Raspberry Pi is arguably best single board computer (SBC) out there. Enjoying massive popularity and rich documentation, it’s one of the most affordable ways to get started on your DIY projects. But, it’s not the most powerful SBC on the market and often runs out of stock. The best Raspberry Pi alternatives can come to your rescue when you need a more powerful computer or simply want to try something new.
Tip: need to know your Raspberry Pi inside out? Here’s how you can check your Raspberry Pi version and other system information.
Orange Pi 5
Libre Computer Le Potato
Odroid N2+
LattePanda 3 Delta
Nvidia Jetson Nano
Tip: Raspberry Pi needs an OS to run. Learn how you can install Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi.
Our Selection Criteria
SBCs are tiny computers meant to emulate many of the functions of laptops and PCs without a larger footprint. To decide which ones are the best, we need to judge the options based on their specs, performance, versatility, power consumption, connectivity, and ease of use.
Performance
Performance is fundamental to how you’ll be using your SBC – whether it’ll be limited to entry-level tasks or more suited to heavy projects. The processor, RAM, and graphics play a huge part in this.
Good to know: is it viable to have Raspberry Pi 4 as a desktop computer?
Connectivity & Storage
The connectivity options on your SBC determine its usability. For example, some will provide USB 2.0, 100 Mbps Ethernet, and HDMI port whereas others will include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, M.2 PCIe and Gigabit Ethernet port. Plus, not every SBC ships with onboard storage, and you might need to connect your own drives or SD cards via the microsd card slot.
Some SBCs also come with modules that you can add on to the board to extend its functionalities.
Tip: have older devices that can’t connect to Wi-Fi? Turn your Raspberry Pi into a Wi-Fi bridge.
Ease of Use
Some SBCs use color coding and other nice-to-have features that make them easier to use than others. Some also provides a developer kit and make it simple for beginners to get into the SBC space.
Support and Documentation
Raspberry Pi is renowned for its extensive documentation which leads to easy troubleshooting and support. Compared to that, other alternatives don’t always enjoy great documentation, but we can still differentiate between them based on this factor.
Power Consumption
When you’re working with a compact computer like an SBC, power consumption isn’t just an afterthought. It can make or break the purchase decision.
FYI: can’t take your Raspberry Pi on the go? Here are the best ways to power your Raspberry Pi besides the wall socket.
Best Raspberry Pi Alternatives Buying Guide
Best Overall Pick: Orange Pi 5
The Orange Pi 5 is one of the most powerful Raspberry Pi alternatives on the market. For just a little more, you can get access to a more powerful and flexible SBC than the Raspberry Pi. Rocking an octa-core Rockchip SoC, a GPU capable of 8K video output, and a built-in NPU, it comes in multiple memory configurations.
In terms of connectivity, you’re all set with USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and USB-C 3.1 ports. You’re also getting HDMI 2.1 and DP 1.4 for video, a microSD card for expanding storage, an M.2 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 26-pin GPIO interface for more hardware expansion. It might lack somewhat in documentation but the added power makes up for it, especially for experienced DIYers.
Best Value: Libre Computer Board (Le Potato)
The aptly named Libre Computer board (Le Potato) is a value-focused SBC that was meant to replace older models of the Raspberry Pi. But, even today, its robust feature set and decently powerful hardware make it ideal for almost all entry-level projects like a media server, VPN, network-level ad blocker, and more. It also comes with 2GB of DDR3 RAM.
It runs a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.416 GHz and a Mali-450 GPU capable of rendering 4K video. The somewhat outdated port selection consisting of USB 2.0, 100Mb Ethernet, and microUSB is still fairly competent. The upside is that you still get HDMI 2.0, a 40-pin GPIO header, and an eMMC port. Like many alternative SBCs, it suffers from poor documentation but the incredible value and usability can’t be argued against. It provides the best value for hobbyists who love to tinker without having to break the bank.
Best for Streaming: Odroid N2+
The Odroid N2+ is an upgraded revision of the plain N2, powered by the quad-core Cortex-A73 CPU and the dual-core Cortex-A53 CPU. This hexa-core SBC als has a Mali-G52 GPU that’s speedy enough to emulate Nintendo’s Gamecube games via Dolphin Emulator. You can easily turn it into a retro gaming console. Slightly pricier than the Raspberry Pi, it ships with 4GB DDR4 RAM and a large metal heatsink for a cool operation.
The video playback features of the Odroid N2+ make it ideal for a streaming project. Suporting 4K output with HDR10 and HLG, it also features automatic rame rate switching and audio passthrough for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The port selecion is also great with Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI 2.0, 40-pin GPIO header, and a microSD slot. A good way to make use of this board is to install Android on it and turn it to a TV box.
Poor documentation is a con but you get that on every Raspberry Pi alternative.
Tip: need a compact device for your video calls? Turn your Raspberry Pi into a video conferencing station.
Best for AI and ML: LattePanda 3 Delta
If you’ve set your sights on more powerful projects focused on machine learning, deep learning, and more, the LattePanda 3 Delta packs some serious power to help you out. This is an x86-based SBC with an Intel Celeron N5105 SoC, 64GB storage, and 8GB RAM. It’s much more powerful than the Raspberry Pi 5 and is virtually a pocket-sized mini PC.
There’s no dearth of connectivity options, with USB 3.2 Gen2, 3.5mm audio jack, M.2 slots, PCIe 3.0 slots, a SIM slot, and Wi-Fi 6 being just some of them. For the projects that need serious power while maintaining a compact form factor, the LattePanda 3 Delta is unbeatable.
Best for Graphics: Nvidia Jetson Nano
When it comes to GPU power, the Nvidia Jetson Nano is in a league of its own. Engineered by Nvidia for deep learning and AI projects, it runs a powerful 128-CUDA-core Maxwell GPU and a quad-core Cortex-A57 CPU. The highlight here is the GPU which is ideal for rendering complex simualtions and running machine learning.
The connectivity options here are commendable, thanks to multiple USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, GPIO header, and camera interfaces. Coming from Nvidia, there’s extensive developes support, an SDK, and an acive community. Compared to the Raspberry Pi, the Jetson Nano is a beast for AI applications.
Tip: feeling like some AI DIYing? Here’s how to run your own local LLM on a Raspberry Pi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Raspberry Pi 5 worth it?
While the Raspberry Pi 5 is the latest one, the Raspberry Pi 4B is likely the best for beginners due to its lower price and great overall feature set. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Ethernet, quad-core processor, and RAM configurations up to 8GB. It’s more than enough for almost all projects – media streaming, coding, robotics, and more.
Why is Raspberry Pi so expensive?
Due to its enormous popularity, Raspberry Pi’s manufacturer is not able to produce enough to keep up with the demand. You might see older models selling for huge markups, sometimes even going for much more than the newest model. If you’re unable to find a Raspberry Pi in stock for a decent price, you can consider one of the alternatives we’ve discussed above.
Is Raspberry Pi Pico good?
The Raspberry Pi Pico is a microcontroller from the Raspberry Pi family. It’s not an SBC but rather a simple way to power your electronic projects in a cheap, power-efficient way. It’s the smallest Raspberry Pi model and the only one to feature the company’s own processor – the RP2040 dual-core chip. For what it offers for the price, it’s one of the best microcontrollers on the market.
Why Isn't the Arduino the best Raspberry Pi alternative?
Arduino is not a single board computer like Raspberry Pi. It is, in fact, a microcontroller. While it is often compared with Raspberry Pi, it requires a different skillset to use Arduino than Raspberry Pi, that’s why we don’t consider it an alternative to Raspberry Pi.
Image credit: Unsplash.
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