Is the Raspberry Pi the Best SBC You Can Buy?
The Raspberry Pi range of small single-board computers (SBCs) are popular among tinkerers, makers, and electronics enthusiasts due to their low cost, versatility, and ease of use. There are numerous other SBCs available for purchase, but the Raspberry Pi stands out from all the rest.
Let’s take a look at why this remains the case even after several years and whether these Raspberry Pi SBCs are truly worth the hype.
A Brief History of the Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK-based charity, developed the first Raspberry Pi computer in 2012 as a way to promote computer science education and encourage students to learn programming.
The idea for the Raspberry Pi came about in 2006 when a group of computer science teachers at the University of Cambridge noticed that the number of students applying to study computer science at the university was declining. They concluded that a low-cost, easy-to-use computer could be a valuable tool for teaching programming and other computer science concepts to young people.
After several years of development, the first Raspberry Pi model was released in February 2012. It was a credit-card-sized board that could be connected to a TV or computer monitor, and it came equipped with a Broadcom BCM2835 system-on-chip, 256MB of RAM, two USB ports, and an Ethernet port. The Raspberry Pi was also designed to run Linux, and it quickly gained a following among hobbyists, educators, and DIY enthusiasts who used it for a wide range of electronics projects.
Since then, the Raspberry Pi company has released several more models, each with more powerful hardware and additional features. The Raspberry Pi 4 is the flagship iteration of the single-board computer range; it’s a major upgrade that features a quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, and support for dual 4K displays.
Today, theRaspberry Pi is widely used in a variety of projects, including media centers, home automation systems, robots, and even commercial products. It has sold more than 40 million units and by 2017 had become the world’s third-best-selling computer of all time.
What Does the Raspberry Pi Offer?
Is Raspberry Pi the Best SBC?
The Raspberry Pi certainly offers a lot in terms of features and value. But, how does it compare to other single-board computers on the market?
1.Price: We compiled a list of thecheapest single-board computersand the Raspberry Pi Zero came out on top. The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is the most powerful of the Zero models and yet only costs $15. If price is your major consideration, Raspberry Pi is the prime contender and no other single-board computer comes close.
2.Performance: When it comes to performance, there are quite several SBCs much more powerful than the Raspberry Pi. The most powerful Raspberry Pi, the 4B, comes with a relatively weak, quad-core processor, the Cortex A-72. It performs well for simple, computing tasks, but its underpowered nature precludes the Raspberry Pi from certain, more intensive tasks. If you are out to get the most powerful SBC available,x86-based single-board computerswill generally offer increased performance compared to the Raspberry Pi.
3.Support: The Raspberry Pi is one of the best-supported ARM-based single-board computers, due to its popularity. You will find a broader range of drivers, operating systems, and applications supported by the Raspberry Pi than for any other ARM-based single-board computer.
4.Community: The Raspberry Pi community is widely considered its biggest strength. It is a vibrant and active community of users that stretches across the globe and internet, from specialist websites to subreddits, user groups, and forums. This community is always ready to provide new users with answers to any questions they may have as well as guidance on how to see their projects to completion. Other single-board computers have their communities too, but they are not really on par with the Raspberry Pi community.
5.Accessories: If you are more into physical tinkering, then the Raspberry Pi has an edge over other single-board computers in having a wide range of accessories and electronic components that are compatible with it. Furthermore, HATs and add-ons designed for the Raspberry Pi can be only used on other boards if the GPIO pins are the same.
6.Availability: Due to its versatility and low cost, the demand for Raspberry Pi has been consistently high since its initial release in 2012. This can make it hard to find the Raspberry Pi available for purchase from official retailers. Scalpers have filled in the gap, and you can find Raspberry Pis for sale at two to three times the MRSP.
Based on official projections, supply is likely to improve in the second half of 2023. If you can’t wait that long, you can get an alternative SBC, although that means you’ll forgo some of the benefits of the Raspberry Pi.
All Hail the Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi may not be the most powerful single-board computer or the most readily available. But it does offer a community and a level of support and compatibility with hardware and software that remains unmatched, all at a very fair price. While “best” is subjective, the Raspberry Pi company produces some of the highest-quality and well-rounded boards you can get at that price range, and they are well worth considering if you’re in the market for a single-board computer.
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