This was posted 8 months 21 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8GB $127.90 + Delivery @ Core Electronics

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Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8GB $127.90 + Delivery @ Core Electronics
Go to Deal
sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 14:23 core-electronics.com.au (1974 clicks)
Last edited 06/08/2023 - 16:11 by 1 other user

Copied from previous deal. Good on them to have stock priced at the same as 6 months ago. Remember its not the 4 GB or 2 GB
Also better to use a fast USB/SSD instead of an SD card.

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/783064

One of the most asked questions we've had from people at OzBargain is "When will 8GB RPi be back in stock?"

We are happy to say, some stock has landed! Be amongst the first to get one, though as usual, stock is likely to run out.

Various delivery options (check our website for delivery costs to your location). Free pickup for locals in Newcastle (order must be placed online).

Most people know just how overpriced these boards are elsewhere and how scarce stock is. Examples:

$145 @ Little Bird (piaustralia.com.au)
$189 @ Jaycar
$200+ @ Amazon
Tech specs and details from our website:

The Raspberry Pi 4 is a huge leap forward for single-board computing. While the Raspberry Pi 4 is still a fantastic educational tool and piece of maker hardware, it's also now a true PC replacement for a wide range of uses at home, in school projects, and inside commercial products. This newfound performance is powered by a significant increase in processing power, dedicated multimedia hardware, and I/O technology.

We have a wide range of guides available for Raspberry Pi along with a step-by-step workshop. These guides are made for makers, by makers, and we're here if you need help along the way.

Key features

1.5GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 CPU
VideoCore VI graphics
Hardware 4kp@60Hz HEVC decoding
True Gigabit Ethernet
2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
2 × USB 3.0 and 2 × USB 2.0 ports
2 × Micro-HDMI ports (1 × 4kp@60Hz or 2 × 4kp@30Hz)
USB-C for input power, supporting 5.1V 3A operation
3 LPDDR4 RAM options available: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB (this listing)
Supports the SDXC standard, allowing you to use microSD cards up to 2TB (we recommend 32GB for Raspbian OS)
We also have enough Raspberry Pi Zero W(core-electronics.com.au) available to allow them to be purchased at the same time as another board variant. Yeee!

And because there is always some curiosity about what you can use these for, here are some project ideas for Raspberry Pi boards(chat.openai.com). ChatGPT is just as helpful with building all of those types of projects, as are we over on our Maker Forum(forum.core-electronics.com.au) :)

Computing Raspberry Pi Foundation Single Board Computer

Related Stores

Core Electronics
Core Electronics

closed Comments

  • benjaminv on 06/08/2023 - 14:27
    +3

    Order this what’s next?
    Good price for whom is in genuine need. Thx op.

    • Budju on 06/08/2023 - 15:58
      +17

      horrible price, these things aren't even worth it any more.

      • joshx on 06/08/2023 - 16:00
        +9

        Yeah. Especially given devices like orange pi5 etc are just so much better. So insanely overpriced.

        • Budju on 06/08/2023 - 16:04
          +7

          I haven't had a look at that one, but you can get some pretty awesome x86 mini PCs for just about the same price as a pi 4 these days with at least as much ram

          • DmytroP on 06/08/2023 - 16:41
            +2

            @Budju: The usage is not necessarily overlapping, from the IO/form factor/power usage point of view.

            • Blitzfx on 06/08/2023 - 20:19

              @DmytroP: Looking at the more popular x86 SBC, with the same form factor, similar IO, similar power, the UP 4000 performs a lot better in most tests for only a few $ more

              https://www.cnx-software.com/2022/07/12/benchmarks-compariso…

              Honestly, the only thing that raspberry pi ecosystem has going for it is the community support.
              It's the same as how the Arduino nano cost so much more than the raspberry pico, even though the pico is much better performing and significantly cheaper.

              • DmytroP on 06/08/2023 - 20:44
                +1

                @Blitzfx: UP 4000 seems to consume quite a bit more power, in the spec - 12V 5A, in my tests CM4 consumed around 2-3W under load (for some reason quite a bit less than RPi4).

                It depends a lot on the project/task, for hobby projects (the RPi market) the software support, large ecosystem and community are often more important than the price or raw speed.

