Raspberry Pi has been crowned supreme in the single-board computer space for many years. Raspberry Pi’s adaptability, solid support from the community, and low cost have made it the top choice for countless projects.
It has enabled users to master programming skills, automate their homes, create hardware projects, and develop Kubernetes clusters and edge computing.
However, the Raspberry Pi has limited support for resource-intensive apps and occasionally encounters hardware and software issues.
It’s best to supplement your entire PC to avoid overload, which is why you may want to try other single-board computer alternatives. With daily technology developments, other single-board computers can satisfy your project needs for excellent performance.
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Best Raspberry Pi Alternatives
- 1. BIGTREETECH SKR Pico V1.0 Controller Board
- 2. Orange Pi 5 RK3588S 8GB Rockchip
- 3. Odroid N2+ 12 VA and 4G RAM
- 4. SmartFly Info Banana Pi BPI M2
- 5. Libre ROC-RK3328-CC Computer Board
- 6. SmartFly Info Tinker Board S R2.0
- 7. Libre Computer Board AML-S905X-CC (Le Potato)
- 8. Khadas VIM3 Amlogic single-board Computer
- 9. LoveRpi Libre Computer Le Potato
- 10. Zimaboard 832 single-board Computer with 4K Media Server
- 11. ICEASY Micro Beat V2
- 12. Orange Pi 5B 16G and 256G single-board Computer
- 13. youyeetoo NanoPi NEO3
- 14. LattePanda 2 Alpha 864s
- 15. MeLE Quieter2Q Mini PC
- 16. LattePanda 3 Delta 864
- 17. WayPonDEV NanoPi NEO Plus2
- Conclusion
These undiscovered options provide a variety of features that will simplify multitasking, fuel your productivity and save you the money and space needed to acquire multiple devices that could do the same work.
Time to discuss some of the best alternatives to Raspberry Pi with top-notch specs and performance.
Best Raspberry Pi Alternatives
1. BIGTREETECH SKR Pico V1.0 Controller Board
The first Raspberry Pi alternative on our list is SKR Pico V1.0. It will work perfectly with your 3D printer and is pocket-friendly too.
SKR Pico V1.0 works with Klipper firmware and uses the onboard UART mode. The chip capacitors of the main control board are Murata capacitors for quality service and a better experience.
Additionally, the main control board sink design is newly upgraded, with the heat dissipation area enlarged for improved performance and added beauty. It supports a set of 3 controllable fans whose speed needs to be set before use.
I love that the fuse adopts the fuse holder + fuse design that’s effortless to disassemble. The lateral design of the main control board seat matches perfectly with the space characteristics of the Voron V0 machine.
The ID design is newly upgraded and adopts the Raspberry Pi’s board frame for the perfect installation, saving internal space. Voron players love this version of a control board. It adopts the TYPE C interface for excellent communication.
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2. Orange Pi 5 RK3588S 8GB Rockchip
Orange Pi 5 RK3588S uses a new 8-core 64-bit processor for excellent performance.
The quad-core functionality improves performance by 35%, making a noticeable difference in task performance than other versions. The 8nm process design ensures optimal performance with minimal power consumption.
The Raspberry Pi alternative has up to 2.4GHz Main frequency and a built-in GPU that allows premium features to function, and it’s splendid for gamers.
The embedded 3D/2D image module with 8K display capability makes it excellent for media use.
It has a high speed of up to 1000Mbps Ethernet and supports open source with wide usages such as AI, tablets, edge computing, intelligent security cloud computing, and other fields.
The mini-PC uses Orange Pi OS as the official operating system and supports Android 12 and Debian11. It can work with a computer, music, sounds, wireless server, HD video speaker, etc.
That’s not all.
The single-board computer provides great interfaces, including GPIO interface, HDMI output, 2*USB2.0, 1*USB3.0, LAN port Type C power supply, MicroSD card slot, 26 pin headers, etc.
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3. Odroid N2+ 12 VA and 4G RAM
Odroid N2+ is a new-generation single-board computer with blazing performance. It’s more stable and robust than the Raspberry Pi.
Its main CPU uses significantly little architecture, integrating a quad-core Cortex-A73 and Cortex-A53 cluster for exceptional performance.
The big metal housing heatsink is created to ensure the CPU and RAM stay cool and don’t slow down. It’s designed to let heat escape efficiently.
The CPU is placed on the bottom side of the circuit board to help with heat management. This setup helps keep the CPU from getting too hot and affecting performance.
It gets better: the N2’s DDR4 RAM runs at 1320 Mhz with low power consumption for excellent performance. Thanks to the latest 12nm silicon technology, the A73 cores run at 1.8 GHz for a quiet and robust computer.
