Raspberry Pi Models Explained: Pi 3 vs Pi 4 vs Pi 5 vs Zero 2 W (Specs and Uses)
Specifications of the Raspberry Pi 3, 4, 5 and Zero 2 W side by side, what each is good at, what you need to get started, and the best first projects.
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What a Raspberry Pi is
The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card-sized computer made by Raspberry Pi Ltd, a company owned by the UK educational charity the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It runs Linux (usually Raspberry Pi OS), boots from a microSD card or SSD, and has a row of GPIO pins that let it control LEDs, motors and sensors. Millions are used in schools, homes and factories.
Specs side by side
| Pi 3 Model B+ | Pi 4 Model B | Pi 5 | Zero 2 W | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 | 2023 | 2021 |
| CPU | 4× Cortex-A53, 1.4 GHz | 4× Cortex-A72, 1.5–1.8 GHz | 4× Cortex-A76, 2.4 GHz | 4× Cortex-A53, 1 GHz |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1, 2, 4 or 8 GB | 2, 4, 8 or 16 GB | 512 MB |
| Video out | 1× HDMI | 2× micro-HDMI (4K) | 2× micro-HDMI (4K60) | 1× mini-HDMI |
| USB | 4× USB 2.0 | 2× USB 3.0, 2× USB 2.0 | 2× USB 3.0, 2× USB 2.0 | 1× micro-USB OTG |
| Network | Gigabit-labelled Ethernet (limited to ~300 Mbps), dual-band Wi-Fi | Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi 5 | Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi 5 | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only |
| Fast storage | microSD | microSD, USB 3 SSD | microSD, PCIe (NVMe via HAT) | microSD |
| Power supply | 5 V 2.5 A micro-USB | 5 V 3 A USB-C | 5 V 5 A USB-C recommended | 5 V 2.5 A micro-USB |
The Pi 5 is roughly two to three times faster than the Pi 4 in CPU tasks according to Raspberry Pi's own figures, and adds a power button, a real-time clock connector and a PCIe connector for NVMe SSDs.
What you need to get started
- The board and its official power supply (under-powered Pis behave strangely, especially the Pi 5).
- A microSD card of 32 GB or more, flashed with Raspberry Pi Imager.
- A case, ideally with a fan or heatsink for the Pi 4 and Pi 5.
- For desktop use: the right HDMI cable (micro-HDMI on Pi 4/5), a keyboard and mouse.
Great first projects
- Pi-hole: block ads and trackers for every device on your home network.
- Retro gaming with RetroPie or Batocera.
- Home server: Nextcloud for files, Home Assistant for smart home control, Jellyfin for media.
- Robots: add a motor driver and camera and build a rover. For a simple first robot, a microcontroller is easier; see our line follower tutorial.
- Learn to code with Python and the GPIO Zero library: blink an LED, read a button, log temperatures.
Quick answers
Can a Raspberry Pi replace my PC?
A Pi 5 with 8 GB or more handles web browsing, documents and coding comfortably. Heavy video editing and modern games are beyond it.
Is the Pi 3 still worth using?
Yes, for light, always-on jobs: Pi-hole, a print server, sensors or retro games. Buy a newer model for anything else.
Do GPIO pins use 5 V?
No. Raspberry Pi GPIO pins are 3.3 V and are not 5 V tolerant. Connecting 5 V signals directly can damage the board.