The Raspberry Pi mini-computer just keeps getting better. It’s been three years since we reviewed a major upgrade to the Raspberry Pi line, and it was worth the wait. If you’ve been wondering if the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ is a worthwhile upgrade let me answer that with an emphatic yes.
Once again, we’re seeing a noticeable jump in performance compared to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B that we looked at in early 2016. Some of the downsides of the Raspberry Pi still exist with the Pi 3 B+. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to tinker with hardware, start programming, or just create an everyday PC for very basic needs, the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ is an excellent choice.
Hardware hacking is a major focus of the Raspberry Pi, but as this is PCWorld we’ll mostly concern ourselves with how Raspberry Pi functions as a PC. That can mean acting as a basic desktop machine, a home theater PC (HTPC), or a tool for learning how to program.
Basics:
On paper, the hardware for the Pi 3 B+ isn’t that different from its predecessor. There isn’t any extra RAM, the GPU is the same, and the processor’s clock speed made a small jump. And yet, the Pi 3 B+ performs far better than previous boards.
- SoC: BCM2837B0 64-bit system-on-chip with four ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores clocked at 1.4GHz
- CPU: 4x ARM Cortex-A53, 1.4GHz
- GPU: Broadcom VideoCore IV
- RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM
- Networking: Gigabit Ethernet (via USB channel), 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- Storage: MicroSD
- GPIO: 40-pin header, populated
- Ports: HDMI, 3.5mm analog audio-video jack, four USB 2.0, ethernet, Camera Serial Interface (CSI), Display Serial Interface (DSI)
Nice one..
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