It’s easy to set up and an ideal home assistant. The RTC battery holder ensures the board’s real-time clock runs well when the power is off.
It supports HDMI 2.0 and 4*USB 3.0 ports, a 40-pin GPIO connector, a microSD card slot, one USB 2.0, 0TG, and eMMC module socket ports. It runs on Linux, AndroidOS, and the latest Ubuntu.
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4. SmartFly Info Banana Pi BPI M2
The 500 MHz GPU and Quad Core ARM Cortex CPU ensure the Banana Pi BPI M2 delivers incredible performance for different applications.
One of BPI M2’s standout features is the 2GB DDR3 SD RAM that facilitates efficient operation and effortless multitasking. The onboard 8GB eMMC flash storage, SATA interface support, and Micro SD slot give you ample space to store data and expand operations.
iOS compatibility is another reason you will love BPI M2. It supports Linux and Android, making it compatible with various applications. This versatility makes it ideal for tasks such as setting up a media center, building a home automation system, or creating IoT device connections.
BPI M2 has abundant connectivity options: three USB 2.0 ports and a USB OTG port to support peripheral connections.
Do you like networking and engaging in wireless communication? This device makes that easy thanks to the 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Ethernet port, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and Bluetooth BT4.0.
Regarding the form factor, the Ras[berry Pi alternative boasts a compact size (92 by 60 mm). So, working on projects with space constraints shouldn’t be a problem.
Additionally, you can integrate it with different modules and devices. The 40-pin GPIO header, which is pin-compatible with Raspberry Pi, makes that possible.
Powering the BPI M2 is a Micro USB 5V 2A power source, ensuring a convenient and accessible power supply for your projects.
Whether you’re a developer, hobbyist, or enthusiast, this board gives you a solid foundation for diverse projects, from IoT solutions to media centers. With its rich feature set and affordability, the BPI M2 stands tall in single-board computers.
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5. Libre ROC-RK3328-CC Computer Board
You will love this high-performance Libre Computer Project minicomputer for your business and home uses. The 4K Ultra HD uses low power with its single IP covering large performance points.
Experience unparalleled performance with the Banana Pi BPI M2. Its 2GB high-bandwidth DDR4 RAM and high dynamic range display engine deliver stunning 4K 60FPS visuals.
With VP9 hardware decoding and H.264 hardware encoding, this board offers a 40% performance boost over Raspberry Pi, ensuring seamless operation.
Furthermore, its superfast Gigabit Ethernet and lightning-speed 5Gbps enable limitless connections with exceptional input/output performance.
The 40-pin header enables alternate pin functions like UART, GPIO, PWM, 12C, and SPI for hardware maintenance. Other design features include MicroSD card support, onboard IR, UHS, eMMC module, expansion connector, and ABC header.
Its media center is optimized by Android 7.1, making it the ultimate solution for gaming and movies for the Android ecosystem, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, and Debian 9 stretch. It uses Ethernet 100Base-TX for HDI.
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6. SmartFly Info Tinker Board S R2.0
The new Tinker Board S R2.0 succeeds Tinker Board S and is a great alternative for Raspberry Pi 4 since its solid internals contribute to a powerful and stable experience.
Don’t worry about port selection, as various options exist, from four non-shared USB 2.0 to GPIOs, HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet. Additionally, this new version supports 192/24-bit HD audio playback that accelerates to HD and UHD.
Tinker Board S R2.0 features a high-speed non-shared LAN port for true Gigabit-class networking. It leverages industry standards with compatible PCB, topology, IO, and connection placement.
Rock chip RK3288 SoC can go up to 1.8GHz with the 2GB DDR3 RAM as the base variant. It has 16GB eMMC storage that isn’t found in Raspberry Pi 4. The Mali-T764 board adds capability.
Additionally, the board offers extensive compatibility with SBC accessories and chassis, not to mention the multiple DIY use features that include color-coded enhanced GPIO and onboard power on the pin.
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7. Libre Computer Board AML-S905X-CC (Le Potato)
AML-S905X-CC is one of the best Raspberry Pi alternatives from Libre Computer Project. I like its support for the latest software like Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Raspbian 11.
AML-S905X-CC-2GB supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Raspbian 11, that you can use for suitable projects. Do you handle video creation work? This board has hardware acceleration to enhance smooth video playback and load 3D graphics easily.
Besides, the board runs on Linux 6.x, which contains open-source graphics and video libraries. These resources further improve graphics and video processing.
If you get stuck, you will find video tutorials from YouTube for commonly asked questions.