              • Eeples on 06/08/2023 - 21:35

                @Blitzfx: Pity the 8gb pi is not in the comparison table.

        • DmytroP on 06/08/2023 - 16:48
          +2

          Depending on your task, one advantage of raspberry pi would be better support, especially software/drivers.

        • Grevhimself on 06/08/2023 - 19:33
          +2

          Where are the cheap orange pis?

          • mbcd on 07/08/2023 - 12:59
            +1

            @Grevhimself: Bunch of them in AliExpress. Got myself an 4GB ram Orange Pi Zero 3 kit recently from there for about 75AUD (specifically: https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005845246679.html).

          • theguwithnoname on 07/08/2023 - 13:46
            +2

            @Grevhimself: For really lightweight stuff, the OrangePi Zero2/3 is super great value. Linux SBC for ~30AUD is really quite great.

            It actually has full size USB and ethernet, unlike the Pi Zero.

            Obviously it can't match the RPi in terms of software and support. That's the thing with RPi alternatives though, for quite a few use cases, the extra money is worth the time you'd save using a RPi

      • benjaminv on 06/08/2023 - 16:51
        -1

        Lucky I don’t need it.

  • boomramada on 06/08/2023 - 14:30
    +7

    Good write up but you don't need 8gb unless apps you are using are struggling with memory. Instead of SD, use a SSD.

    • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 16:11

      Yeah edited in the post.
      Thanks

    • scix on 06/08/2023 - 18:13
      +1

      Extra RAM can never hurt. You might want to repurpose the device down the line for something that requires more RAM, and you won't be able to since it's soldered.

      • boomramada on 06/08/2023 - 20:13
        +11

        IT and future proof = waste of money (just hurt your wallet)
        I got Pi4 24/7 running for a few years using (duckdns/httpd/qbitrorrent/ha/*arr/pihole/mysql) barely use 1.5gb on 4gb.

      • skillet on 07/08/2023 - 09:07
        -2

        What do you want to do on a 8GB RaspPi4?? Play games? Do office tasks? You've chosen on a wrong platform. The CPU will choke before anything happens. 2GB is just right for it.

        • scix on 07/08/2023 - 09:50
          +3

          Servers can easily use more than 4GB of RAM depending on what you're doing. And even if you have enough RAM, having a system that rarely uses swap (ideally never) is better for performance.

      • rumblytangara on 08/08/2023 - 12:33
        +2

        Extra RAM hurts your wallet now with a 100% certainty, versus the unknown 'might be repurposed down the line.' And X years down the line, you could probably just use that extra money saved now for newer gear that's moved well past these current covid-induced inflated prices.

        One thing that decades of IT experience has taught me is that 'future proofing' is either a mug's game, or a favorite tactic of product marketing.

        • scix on 11/08/2023 - 11:34
          +2

          My argument isn't about money, it's about e-waste. And that amount of RAM will become a problem within the decade, as software and operating systems are trending towards using more RAM. Hell, I have multiple mini pcs with not that many services running and they are all using more than 4GB RAM as I speak (and yes, I'm accounting for buffers/cache).

          If your argument is more to not buy a Pi due to inflated prices, then I can't argue with that. But we aren't talking a huge different in price between the 4gb and 8gb model, so I personally wouldn't skimp on it but that's up to the individual to decide for themselves.

          • rumblytangara on 11/08/2023 - 11:44

            @scix: 'ewaste'? Easily solved. Pass it off to a friend. That's what I'm doing with some of mine.

            RAM usage? What are you running - Windows?

            My (five) SBCs are all running well under 512MB. Including my 4GB Pi, which is ticking along at just over 300MB.

  • lltravel on 06/08/2023 - 15:06
    +1

    can anyone confirm if you can use this as a streaming device"

    for eg, plug into hdmi and stream from websites at 1080p?

    cheers

    • pauly85 on 06/08/2023 - 15:08
      +6

      I mean you could, but this would be a very expensive and over-powered way to do it if that's all you're using it for.

