Raspberry Pi has become the next big thing.
Both Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi 2 have created great, intense interest in single-board computers.
Simple portable, and affordable, they bring a lot to the table.
However, maybe you don’t want a Pi. You might be looking for something that fulfills the same functions but is a bit different. There are a lot of alternatives to Raspberry Pi out there.
First, let’s look at what makes the Raspberry Pi unique and some of the reason you might want to look for a Raspberry Pit alternative. The Raspberry Pi Model B boasts a 900 MHz processor, a full HDMI port, 1 GB of RAM, a camera interface, a display interface, a micro SD card slot, and a GPU. It can run both Windows 10 and Linux. All this will run you around $35.
You can still pick up the first gen Raspberry Pi, but it has noticeably worse specs than the Raspberry Pi 2. The original has a 700 MHz processor, either 256 or 512 RAM, and only either one or two USB ports. A few of the very earliest models do not even have Ethernet ports, so there’s no alternative to using Wi-Fi. The Raspberry Pi 2 is a clear improvement.
All these seem like serious selling points for the Raspberry Pi, but there are issues. A lot of computers like Raspberry Pi provide more power, with faster processors, better GPUs, more RAM, and more connectors. They can even offer services no model of Raspberry Pi offers right now.
You can find that some of the Raspberry Pi competitors offer features like built in Wi-Fi, gigabit Ethernet, and occasionally a decent amount of onboard storage. The barest, most stripped down version of a computer can work for a lot of people, but you’ll find it has a lot of limits, especially for complex projects.
Arduino Industrial 101
Arduino Industrial 101 is an Evaluation board for the Arduino 101 LGA module. It supports Linux distribution, which is based on an OpenWRT named LininoOS. The ATmega32u4 microcontroller is fully integrated in the baseboard.
This computer’s board has built in Wi-Fi, utilizing IEEE 802.11b/g/n operations up to 150Mbps 1×1 2.4 GHz), 4 Analog inputs, 1 USB, 3 GPIOs (2 of which can be used as PWM Outputs), and 1 Ethernet signal on pin header. It also has a built in DC/DC converter. Use the assembly guide, then simply connect your board to a computer using a micro USB cable to get going.
Please note that in some countries, it is against the law to sell Wi-FI enabled devices without government permission. Some local distributors disable Wi-Fi functionality while awaiting certification.
Banana Pi
Meant to be an open source, Banana Pi is touted as a close alternative to Raspberry Pi. It is manufactured in Chine and is noticeably, but not very, physically larger than the Raspberry Pi. It has assorted OS options available, including Lubuntu, Fedora, Arch Linux, Free BSD, a Debian variant named Bananian, Android 4.2, and Android 4.4.
You can use the Raspbian OS, but the CPU will compile it with all the requirements of the Debian Armhf port.
The hardware offers up a lot of similarities to Raspberry Pi. There are several variants to the Banan Pi boards, but these are the specs on the most current one, the Banana Pi M64: a 1.2 Ghz Quad-Core ARM Cortex A53 64-Bit Processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB eMMC.
It comes with built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There are 2 USB A 2.0 ports, a USB OTG port, an HDMI port, an audio jack, and a Dc power port. A few models also offer SATA 2.0 port support. It’s truly standout feature is its storage capacity. You can use an SD card with a max of 64 GB, and get a max of 2 TB via the SATA port.
The versatile board makes this a good choice for anyone who wants to try building their own computers. It’s not as cheap as some Raspberry Pi competitors, but it is hardly expensive.
BBC micro:bit
This tiny computer is meant for schools. More than a million of them were given away to school children in the UK. They’ve since started to be handed out globally. A non-profit named Micro Bit Educational Foundation now manages this effort.
The BBC micro:bit is powered by a 32-bit ARM Cortex. It has a 5x% LED matrix, with 25 programmable red LEDs for a display. There are a few push buttons allowing for interactions for games and other programs. It also has a Magnetometer, Accelerometer, and Bluetooth antenna.