Why use it as an RPi alternative? It has the same form factor Raspberry Pi Model B, for re-use and power supplies. An identically designed 40-pin header enables hardware reuse.
The pins also function like UART, PWM, 12C, and SPI. The powerful GPIO libretech wiring tool is available on GitHub and can quickly toggle GPIOs.
You will enjoy using the fast and double memory CPU with Quad 64-bit 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A53 processors and 2GB of high bandwidth DDR3 to remember the VP9 hardware decoding for top performance.
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8. Khadas VIM3 Amlogic single-board Computer
Khadas VIM3 features the TP connector for multi-touch input. It supports 1080P video output through the MIPI-DSI interface. Additionally, it allows for 4K video output via the HDMI port.
The dual camera setup, with support for a four-lane MIPI-CSI interface, allows for up to 8MP image signal processing (ISP) and is equipped with a 30-pin FPC connector with a 0.5mm pitch.
The VIM3 single-board computer has a good CPU Speed, utilizing the A311D big-little architecture; the device incorporates four Cortex-A73 cores and two Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.8GHz, resulting in enhanced CPU performance than Raspberry Pi.
It has an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), a Neural Network Accelerator that operates at a frequency of up to 800MHz and can perform INT8 inference at a rate of 5.0 TOPS.
An internal L2 cache of 512KB and a system workspace buffer of 1MB allows efficient processing. Moreover, it is compatible with popular deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow.
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9. LoveRpi Libre Computer Le Potato
Whether you are a programmer or developing Kubernetes clusters working on a budget, Le Potato can perform many tasks using less than a single watt of power.
Le Potato is a hassle-free WiFi dongle with excellent performance and a feature list that includes packet injection, AP mode, ad-hoc mode, and more making your computing tasks easier.
Computer anodized heatsink has an oxide coating of protection that prevents environmental corrosion while providing much higher thermal performance. Reduced temperature cycling greatly improves sustained performance while also enhancing reliability.
The libretech-raspbian-portability program is accessible on GitHub and can transfer existing Raspbian 11 and 10 images. Before being installed on a Libre Computer board, this program must be launched using a Raspberry Pi board; otherwise, it will fail to boot.
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10. Zimaboard 832 single-board Computer with 4K Media Server
The Zimaboard 832 is a low-cost device for geeks, DIYers, and makers. It features Intel Celeron N3450 Quad Core with 1.1GHz to 2.2Ghz.
It has the matching power of a micro server and the expandability of a single-board computer, making it useful for smart home projects and edge intelligence.
The onboard interfaces are entirely expandable and customizable; for example, the PCLe x4 caters to different needs. Plus, using a variety of PCLe accessories on the market, it’s possible to extend the Zimaband setup with NVMe NGFF SSD, XMOS/DAC module, WIFI dongle, and more.
The 832 single-board computer has a pre-installed CasaOS, a home cloud system to protect family data in the digital age. You can use it for video and photo storage, manage smart home devices, and encrypt communication.
The 4K streaming server makes this single-board computer one of the best Raspberry Pi alternatives. Set up a personal cloud in five minutes, configure a VPN for online privacy, collaborate with a team, and upgrade smart projects on various systems.
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11. ICEASY Micro Beat V2
Micro Beat V2 features the NRF52 application processor that houses user programs. Complete applications like runtime code, user code, and Bluetooth stack are loaded here to run from on-chip flash memory.
But the application processor’s role doesn’t end there. It has an onboard temperature sensor to provide an estimated ambient temperature. This single-board computer enhances your audio, too, thanks to the PCB-mounted magnetic speaker for efficient sound output.
The computer’s onboard 2.4GHz facilitates Bluetooth communication, allowing the device to communicate with various Bluetooth-supported devices, such as tablets and mobile phones.
The device is suitable for children and adults, as it’s easy to use. The interface chip enhances the USB connection, sending data between the micro bit and the computer.
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12. Orange Pi 5B 16G and 256G single-board Computer
If you ever wanted a Raspberry Pi alternative compatible with tablets, the Orange Pi 5B should be the best choice.
It’s also compatible with edge computing, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, smart home automation, AR/VR, intelligent security, and other fields.
What makes the Pi 5B stand out is the size of its RAM. With 16GB RAM, you can do all sorts of tasks, including gaming, 3D Modeling, printing, etc.
Another impressive feature of the Pi 5B 16G265G is its ample storage space in this list. With 256GB storage space, you can save a lot of data, from video and images to project files.
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13. youyeetoo NanoPi NEO3
The NanoPi NEO3 provides a comprehensive package with its included case and heat sink, making it an all-in-one solution. This Raspberry Pi alternative features a high-performance CPU that works through ARM Cortex-A53 architecture.
