Not a completely invalid or uncommon take, but also not completely correct. People lament that it isn't the $25 like it used to be with the Pi 2/3, but ignore that you can get a Pi Zero 2 W (quad A53 cores like 3B, 512MB RAM) for <$20. I've used them for a bunch of projects: moonlight game streaming client, on-stage video player controlled by a foot pedal, Bluetooth controlled recorder for USB audio interfaces, Tailscale exit node, etc. They are tiny and great!

https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-zero-2-w/

I wish a Pi 5 (and RAM in general) was cheaper, but Raspberry Pi can't control that.

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pibaker 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Some people seem to think raspberry pi is a consumer tech company and whenever a new model is released, the old one will be discontinued. They will complain about the product being changed and the company robbing them of a cheap SBC.

I can only assume they don't actually work with the pi because if you spend just a minute looking at any reseller's inventory or even just the official website you will see they still make and sell and support boards from a decade ago.

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zarzavat 17 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

I don't understand why it's so difficult for people to understand.

If you're using the Pi as a microcontroller that you can run Python on, then just get the cheapest Pi that meets your needs.

If you're using the Pi for computationally expensive tasks then pay more money and get the fast one.

Personally I have a Pi 5 and it's perfect for me because I want small size but high performance. People say "just buy a real computer" but that would be higher energy and larger footprint.

The whole point of these things is that you use them for whatever you can imagine. Since different people have different imaginations it only makes sense that there's a range of different devices to suit everyone.

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nubinetwork 36 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

While you can still buy a pi 3, you'd be kicking yourself for not using something faster.

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javchz 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Agree. It's clear since COVID that Pi it's barely a company for makers or DIYers anymore, but it's a supply company for small to medium industries to integrate cheap PCs in their manufacturing process and they are good at that role.

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hatthew 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Huh. I had a work project a decade ago where we were evaluating SBCs as drivers for kiosks. At that time, the prevailing wisdom was that the Pi was specifically not for industry, as its main advantage was the strong community to provide support for DIYers. Competitors like PINE64 and Orange Pi were the same/better specs at half the price.

	▲	wtallis 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		When people talk about whether something like a Pi is aimed at industrial customers, that is largely not a statement about the cost vs specs, nor about the level of engagement with the DIY community. It's usually about having a suitable supply chain and long-term support and stable BOM and a mature software platform for customers to start building on.

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abdullahkhalids an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is it at all possible to run 1080p video using Pi Zero 2 W smoothly with no jittering?

What about launching a browser and playing a 1080p video from a streaming site?

I am looking for a computer to connect to my internet-disconnected TV.

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nine_k an hour ago | parent [-]

An old thin client machine, like a Thinkcentre M73, would do the job, and would cost less than an RPi. Look at EBay.

	▲	justin66 an hour ago \| parent [-]
		He's talking about a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W. It's a $15 part.

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mathis 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Try getting your hands on a Pi Zero 2 W. Here in Germany you cannot get them at all any more and the quoted price has gone up 3x.

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NavinF 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It's $37 new incl shipping on US eBay. Initial retail price was $23 incl shipping, see launch thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29025579

So a 61% price hike over 5 years, of which 24% was just inflation. If the total price really went up 200% in your country, that's exceptional and probably caused by policies unique to your country.

btw you can't compare prices without shipping because there was never an option to buy 100 at $15 each and amortize shipping. Retailers treated it as a loss leader with a limit of one per purchase, often forcing you to buy some extra junk to meet the order minimum.

	▲	justin66 41 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Weird. I can get one at the local Microcenter - with headers, the only one they're selling right now - for $18. They have a bunch in stock.

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vr46 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Yeah, more stock arriving on 1st of October, so I'm told.

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humanperhaps 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The Pi Zero 2W is great, but data I/O (WiFi, USB, and micro SD) do limit use cases slightly. For most use cases, I doubt this is an issue, but it is something to keep in mind if you want to run bandwidth-constrained services on it. For $15, I don't think that's an issue, but it is unfortunate.

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theowaway 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

except you can't. They have been out of stock for weeks

	▲	HankB99 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I just checked my closest Microcenters (in Illinois.) 12 in Westmont and 25+ in Chicago (for $18) Zero W were 13 and 25+ respectively at $15. Long gone are the days when they would sell a Pi Zero for $3.14 on Pi day.