A close friend recently remarked that nobody wants a Raspberry Pi anymore. This is someone who has built up an extensive homelab setup and who frequently takes on projects powered by single-board computers.
Though it sounds like a dramatic statement, there’s more than one reason that someone might think this way.
The Raspberry Pi’s success is 15 years in the making
A certified icon of the computer world
The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer that first appeared in 2012, primarily as an educational tool. It quickly found favor with hobbyists and those looking for a device to better their skills, power small projects, and put power efficiency over raw grunt for general computing tasks.
Though the Pi has been through four major revisions since then, the basic idea has remained the same. It’s a single-board computer that runs Linux, with enough power to perform everyday computing tasks like browsing the web and lightweight programming.
Over the years, the Raspberry Pi has become the choice for single-board computer projects. Its expansive HAT standard (which stands for Hardware Added on Top) includes a massive range of official and third-party sensors and input methods, and the latest revisions include PCI Express support for faster communication between storage and GPU interfaces.
While the Raspberry Pi has always aimed for an affordable price point (and arguably still meets the brief), there’s no denying that a lot has happened in the last 15 years that has many questioning where exactly the Raspberry Pi sits in the current computing landscape.
-
- Brand
-
Raspberry Pi
- Storage
-
8GB
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.
-
- Brand
-
Raspberry Pi
- CPU
-
Quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is super tiny and super affordable, but it packs enough computing power for a variety of DIY projects. You can use it to create a handheld retro gaming console, for Klipper/Mainsail, a super compact home or media server, and more.
Mini PCs are better for homelab and servers
Way more overhead for your money, with everything you need to get going
The rise of the mini PC has been a gift to anyone interested in building a homelab, offline smart home, or any server that lives on your local network. While a Raspberry Pi is perfectly capable of running Home Assistant, a bunch of Docker containers, or even acting as a makeshift NAS, it’s no longer the best tool for the job.
That crown (currently) goes to the mini PC. They’re usually cheaper than a Raspberry Pi, with brand-new budget options and a thriving used market. For your money, you’ll usually get fast, solid-state storage, a capable x86 or ARM-based CPU, a GPU that is capable of transcoding media on the fly, and at least 8GB of RAM.
All of this is wrapped up in a neat package that has a larger footprint than a Raspberry Pi but also comes with some added bells and whistles to make up for it. You don’t need to 3D print or buy an enclosure, and the cooling is taken care of for you. You’ll probably have more ports available to you than a Raspberry Pi, and you can still take advantage of compatibility with a vast range of operating systems.
Compelling modern options include systems built around Intel’s N-series and AMD’s Ryzen systems-on-chip, plus older Apple silicon M1 and M2-based Mac mini models, which are getting dangerously close to the $100 mark on the used market.
-
- Brand
-
GEEKOM
- CPU
-
AMD Ryzen 5 7430U
The GEEKOM A5 mini PC packs 16GB of user-replaceable RAM, a user-swappable NVMe SSD, plus two other storage slots, giving you plenty of user-upgradability in this compact system. The Ryzen 5 processor packs plenty of power for general tasks, and it’s even great at lightweight gaming and CAD work too.
-
- CPU
-
Ryzen 3 3200U
- Graphics
-
Radeon Vega 3
The Beelink SER3 mini PC is the perfect entry-level Windows desktop for those on a budget. With a Ryzen 3 3200U processor, this desktop ships with Windows 11 Pro and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. A 500GB SSD is pre-installed (and user-upgradable), and you’ll find dual HDMI ports, Ethernet, and four USB-A ports on this compact desktop.
The ESP32 dominates for lightweight, low-power uses
Small, cheap, and hard to beat
The full-fat Raspberry Pi rarely makes its way into smart home projects outside of acting as the server, 3D printer controller, or occasional camera builds. The Pi Zero and its follow-up, however, are far better suited to these tasks given their smaller footprint, even lower power requirements, and cheap price point. Raspberry Pi later released the even lighter Pi Pico, too.
But these offerings struggle when compared with Espressif’s ESP32 platform, which takes things to the next level. These boards are favored for all manner of simple projects, particularly around the smart home. They make great Bluetooth and infrared proxies, they can interface with mmWave chips for presence detection, and they can even be used in Bluetooth speakers.
What’s more, their deep sleep mode takes power efficiency to another level and makes them perfect for use in battery-powered projects like motion and temperature sensors. With integrated GPIO pins, a dab of solder is all you need to turn a USB-C powered ESP32 into a powerful ally thanks to the robust support of platforms like ESPHome.
They’re cheaper than the Pi Zero (at around $5 compared to $15) and more powerful than the comparatively-priced Pi Pico.
The Raspberry Pi still has its place
It’s still a good choice for a wide variety of projects
Despite the shifting nature of the industry, I still love the Raspberry Pi. Few single-board computers compare when it comes to software support and community. So many projects call for a Raspberry Pi, and even if you can use a stand-in like the RISC-V-powered Orange Pi, choosing the Raspberry Pi means choosing a path that’s well-trodden.
You’re going to have an easier run of a project if you’re picking one of the few boards that everyone recommends. Documentation, drives, and operating system support are unmatched in the field. The Pi is still the default hobby board, even with mini PCs and rival boards nipping at its heels.
Unfortunately, the RAM crisis hasn’t been kind to the Raspberry Pi. The system-on-chip is aging, but prices have had to rise. This makes competing boards look more appealing, even if they have also seen price hikes. Mini PCs are having a moment, too.
But the Raspberry Pi lives on, for now. The project was always about doing what you can with what little resources you had available, which is why buying a 1GB “RAM crisis” Raspberry Pi isn’t as limiting as you think.
Older Raspberry Pi models are compelling budget options, especially considering there are plenty of ways you can still put them to use.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