Beaglebone Black
Beaglebone Black is designed to be easy and simple to set up and start using; the website promises users can “boot Linux in under 10 seconds and get started on development in less than 5 minutes with just a single USB cable.”
Beaglebone Black is powered with TI AM335x 1GHz ARM® Cortex-A8, capable of supporting Linix Minix, Sybian, Free BSD, Open BSD, and RISC OS. It’s a great platform for development work. Project Rowboat enables Android on this platform.
This a very compact device, measuring 75mm x 75mm, and is very portable. It has an HDMI and an S-Video port. The GPU is powers by Imagination Technologies, allowing 2D and 3D rendering. Beaglebone Black comes with 4GB 8-bit eMMC on-board flash storage and 512MB DDR3 RAM.
This a very cheap platform, but it packs a lot of bang for the buck. Its creators developed it for coders and developers working with Linux. It’s a good alternative to Raspberry Pi, with a few more added features and a very easy setup that make it stand out.
C.H.I.P.
This is a very tiny computer, the size of a credit card (60mm long) hailing from Next Thing Co. It runs $9, much cheaper than Raspberry Pi and the Raspberry Pi alternatives. It is more powerful than all the first gen models of Raspberry Pi.
C.H.I.P. has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. No reason to be worried about sacrificing its single USB port for an internet or device connection. It offers a 1 GHz R8 ARM processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of flash storage. It is a very interesting little computer, especially with its wireless capabilities and on-board storage. It started shipping in December of 2016.
cloudBit
This platform is probably the easiest way to create internet connected devices. It requires no wiring, soldering, or programming. Its IFTTT support gives it the ability to connect with any web service there is, including Twitter. It can even connect with hardware, like Philips HUE or NEST.
Intel Galileo Gen 2
Intel decided to enter this market with their own Raspberry Pi competitor, an updated version of their earlier Intel Galileo single board PC. This was not a competitive board, offering less than others like Raspberry Pi, but the Intel Galileo Gen 2 holds its own.
It is powered by Intel’s Quark Application processor, with 32-bit Quark SoC X1000 processor and a clock speed of up to 400 MHz.
The Galileo Gen 2 has software and hardware compatibility with the Arduino environment. Using Pentium architecture has ensured both the software and the hardware is compatible not just with Arduino, but also its numerous shields.
You can develop a project with rather serious hardware interfacing requirements and decent computer power. The Galileo Gen 2 also offers some I/O slots and expansion ports, so you can modify it if you want or need to.
This is a nice development unit for anyone interested in working with Intel-based Quark architecture, an old familiar for a lot of users. It lacks the video and audio output offered by Raspberry Pi, so know what you’re looking for if you’re thinking about buying this platform.
MinnowBoard MAX
MinnowBoard offers two versions: the $140 version and the $100 version. The $140 version offers 2 GB of RAM, while the cheaper version only offers half that at 1 GB. Both have include a 1.33 GHz dual-core processor, an Intel graphics with HDMI out, a micro SD port, two USB ports, a SATA2 hard drive connection, and an Ethernet connection.
You can get more for less, but there are expansions planned, fittingly known as ‘lures’. These look to be useful for developers in particular. It’s hard drive connection is a good point, too, as Raspberry Pi and very few of the alternatives offer that.
NanoPi 2 Fire
This unit runs only $22.99. It is powered by an A9 quad-core SoC, with 1GB of DDR3 RAM. No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth here; The NanoPi 2 Fire connects to the web via Ethernet and/or its USB 2.0 port. It also includes a power management unit to support software sleep, wake, and power-off functions. It can run both Android and Debian Linux.
NanoPC-T1
This is a very low-cost platform and an excellent way to break into microcomputing. It has a 1.5 GHz Samsung quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of onboard storage, an HDMI port, an audio port, three USB ports, an ethernet port, and an SD card slot. It supports Android and Linux. It can manage just about any simple project.