    • scrimshaw on 06/08/2023 - 15:33
      +11

      You would be better off with a media streaming box or stick, like a Google Chromecast with Google TV HD. Those things are ridiculously cheap when on sale, like $42

      The raspberry pi isn't ready to use out of the box, you still need a power supply unit that can deliver 2.5amps, SD card and an enclosure of some sort, plus some way to interact with it (a wireless media KB) so all the extra kit is going to cost you possibly an extra $50 or so. A Google Chromecast on the other hand is ready to use without any additional kit.

      • lltravel on 06/08/2023 - 16:47

        cast wont work on some streaming sites. I want to be able to stream from any browser

        • greenie4242 on 07/08/2023 - 00:31
          +4

          The poorly named "Chromecast with Google TV" is a fully fledged Android box with Google Play Store support, so you can go nuts installing any streaming app you like (Netflix, AppleTV+, Disney+, Crunchyroll) plus sideload other apps.

          It comes with a decent Bluetooth remote control and a USB power supply.

          It also functions as a basic Chromecast so you can stream directly to it from other devices or browser windows.

          Web browsers work if you pair a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard or connect a compatible USB-C hub.

          It's wi-fi only which can be unreliable in poor signal areas, but adding a USB-C hub with included Ethernet port solves that issue. Check reviews first to make sure the hub is compatible as many are not.

      • smalltime0 on 06/08/2023 - 21:47
        +4

        An enclosure!? laughs behind his Pihole dangling next to the router
        But seriously, I agree, whilst a raspberry Pi can do streaming its not really what they're good at

      • 2xOKzC on 07/08/2023 - 12:41
        +1

        Agree.

        I have a pi 4B and used it to mainly stream from FTA and other sources via Kodi. I used this instead of going via browser as it offered better quality output, less tearing etc.

        The Pi struggles with 4K output and if you're using a browser some sites may not work properly. Some websites may restrict video quality via web browser - even to way below 1080p, so you should check out any that you're subscribed to. I don't think the Pi does Dolby Vision, and there are probably limitations with HDR output.

        And sometimes stuff just didn't work and I needed to waste time fixing it.

        I ended up grabbing an Amazon Fire TV 4K Max on special for $49 and for nearly everything, it works better and is more reliable with virtually zero maintenance. I still run Kodi on that too.

        Unless there is something specific you want to run that requires the Pi 4B, you are better off grabbing a device that focusses on streaming, eg Fire TV, nVidia Shield, Google/Apple TV etc.

    • greenie4242 on 06/08/2023 - 20:15
      +1

      Netflix will not work out of the box and requires installing a bunch of libraries to watch it through the web browser, or faffing about with third-party LibreELEC plugins that might stop working tomorrow. The Pi comes with no remote control so if you're using it with a TV you'll need to add some kind of remote via USB or Bluetooth or messing around with an IR blaster.

      Other streaming sites such as Disney+, Stan, Binge, Crunchyroll, Prime, Paramount+, Apple TV+ will have varying support depending on their library compatibility.

      If you only want to watch stuff from the internet or a local server on your TV, just get a Chromecast with Google TV (for less than half the cost of the Pi) which comes with a remote control and power supply and plugs directly into HDMI so you don't need the extra cost of USB power supply, USB cable, SD card, HDMI cord, keyboard/mouse/controller, enclosure and don't have to mess about downloading ISOs and playing with config files.

      The Pi is a good educational tool and decent for some low power server type applications, but requires lots of external components and set-up time to get it functional.

      • MasterScythe on 06/08/2023 - 22:50

        Your experience sounds strange.
        Though, I do admit, I'm running Raspbian as the base, not LibreELEC, so that might be why.

        That said; None of the websites you've listed required 'libraries' to play perfectly fine on Firefox on any of the 4x Pi's I have setup for streaming.
        The only one I've not personally tried is Paramount+.
        They all respond just fine to HDMI-CEC commands through my Sony TV remote too; though I agree with one point, I do prefer my mini keyboard.

        Continuning on with our mismatching experiences with this, In regards to what the OP asked for;
        I've never had a good experience streaming from websites using things like chromecasts.
        They work AMAZINGLY if you're using an app, but if your requirements are 'websites' (for example, I was just last night watching InitialD on the Funimation website), I've always found the experience clunky at best, unresponsive at worst.

