberry Pi and E-Ink display can make a surprisingly powerful combination.
In this guide, we'll look at how E-Ink displays work with Raspberry Pi, the types of projects makers are building, the advantages and limitations of E-Ink technology, and which displays are best suited for different use cases.
Why pair a Raspberry Pi with an E-Ink display?
At first glance, pairing a powerful single-board computer like a Raspberry Pi with a display that refreshes slowly might seem like an unusual combination. But in practice, they complement each other surprisingly well.
The Raspberry Pi provides the processing power, connectivity, and flexibility needed to run applications, pull data from APIs, communicate with smart home platforms, and automate updates. The E-Ink display provides a low-power, highly readable way to present that information.
Together, they create information displays that can run continuously without the drawbacks of traditional screens.
Low power consumption
One of the biggest advantages of E-Ink technology is its efficiency.
Unlike LCD displays that continuously refresh and require a backlight, E-Ink screens only consume significant power when the image changes. Once content is displayed, it remains visible even when no additional power is being used.
This makes E-Ink particularly attractive for dashboards, calendars, weather displays, and status boards that update only periodically.
Excellent readability
If you've ever tried reading a tablet or LCD screen in direct sunlight, you already understand one of E-Ink's biggest strengths.
Because E-Ink reflects ambient light rather than producing its own, the display often becomes easier to read as the environment gets brighter. This makes it ideal for kitchens, offices, workshops, hallways, and other well-lit spaces.
Always-on information
Many Raspberry Pi projects revolve around displaying information that users want to check quickly throughout the day.
Popular Raspberry Pi E-Ink display projects
One of the reasons Raspberry Pi and E-Ink displays are such a popular combination is their versatility. The same setup can be used to build everything from a simple weather station to a fully featured smart home dashboard.
Here are some of the most popular projects makers are building today.
Home Assistant dashboards
Home Assistant dashboards are one of the most common E-Ink projects.
Instead of checking your phone throughout the day, you can display key smart home information on a dedicated screen, including:
- Indoor and outdoor temperatures
- Energy usage
- Device status
- Upcoming calendar events
- Weather forecasts
- Security alerts
Because most of this information doesn't need second-by-second updates, E-Ink is a natural fit.
Weather stations
Weather stations have long been a favorite Raspberry Pi project.
By combining weather APIs or local sensors with an E-Ink display, you can create a dedicated screen that shows current conditions, forecasts, humidity, wind speed, and air pressure.
The display remains easy to read from across a room while consuming very little power.
Family calendars and information boards
Many makers use Raspberry Pi and E-Ink displays to create shared family dashboards.
These can display:
- Calendar appointments
- Upcoming events
- Shopping lists
- Chores and reminders
- School schedules
- Travel information
Mounted in a hallway or kitchen, they provide useful information without adding another bright screen to the home.
Energy monitoring dashboards
As smart meters and energy monitoring systems become more common, many homeowners want a simple way to track electricity usage.
A Raspberry Pi can collect data from Home Assistant, solar systems, or energy monitoring sensors and display:
- Real-time energy consumption
- Solar production
- Battery status
- Daily energy costs
- Historical trends
This makes it easy to monitor household energy usage at a glance.
Smart home control panels
While E-Ink displays aren't ideal for highly interactive interfaces, they work well as smart home status and control panels.
Many makers create dashboards that display:
- Lighting status
- Security system information
- Door and window sensors
- Climate controls
- Automation status
These panels act as a central information hub for the entire smart home.
Status displays for servers and IoT projects
Not every project needs to live inside the house.
Raspberry Pi and E-Ink displays are often used to monitor:
- Home servers
- Network devices
- NAS systems
- IoT deployments
- Website uptime
- Application status
For developers and makers, they provide a simple way to keep important information visible at all times.
Choosing the right E-Ink display for your Raspberry Pi project
Not all E-Ink displays are designed for the same purpose. The best choice depends on how much information you want to show, how frequently the display updates, and whether color is important for your project.
When selecting an E-Ink display for Raspberry Pi, consider:
- Screen size
- Refresh speed
- Color support
- Viewing distance
- Power requirements
- Project complexity
Inkplate 10 for dashboards and information boards
If your goal is to build a Home Assistant dashboard, family information board, weather station, or energy monitoring display, the Inkplate 10 is one of the most versatile options available.
Its large display provides enough space to show multiple widgets, charts, calendars, and status indicators at the same time, making it ideal for projects that need to present a lot of information in a clean and readable format.
Common use cases include:
- Home Assistant dashboards
- Energy monitoring displays
- Family calendars
- Smart home status boards
- Office information screens
Inkplate 6COLOR for visual dashboards
Sometimes black and white isn't enough.
The Inkplate 6COLOR adds color to Raspberry Pi projects, making it particularly useful for weather displays, calendars, educational projects, and dashboards that benefit from visual indicators.
Color can help users quickly distinguish alerts, categories, charts, and important information without making the display feel like a traditional LCD screen.