With 1GB of 32-bit DDR4 RAM, this board ensures efficient multitasking and smooth operation for your projects.
If you are concerned with the device conflicting with other devices’ IPs, it has a unique MAC address to stop it because the MAC address can be used as a device’s fingerprint. Most Raspberry Pi boards lack this functionality.
The board computer’s rich interface has one Gbps Ethernet with a unique MAC address, one USB 3.0 Type-A port, two 2 54mm USB 2.0 pin headers, one MicroSD card slot, and various GPIO pins.
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14. LattePanda 2 Alpha 864s
Those owning or looking to start an advertising firm will want to use 2 Alpha 864s. It is widely used in edge computing, industry automation, vending, etc.
Don’t leave your projects hanging when you go out again. Take advantage of this board’s compact size to complete tasks from any place.
You will be satisfied if you want to save power, as it runs on low power consumption.
It has a pre-installed Windows 10 pro operating system, and linux supports it. It uses 3.4GHz, Intel UHD Graphics 615 integrated into the processor to give quality media conversions, 4K Ultra HD (UHD) video, and fast frame rates.
With all that computing power, you may think a lot of watts is used, but in reality, only 8W works.
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15. MeLE Quieter2Q Mini PC
MeLe Quieter2Q mini pc is one of the best Raspberry Pi alternatives for personal, office, education, commerce, digital signage, and IOT uses.
It has pre-installed Windows 11 Pro OS and supports Ubuntu and Linux. Another amazing feature is the Intel Celeron J4125 Quad Core Processor, which adds performance.
As a businessperson or student, the last thing you want is a noisy PC when attending meetings or conferences. With this SBC, you enjoy a quiet moment.
In terms of space, the small computer is equipped with 8GB LPDDR4 RAM, 128GB eMMC storage that runs HD Video, and Windows 11. You can utilize the MicroSD card slot to expand storage up to 1TB for more space.
It doesn’t end there.
Its fanless computer ensures a passive cooling technology and excellent thermal dissipation, not to mention the dust and noise-free performance for 24/7 hours of operation.
It supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Dual HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet for higher speed and stable connection for streaming. The HDMI supports HD video dual-screen output, plus Bluetooth 4.2 easily connects to other devices.
Lastly, it comes with Kensington Security Lock Slot for commercial purposes, with the Unlock BIOS support working perfectly for digital signage, industrial IoT, and billboards.
16. LattePanda 3 Delta 864
The 3 Delta’s Intel Celeron N5105 processor with 2.9GHz speed improves applications’ performance.
This pocket-sized board computer measures 125 by 78 by 16 mm and features 8GB RAM and 64GB eMMC. These features guarantee quick storage and seamless multitasking in a compact form factor.
You will prefer this LattePanda 3 Delta to Raspberry Pi because of its ultra-fast data transfer and connectivity. It has Gigabit Ethernet and WI-Fi 6 for quick downloading and streaming. Fast speeds are further enhanced by USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and USB Type C ports.
If your devices run on different operating systems, this is the right board computer. It supports Linux OS and Windows.
Besides, the single computer board supports three-way video output and 4K HDR. Moreover, it has a built-in Arduino Coprocessor ATmega32U4 that works with over 200 sensors and actuators.
17. WayPonDEV NanoPi NEO Plus2
NanoPi NEO Plus2 is designed for makers. The high-speed network and quick storage enable you to navigate applications, multitask, and complete tasks more quickly.
It features two USB ports, Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth modules to enhance data transfer from your phone or microSD card.
Are you a programming enthusiast? This single-board computer comes with GPIO programming libraries connected to GIT. You can download the desired data and get started with coding.
No more lags when working on your tasks because NanoPi NEO Plus2 has a high-performance chip for increased CPU performance that matches the level of Raspberry Pi single-board computers.
We are talking about Allwinner H5 and frequency of 4* Cortex-A53 1.5GHz. It also runs on a 64-bit Ubuntu Core Xenial+ kernel.
Besides, it features a RAM of 1GB, DDR3, and 8GB eMMC for optimal performance.
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Conclusion
You can explore the best Raspberry Pi alternatives from our list and settle on the ones that meet your needs, such as the work you do, the data you want to store, other IoT devices in your home that need connectivity, the need to complete projects in different locations, and so on.
Don’t let the size of these boards fool you. They can let you multitask and complete tasks quicker, collaborate with others, store and encrypt essential data, learn programming, and unleash innovation.
These feature-rich single-board computers are worth exploring. Select at least one and enjoy its excellent performance.