        If the OP is willing to be locked down to using a services app, rather than their website, then I'd agree with eveything you've said, but that would require shrinking their scope a fair bit. There are a lot of websites with embedded media out there.
        A few examples would be 'Sample' video from GSMArena (which I watch a lot of), Floatplane (website is vastly better than their app), and Newgrounds (which needs no introduction).

        • greenie4242 on 07/08/2023 - 00:10
          +1

          Agreed, Chromecasts are garbage and my experience with 'streaming to' a TV from another device has always been flakey, but the (very poorly named) "Chromecast with Google TV" is a fully fledged Android box with Google Play support.

          I despise my Sony and Samsung remote controls because they are large and clunky with awkward key layout, but the remote controls for my dedicated Android boxes (Vodafone TV and "Chromecast with Google TV" plus a couple of no-names from AliExpress) have all been a dream to use, with just enough but not too many buttons.

          The Pi is great for what it does, but requires so much crap hanging off it, plus extra expenses like the USB power supply (not just any old USB charger will work reliably) make it tedious to set up. After adding up costs it ends up more expensive than a more powerful refurbished Dell micro-PC that you might even be able to shoehorn a GPU into for gaming.

          Kudos to you for getting everything running the way you want with multiple Pis and your approach is definitely something I would have enjoyed twenty years ago, but these days I come home from a crappy day and just want to sit down and enjoy content without tinkering. I went to a friend's house and two electronics engineers wasted an hour trying to get surround sound to work with Linux, but I plugged my $59 Android box into a spare HDMI port on his AV receiver and it worked first go. Watching something work so effortlessly first go made them seriously consider their life choices.

          • MasterScythe on 07/08/2023 - 00:23

            @greenie4242: Oh no doubt there are better value options.

            I just dislike android for website playback because sometimes it insists on taking you to the app; great if you like the app, but there arent many apps better than their full site (but thats a personal preference of course).

            I got into the "pi" thing when they were legitimately cheap, and just move the sd card to the next one when a faster model comes out.

            Being able to torrent on my 'streaming device' so I have new content every day, and have it draw so little power is an added bonus; though really I should move the downloading job to my Router, and just playback over the network.

            • greenie4242 on 07/08/2023 - 00:44

              @MasterScythe: If you disable or uninstall the Android app then select "Desktop site" in Firefox most stuff works without forcing you to the app.

              If that doesn't work, the Firefox Beta or Nightly builds for Android still support about:config so you can change the UserAgent to not identify as an Android client. I think you can also do it in Chrome but haven't tried as I despise Chrome.

    • asCMSas on 15/08/2023 - 10:33

      yes, they are great for it -run Kodi on LibreElec or OSMC, works great. with 8gb it can play N64 games and higher

    • asCMSas on 15/08/2023 - 10:53

      yes, they are great for streaming videos - just run Kodi on LibreElec or OSMC, a pi 4 works great. with 8gb it can play N64 games and higher

  • Kangal on 06/08/2023 - 15:19
    +4

    What's everyone's wishlist for a Model-5B variant?

    I'm hoping for (tell em his dreamin) :

    8nm process node (less heat/energy)
    Wifi 6, BT 5, Gbit Ethernet, USB 3.2, microHDMI 2.1, etc etc
    8x Cortex-A78 cores (1.00 - 2.50Ghz all core)
    New iGPU that is much more capable (both graphics and AI uses), maybe a switch to ARM Mali-G78mp8 ?
    $140 Base model, lower binned, with 8GB RAM and no internal storage
    $210 Upgraded variant, better binned, 16GB RAM and 128GB eMMC 5.1 internal storage

    ….then keep the Raspberry Pi 4B (4GB) model in circulation for $70 as a lower price option.

    • skid on 06/08/2023 - 15:35
      +2

      2.5Ghz clock and 8GB RAM. Faster GPU would be good as long as the power requirements are not increased.

    • boretentsu on 06/08/2023 - 15:37
      +7

      M2 2242 expansion

    • garage sale on 06/08/2023 - 16:10
      +2

      nvme slot ….or on board flash the the micro sd is very dated as the sole storage device.

      • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 16:13
        +1

        Its not, you can also use a USB as well as an SSD as mentioned in the comments abve

    • [Deactivated] on 06/08/2023 - 18:23
      -3

      Intel or AMD x86 cpu!

    • Vecernik87 on 07/08/2023 - 10:59
      -1

      I wish they use 8-30V power input with standard barrel jack, same as mikrotik does with many of their routerboards
      Using USB as power supply seems smart, until people realise that almost none of usual USB chargers provides 3 Amps and most people need to buy a special USB PSU, just for their raspi. Although Raspi would need additional voltage regulator, it would become much more flexible for deployment as it would allow standard 12 and 24V as well as less usual 10 or 28V. Even crazy ideas like powering your raspi with 9V battery would be possible…

    • theguwithnoname on 07/08/2023 - 13:50

      Pi 4 already has Gigabit Ethernet

    • rumblytangara on 08/08/2023 - 12:43
      +1

      I want the Pi to become cheap and plentiful again cheap enough that they can be bought without thinking about it. Not $100+ unobtainium desktop wannabes, because as other people constantly point out, there are plenty of actual used tiny desktops that are in that price bracket already.

      I don't need a credit card sized machine with desktop processing power- I have proper hardware for that. I need credit card sized machines for cramped spaces with no ventilation or dust control that can be deployed for trivial cost.

      The one thing I'd want is built-in PoE, but that's so understandably niche that I never expect to see that. Unfortunately, the PoE hats from the Pi Foundation sound like they are flawed.

    • ColonialBoy on 11/08/2023 - 07:21

      You just gave the specs of he Orange Pi 5.

      Which is available now.

  • DGrayson82 on 06/08/2023 - 15:19

    anyone able to recommend a good case that has active cooling?

    • NatDan on 06/08/2023 - 15:38
      +2

      Highly recommend any of the Argon cases. The Argon case with mounting for a M.2 drive and a fan ticks the boxes for myself.

  • Phoebus on 06/08/2023 - 15:24
    +5

    N95 based mini PC is much better value.

  • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 15:32
    +4

    Don’t really understand why folks see this as a good option when there’s so much competetively priced competition out there with better performance.

    I know people percieve it to be well supported but Armbian supports everything out there and there are both standard Debian distros for ARM and RISCV64

    • garage sale on 06/08/2023 - 16:13
      +4

      the pi comes with a great use community , documentation, ready to run projects, etc so great for education and kids , perfect device for schools due to the support…. wouldn’t be my first choice if i was making 1000 better mousetraps.

    • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 16:17

      People have said that a lot, but not a lot of support as much as there is for the pi.
      Care to give examples, post deals. I am going to test android auto on a 15 inch old laptop touch screen.

      • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 17:12

        I guess it depends on what you want to do with it but for my use for example (essentially a media server), OpenMediaVault runs really well on top of a minimal Armbian build that’s tailored for my hardware (Libre Renegade).

        The thing about support is that it seems to revolve around Raspbian which so far as I can tell is a not particularly special Debian build. I’d prefer vanilla Debian for my kid if they were learning the ropes tbh.

        • netsurfer on 06/08/2023 - 18:58

          Could you please post a link to a deal for the hardware you are using? Pi4 is over priced in today's standard. The price hasn't changed much for years. 8GB RAM as well?

          RK3328, honestly, I have a RK3588 based device. RK3588 is over promised and under delivered, especially on the software side.

          Linux distributions, with so many of them, I don't really see one distribution being so great over another one. In fact, for learning coding, the distribution doesn't really matter that much. I don't expect we want children to re-compile or build a custom version of linux OS.

          • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 19:08

            @netsurfer: I’d post a link if I was aware of a bargain but I’m not inclined to shopping around for bargains on needs that are already filled.

            I have a board that fills my needs, so sorry but I’m not aware of any particularly good buys on the market.

            I’ll post something up if I see one.

            • netsurfer on 06/08/2023 - 19:11

              @0jay: From what I can see, right now, the 2GB RAM version is already over $100 AUD and that's without GST. Also, I don't think WiFi is included (same annoyance I have with RK3588, but at least there is a slot to add that, but the WiFi support is quite iffy with Intel WiFi cards poorly supported).