Inkplate 6FLICK for faster updates
Traditional E-Ink displays excel at static information, but some projects need more frequent updates.
The Inkplate 6FLICK uses fast-refresh E-Ink technology, making it a great choice for smart home status panels, IoT dashboards, and applications where data changes more regularly throughout the day.
It provides many of the benefits of E-Ink while delivering a more responsive user experience.
Which display should you choose?
For most dashboard and information display projects, the Inkplate 10 offers the best balance of screen size and usability.
If color is important, the Inkplate 6COLOR is the better choice. If your project requires more frequent updates, the Inkplate 6FLICK is likely the best fit.
The good news is that all three can be integrated into Raspberry Pi projects, giving makers plenty of flexibility regardless of what they want to build.
Setting up an E-Ink display with Raspberry Pi
Getting started with an E-Ink display on Raspberry Pi is usually easier than many makers expect. While the exact process depends on the display you're using, the overall workflow is similar across most projects.
Connect the display
The first step is connecting your E-Ink display to the Raspberry Pi. Most displays communicate through SPI, making setup relatively straightforward. Depending on the model, you'll typically connect power, ground, and several communication pins before securing the display to your project.
Many modern development boards and display platforms simplify this process even further by reducing the amount of wiring required.
Install the required software
Once the hardware is connected, you'll need to install the libraries and drivers that allow Raspberry Pi to communicate with the display.
Most manufacturers provide installation guides and example code, while popular libraries are often available through Python package managers such as pip. After installation, it's worth running a simple test program to verify that the display is working correctly.
Display your first image
A common first project is displaying a static image or piece of text.
This confirms that the hardware and software are communicating correctly and helps you become familiar with the display's capabilities. Many makers start with a logo, weather icon, quote, or custom graphic before moving on to more advanced applications.
Update content dynamically
Once the basics are working, you can begin pulling data from external sources.
For example, your Raspberry Pi might retrieve weather forecasts, Home Assistant data, cryptocurrency prices, calendar events, or sensor readings and update the display automatically throughout the day.
This is where E-Ink projects become especially useful, transforming a simple screen into a live information dashboard.
How Soldered helps makers build Raspberry Pi E-Ink projects
One of the reasons Raspberry Pi and E-Ink displays are such a popular combination is that they can be as simple or as advanced as you want them to be. Whether you're building a weather station, a Home Assistant dashboard, an energy monitoring display, or a custom information board, having the right hardware makes the process much smoother.
That's where Soldered's Inkplate lineup comes in.
The Inkplate 10 is an excellent choice for larger dashboards and information displays, offering plenty of screen space for calendars, smart home data, weather forecasts, and status information. If your project benefits from color, the Inkplate 6COLOR provides a more visual experience while maintaining the low-power advantages of E-Ink technology. For makers who need more responsive updates, the Inkplate 6FLICK delivers fast-refresh E-Ink performance that works well for dynamic dashboards and smart home applications.
Combined with Raspberry Pi, these displays provide a flexible platform for creating always-on information screens that are easy to read, energy-efficient, and enjoyable to use every day.
Raspberry Pi E-Ink display: FAQs
Can you use an E-Ink display with Raspberry Pi?
Yes. Raspberry Pi can be connected to a variety of E-Ink displays using SPI communication and compatible software libraries. This combination is commonly used for dashboards, weather stations, smart home displays, digital signage, and IoT projects.
Why use an E-Ink display instead of an LCD screen?
E-Ink displays consume less power, remain readable in direct sunlight, and provide a paper-like viewing experience. While they are not ideal for video or fast-moving content, they work exceptionally well for information displays that update periodically.
What can you build with a Raspberry Pi and E-Ink display?
Popular projects include Home Assistant dashboards, weather stations, family calendars, energy monitoring displays, cryptocurrency trackers, public transport boards, smart home control panels, and IoT monitoring dashboards.
Are E-Ink displays good for Home Assistant dashboards?
Yes. E-Ink displays are a popular choice for Home Assistant dashboards because they can show key information such as weather data, calendar events, device status, and energy usage while consuming minimal power. They are especially useful for always-on displays mounted in kitchens, hallways, or home offices.
Can Raspberry Pi update an E-Ink display automatically?
Yes. Raspberry Pi can retrieve information from APIs, sensors, databases, and smart home platforms and automatically update the E-Ink display at scheduled intervals. This makes it possible to create dynamic dashboards that stay up to date throughout the day.
Do E-Ink displays consume power continuously?
No. One of the main advantages of E-Ink technology is that it only uses significant power when the screen content changes. Once an image is displayed, it remains visible without requiring constant power.
What is the best E-Ink display for Raspberry Pi dashboards?
The best display depends on your project requirements. Larger displays such as the Inkplate 10 are well suited for Home Assistant dashboards and information boards, while displays like the Inkplate 6COLOR and Inkplate 6FLICK are better suited for projects that benefit from color or faster refresh rates.
