Is the Raspberry Pi 3B+ still worth it in 2023?

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the newest and currently most powerful SBC from the Raspberry Pi series. The Raspberry Pi 3B+ is less powerful and a year older than the Pi 4B, but it can still be a worthwhile purchase depending on your needs.

Among other things, the Raspberry Pi 4 offers twice as much memory as its predecessor and greatly improved CPU performance. However, that doesn’t necessarily make it the best option for you. We’re going to compare these two devices side-by-side so you can choose the SBC that suits your needs and budget.

What is the Raspberry Pi 3B+?

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ is the third iteration of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s popular single-board computer. It is based on Broadcom’s BCM2837B0 (System on Chip) SoC, which consists of a quad-core 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor and an integrated GPU with support for OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics rendering.

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ offers reasonable performance gains over the Raspberry Pi 3B. It adds several new features, such as improved Wi-Fi and Ethernet speeds, and Power over Ethernet (PoE).

It uses the same form factor that the Raspberry Pi range has used since the Raspberry Pi B+ and may look exactly the same as the Raspberry Pi 4 to a casual observer. This is on purpose and not a lack of innovation on the part of the Raspberry Pi company. This means that HATs (Hardware Attached on Top) and protective cases can be shared between different Raspberry Pi models in most scenarios, regardless of how far apart they are in age.

Raspberry Pi 3B+ vs Raspberry Pi 4: Performance

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ and Raspberry Pi 4B both have a quad-core processor with clock speeds of 1.4 GHz and 1.5 GHz respectively. The 0.1GHz increase doesn’t seem like much until you consider that this increase applies to every core in the embedded processor, making the Raspberry Pi 4B almost 50% faster than the Raspberry Pi 3. This coupled with the new and The improved graphics processing unit (GPU) in the Raspberry Pi Model 4B makes it much better able to handle memory-intensive and graphics-intensive computing tasks.

If you intend to install retro game emulators, set up a media center, or undertake any other major project, a Raspberry Pi 4 should deliver better results. The Raspberry Pi 3B+ should work well enough if your usage isn’t resource intensive.

Raspberry Pi 3B+ vs. Raspberry Pi 4B: Technical data in comparison

* Newer Pi 4 models are 2GB, 4GB and 8GB raised to 1.8 GHz when running the Bullseye version of Raspberry Pi OS.

Raspberry Pi 3B+ vs Raspberry Pi 4: Price and Availability

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ and the 1GB model of the Pi 4B sell for the same official price of $35. However, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B comes in four flavors, all of which have different prices.

The Raspberry Pi 4 comes in different variants, from 1GB RAM to 8GB RAM. You can choose the model that best suits your preferences and the projects you want to work on. The Raspberry Pi 3B+, on the other hand, only comes with 1GB of RAM, leaving you with fewer options to choose from.

Raspberry Pis are generally hard to find at official prices, but finding a Raspberry Pi 4 for sale can be even harder as it is the latest and most powerful Raspberry Pi model.

If you’re looking to get your hands on a Raspberry Pi as soon as possible, a Raspberry Pi 3B+ might be a better option due to lower demand. You might also find someone willing to sell you a used model at a reduced price.

Advantages of the Raspberry Pi 3B+

There are a number of reasons why you might choose the Raspberry Pi 3B+ over the Raspberry Pi 4. For one, the Raspberry Pi 3B+ has less stringent performance requirements. This means that, unlike the Raspberry Pi 4, you can have a bit more flexibility in your choice of power supply. Also, the Raspberry Pi 3B+ uses much less power and tends to run cooler than the Pi 4 during intense tasks.

It also uses the standard HDMI cable instead of a micro HDMI connector, meaning you may not need to buy a new cable and/or adapter to connect your Raspberry Pi to a display.

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ is good enough for projects like running Pi-hole, Kodi, OctoPrint or even hosting a small web server etc. Essentially, the Raspberry Pi 3B+ is great for projects that don’t tax the processor and don’t need to run does not require much RAM.

Disadvantages of the Raspberry Pi 3B+

While it may be fine for your use, the Raspberry Pi 3B+ predates the Pi 4 by a year, making it a less powerful device that lacks all the improvements that the Pi 4 brings. If your use case requires any of these features, e.g. B. more RAM or the connection of two monitors, you should buy a Raspberry Pi 4 instead.

Another downside to buying the Raspberry Pi 3B+ in 2023 is that it generally sells for about the same price as the 1GB RAM version of the Raspberry Pi 4, around $35. Unless you can get the Pi 3B+ cheaper, you should almost always go for the Raspberry Pi 4 instead.

Should you still buy a Raspberry Pi 3B+?

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ is still a great device for tinkering, hosting servers, and building projects, but you might want to consider a newer model if you want to do something more sophisticated.

Currently, the Raspberry Pi 4 isn’t easy to find at retailers like Pimoroni or Adafruit, and you might be able to get the Pi 3B+ with less hassle. It’s also worth noting that while the new model has shiny new features and significantly better specs than its predecessor, it also consumes more power and may not be the best choice for battery-powered projects.

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