              For ease of use, RPi 4 makes sense, 8GB RAM isn't needed for most people, 4GB is probably the sweet spot, but if more power is needed, RK3588 makes more sense.

              • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 19:15

                @netsurfer: It’s true the Libre has no wifi but then as I understand it onboard wifi’s pretty ordinary on Pi boards anyway.

                Agree on the ram, not so sure about the distro. There’s a reason Raspbian, Armbian and Ubuntu are all derived from Debian. Reckon there’re good reasons to start there and make a home for yourself if there’s no reason not to (and all the dodge with Cannonical et al lately are reason to stay away from Ubuntu if you’ve got no particular reason to go there).

                I know this nudges into religion, just putting my cards down.

                • netsurfer on 06/08/2023 - 19:22

                  @0jay: Without WiFi makes it harder for people interested in Tuya Convert, EspHome. Distros, honestly, do most people care that much? There are so many linux distros. RK3588's software support is subpar (and I am being nice) so it is hard to imagine RK3328 being fantastic. Rockchip's wifi support is inferior. It's either pay more to get the one that's supported and you can forget about Intel ones for now. USB 3 hub being needed if you want to overcome single USB 3 port (I just don't think WiFi on USB 2 is a good idea nowadays).

                  Sure, the CPU/GPU technically is better, but the software support is nowhere near as good and you need to google a lot more to figure things out. I don't think it is worth it. Also, it is not easy to find places which sell them at a decent price.

                  • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 19:26

                    @netsurfer: Ok you’re going to have to get into specifics - what kind of support is lacking and what distro are you using?

                    This actually sounds like a case where a carefully chosen distro could make a big difference.

                    As to what most folks care about I’d argue most folks just want an appliance and don’t care to weigh themselves down with choices and research they don’t have to be burdened with.

                    That’s arguably why the Pi’s so popular in the first place. Path dependence does not necessarily make for better choices, just look at Betamax and HD DVD among countless other examples.

                    • netsurfer on 07/08/2023 - 20:24
                      +1

                      @0jay: You make it sound like RK3328 and RK3588 have a lot more choices. Official distro from the board maker. The display glitches Jeff Geerling reported match what I experienced. I knew Rockchip CPUs have inferior software support, but I didn't expect that to be so sloppy. Sure, I can use mostly command line, but that's just dumb to get a supposedly much more powerful CPU that meant to have much better graphics capability and need to close a blind eye to accept subpar software.

                      • 0jay on 08/08/2023 - 08:45

                        @netsurfer:

                        You make it sound like RK3328 and RK3588 have a lot more choice

                        Honestly no real idea what this means

                        I knew Rockchip CPUs have inferior software support, but I didn't expect that to be so sloppy

                        It’d help to know what distro you’re running

                        Sure, I can use mostly command line

                        It’d help to know what you’re trying to do and further to that what you’re using this equipment for

                        need to close a blind eye to accept subpar software.

                        Again - no real clue. Prob with drivers..? Preferred software not playing nice with your particular config..?

                        I’m not suggesting I can solve your issues, only that there’s no real way to be sure what your issues actually are from the above.

                        In addition, not ALL hardware is worth buying. You might have an RK3588 board that was broadly considered to be crap. That doesn’t mean therefore that RK3588 boards are all crap.

    • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 17:20

      What else comes in the same form factor, without a fan?

      • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 17:34

        libre renegade for one but there are a lot more

        • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 17:39

          Fair enough, I thought you were comparing these to the usual usff PCs.

          I use non-Pi SBCs for home. But if I was going to use SBCs for work (which we've done) then I wouldn't want to rely on some Shenzhen company that could change hardware on the fly or can the product line without warning.

          I guess it's the same reason people buy HP servers with product roadmaps, instead of sourcing cobbled together supermicros even though the latter are cheaper, same size, and same power.

          • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 18:13

            @rumblytangara: If it’s for a business I’d guess community support’s not exactly something you’d plan on being much of an advantage. More likely to be using vanilla Debian and have pretty thorough knowledge of how to achieve whatever it you plan to use it for.

            All the above’d knock off a chunk of the appeal of a Pi I’d reckon, particularly when you take into account the supply issues of how many years now?