You can also add on an adapter board, a standard or hi-def camera, and an LCD touchscreen. You can do a lot with these options, making things like touchscreen games or home security systems. NanoPC, the company behind the NanoPC-T1, sells lots of other accessories and modules, including a $25 Wi-Fi module.
This is the flagship product for Hardkenel, the development company behind this platform. It’s smaller and more powerful than their earlier Odroid XU3.
It uses ARM® big.LITTLE™ technology, which combines ARM CPU cores to maximize efficiency and increase parallel processing performance at much lower power consumption. It is powered by Samsung Exynos5422 Cortex™-A15 2 Ghz and Cortex™-A7 Octa core CPUs.
It also has 2 G.B LPDDR3 RAM, 2x USB 3.0 support, and Gigabit Ethernet support. It can run Android KitKat, Android Lollipop, and Ubuntu. It is also backward compatible with all the XU3’s software. It does not have a SATA port, so bear that in mind.
This a very powerful single-board computer. It performs two to four times faster than Raspberry Pi 3. The fan can make a very loud humming noise when the CPU is high. Take a look at it if you’re looking for a high end single-board PC.
Orange Pi PC2
This is a solid option among Raspberry Pi alternatives. It might be best to call it a clone, in fact. It offers specs similar to the Raspberry Pi, including Ethernet, three USB ports, USB OTG, 1GB of RAM and a quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor, and a GPU. It has a number of OS options: Banana Pi, Debian, Raspbian, Android, and Ubuntu.
Parallella
This is a small computer, the size of a credit card, with a lot of kick. It’s based on the Epiphany multi-core chips from Adapteva. It starts at $99. You can use it as a standalone computer or as a component in a parallel server cluster.
pcDuino4 Set-Top Box
This platform is designed to be a media center device, one of the more common uses of Raspberry Pi. It has a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, Mali GPU, 1 GB of RAM (shared with the GPU), 8 GB of onboard storage, and a Wi-Fi module.
It doesn’t offer a lot of features, though as a part of its design as a media center, you can put out both HD and 4K video through its HDMI port, as well as use its AV output for older TVs. It also offers an IR receiver remote. The enclosure in included. It’s pretty cheap, but it’s a good option for anyone wanting to use a single board computer as a media center.
Radxa Rock2 Square
The Radxa Rock2 has a quad-core processor, 2.5″ SATA hard drive compatibility, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI port, ethernet port, headphone port, IR receiver, and SD card port. You can opt to have either 2 GB or 4 GB of RAM, as well as either 16 GB or 32 GB of solid-state storage.
You can also add in a 3.5” hard drive with a few modifications for a useful upgrade. The Rock2 is based on Android, but I can also run the Firefox OS and Linux. It’s a very powerful and versatile platform, far more so than the Raspberry Pi.
UDOO Dual Basic
This is the smallest available unit on the UDOO lineup. It offers a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, both 2D and 3D graphics accelerators, HDMI output, two micro-USB ports, two USB-A ports, an onboard micro SD card reader, and both audio and mic ports. There are also Arduino compatible pinouts.
This is one of the best deals, price wise, among the UDOO boards. Be mindful, however, that the UDOO Neo is coming out soon, which boasts Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a 9-axis sensor.
VoCore
This is an open hardware platform. It runs on Open Wrt/LEDE and has a plethora of features, including USB ports, Wi-Fi, UART, and over 20 GPIOS—all in a one inch square. I can help you create a smart house, a very small router, or a study embedded system.
You willg et the full package when you buy VoCore: its hardware, schematic, circuit board, bill of materials, full source code (not including the boot loader), operating system, and applications. You control it entirely.
Conclusion
There are plenty of alternatives to Raspberry Pi. Some are powerhouses that make the Pi systems look like kittens, while others are tailored to very specific functions. Take a look at them base don out overviews if you find anything that serves your needs.
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