            Not exactly as reliable as you’re presenting them to be under these conditions.

            • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 18:24

              @0jay: I've been in product presentations just for desktop PCs where roadmaps were the deciding factor in ditching a manufacturer entirely.

              We get hit by enough problems with EoL gear that's been notified 3 years out that the last thing we'd want to rely on is some random Shenzhen manufacturer changing a product at zero notice.

              My very vague impression of the Pi business is that most of the product ends up in corp environments, and that us home users slapping random distros on top and tossing them into the cupboard are a secondary concern.

              • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 18:47

                @rumblytangara: I have zero issue with the premise you’re asserting here, only that Pi in any way represents a more stable or reliable supplier than one of the more obscure boards given Pi’s supply issues of late.

                I guess if supply’s taken up by corporate partners and that’s the cause of consumer shortages then you can disregard supply issues but I’d be surprised if they have supply contracts for comparable numbers to the kinds of orders retail outlets would be placing, corporate contracts would be privildged for their scale.

                I was also under the impression it was the smaller boards that were so useful for displays and such that corporate customers were interested in.

                • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 19:48

                  @0jay: I really didn't bother to follow the shortage issue closely, but I do recall reading that priority was given to enterprise channels rather than retail.

                  Throughout the past couple years of shortages, there have been various alternatives available on the retail front. But everyone still wants a Pi. I have used alternatives, but there was one application where it really didn't seem that other boards could serve as drop in replacements (a DIY enthusiast 3D printer).

    • leiiv on 06/08/2023 - 19:02

      there’s so much competetively priced competition out there with better performance.

      Please post links to such products as examples.

      • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 19:06
        -4

        If you think that’s a gotcha, it’s not. You just have to be aware of some of the variety of what’s available.

        It’s a bit like saying a Golf’s a decent hatchback but you can get a pretty good alternative for less if you’re not jonesing for a VW.

        You could respond to the above ‘post a deal please’ but goddman mate just have a look at the market. There’re tons of alternatives, most of them cheaper that the Pi merely by virtue of the fact that part of their business model is to undercut the Pi and soak up their customers.

      • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 19:59
        -4

        These are really not hard to find- anyone familiar with Pi hardware and their uses is likely aware of alternatives, and if not could Google them with success in less than 30 seconds.

        They've exploded in popularity because of the Covid-induced Pi shortages.

        • 0jay on 08/08/2023 - 12:16
          +2

          It’s at thankless task mate, you’re supposed to post up a mini essay explicating how it works, why anyone would want one and detail all the competition with links to corresponding bargains and a paragraph or two on various strengths and weakness relative to the rest.

          • rumblytangara on 08/08/2023 - 12:52
            +1

            @0jay: Not to mention that this thread has half a dozen alternative products posted in it already.

            All someone needs to do is read the thread, if they are incapable of Google.

  • futaris on 06/08/2023 - 15:33
    +3

    8GB only really needed if you want to run Windows on ARM.

  • iLikePizza on 06/08/2023 - 15:40
    +1

    Would this be ideal for Home Assistant + Plex + Jellyfin + Radarr?

    Or do I just stick to my laptop, mainly concerned about power savings

    • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 16:19

      depends on the software. If its supported, should save some power. You have to weigh in the extra cost input though and time involved for set up etc.
      If its a hobby though, you can ignore the above.

    • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 17:14

      2GB is plenty for all the above

      • Bii on 06/08/2023 - 20:07

        2GB Ram and SD Card to run/transcode 4k movies? Unless using an SSD, I doubt if it is enough

        • 0jay on 06/08/2023 - 20:22

          Yeh, I guess it’s a truism that if you ask a general question the only answer is a question in return or a very general answer.

          So either yes, 2GB is enough for those applications (particularly if headless)

          or

          What’s your setup and how do you plan to use it, specifically.

          Also, you’re making some assumptions around the SD card (and 4K).

        • squinly on 06/08/2023 - 22:16
          +2

          I run Plex on my 2gb Pi4 and it can transcode 4K from an external USB HDD no worries. Or multiple 1080p streams at once. Running OpenMediaVault and HomeBridge too. Years ago I could only get the 2gb model due to stock shortages but it’s honestly never been a problem.

    • Korax on 06/08/2023 - 20:10

      I run Home assistant and Jellyfin on mine and runs well and very stable (Ubuntu with docker), played with Radarr for a bit but never got around setting it up. Not sure how it would go if you needed to transcode 4k though - not something I've needed. Im using a SSD enclosure over USB rather then off the MicroSD which made a huge difference with things like rescanning jellyfin library.
      Thinking of upgrading to a fanless n100 with multiple NICs now though so can run Opnsense aswell all on one box

  • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 15:41
    +11

    it's also now a true PC replacement for a wide range of uses at home, in school projects, and inside commercial products.

    This sort of wide-ranging statement really shouldn't be made. It is totally not a replacement for a PC if you intend to use a GUI and a browser- performance is noticeably laggy running a single Youtuble session, below even a typical Cromebook.

    The Pi is great for many things, but it is not a typical desktop replacement for even a lightweight home user.

    Also, there has been very recent news that Pi production has finally ramped up to recover from Covid shortages.

    • Mostly Fanless on 06/08/2023 - 15:58
      +1

      Agreed, it's just so misleading to say that.

      • garage sale on 06/08/2023 - 16:18

        people need to remember that the pi was made for education ….for a kid in africa a monitor and keyboard and they have a browser and open office and uses phone charger so not much to break or fix so now they can use for education and it was why was priced cheap so that poor kids or remote schools could afford ….. kid in australia gets a laptop.

        • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 16:20

          Yeah but a kid in Australia should be able to use it as a controller and basic programming board, the same as a kid in Africa.

          • netsurfer on 06/08/2023 - 19:30

            @sn809: Kids in Australia get iPhones, iPads and laptops. Majority of Aussie children know how to use iPhone and Android better than me.

            • sn809 on 06/08/2023 - 21:16

              @netsurfer: It does not take much to learn what an iphone does, its very limited, no doubt it does do that very well and keeps the masses happy. I am talking about kids learning coding on it, which was the primary purpose, low power consumption, none of the windows gui bits.

              • netsurfer on 07/08/2023 - 20:32

                @sn809: Um… not the basic stuff. Custom themes, making iPhone looks kinda like Android without jailbreak. They are far more up to date on the latest iOS features than me.

                Let's be honest here. We, adults are hyping up coding. Children here can code games. Also, they are learning Adobe CS suite in primary school or junior high school. Uploading videos to youTube are very easy to them. With Windows laptop or Macbooks, surely they can code faster.

                Sure, Pi 4 is a fun toy, but honestly, if I am doing serious coding, I would use a Mac or PC. Just because they are children, it doesn't mean they have to use low end devices. I have ZERO ISSUE that my family members who know zero about coding get to use a better PC, laptop or smartphone.

                I wouldn't let my family members use Pi 4, that's crude. They can use Macs and PCs.

        • lgacb08 on 06/08/2023 - 17:04
          -1

          The pi has sadly departed way from its original intent, similarly to the now defunct asus netbook. Kids in Africa probably learns better from getting the $10 esp32 and a donated display screen or tablet with network connectivity.

          • netsurfer on 06/08/2023 - 19:32

            @lgacb08: Well, children here use higher level applications and software to program games. I reckon that's fine. Pi 4 is a bit dated to be honest.

          • rumblytangara on 06/08/2023 - 20:08
            +2

            @lgacb08:

            Kids in Africa probably learns better from getting the $10 esp32 and a donated display screen

            This is about as far from reality as you could get. I've been on the ground with 'kids in Africa' and tech equipment, and the infrastructure through much of the continent isn't suited to this kind of idealised scenario. Tablets, sure. Laptops, sure. But nothing I saw there would have made a Pi or SBC a sensibly workable educational product.

            Turned out to be perfect for Western tech enthusiasts and companies needing disposable compute hardware though.

  • aussieaubs on 06/08/2023 - 18:23
    -1

    when will these go back to their original price of around $40.00 :(

    • Mostly Fanless on 06/08/2023 - 18:43

      You can get a Pi 3 Model A for $40, it's even in stock …. ;)

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