The Raspberry Pi’s biggest problem isn't performance anymore, it's everything you have to buy around it

Raspberry Pi is supposed to be a cost-effective solution to get into the world of embedded programming. But not everyone wants to build sensor projects; some want to use them to run self-hosted tools. The idea is a fully programmable, tiny computer that can run one or multiple tools. Since it's a small computer, the cost of running it 24/7 as a network-wide ad-blocker or media server is quite low.

However, what disappoints me more than the board's limited performance is its excessive reliance on accessories. A thin client, laptop, or desktop doesn't require you to buy everything, but a Raspberry Pi does. What started as a cheap board now needs almost double the investment to make it usable. Let's discuss why it's a problem for anyone looking for a cheap alternative to a regular computer.

The board is only the entry point

You need many more items to run it

When you buy a regular computer, everything you need to run it is preinstalled. The only accessories you need are input devices like a keyboard and mouse. You also need a monitor to see and interact with the operating system inside the computer. But Pi’s philosophy is quite different. Buying a board gives you only the embedded SoC with limited connectivity options. You cannot plug it in, load an OS on it, or view it on a monitor. Even though the performance has improved with each version, the lack of essential things makes it a problem.

You must buy a storage device first to use the board, along with a power adapter. Every model has a different power requirement, ranging from 5W to 27W, and you don't get a power adapter with it. SD cards don't magically load the OS, and you cannot connect it to a computer for flashing an OS without an SD card reader. This is just the start because some Raspberry Pi boards, like the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, have poorly positioned micro-USB ports.

They are very close together, and after you plug in a USB cable, you cannot plug in a compact micro-USB OTG adapter. Instead, you must use one with a short wire and a thin micro-USB port, like your charging cable. It's necessary if you want to build a project that supports faster and more reliable storage options like an NVMe SSD. The premise of using an SD card for boot isn't viable because of its shorter lifespan. You also need a case because it gives some strength to the delicate board.

Some features need additional components

A baffling decision by SBC makers

This aspect is quite amusing because Raspberry Pi boards try to offer new features with each iteration. But it comes at the cost of purchasing a few more accessories to get it working. The Raspberry Pi 5 is a clear example of this problem: it offers faster storage but lacks an onboard M.2 slot. Anyone who's been yearning for a native NVMe storage slot on the Raspberry Pi gets frustrated to learn it needs a HAT module to do so.

I get that manufacturers have to consider every angle to keep costs low and optimize the design. But leaving out essential features like a direct slot and suggesting a HAT module instead is wild. Raspberry Pi 5’s 8GB edition was about $80 at its launch, and it could have included an SSD HAT module with it. I'm stressing the price because $80 is a decent amount, and you should get everything essential to run the board with it.

I recently bought an old thin client that included storage, memory, and a power supply for $50. It's refurbished, but the brand still gave me everything I needed, which is common sense. Even smaller SBC brands like Radxa don't use these kinds of money-saving tactics. A $35 Radxa Cubie board has an NVMe SSD slot along with all the necessary ports. Raspberry Pi seems to ignore these essential integrations for the board.

The display output port is also a problem because different models use different versions. The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W uses a mini HDMI port; the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B and Raspberry Pi 5 use a micro HDMI port. So, I need different adapters for each one, which increases the setup cost. It would be better to offer a full-sized port and reduce the adapter requirement, like my Radxa board. Both Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and Raspberry Pi 5 lack an audio output, which forces you to buy a USB DAC for audio projects like reviving old speakers.

Cheap seems like the wrong abbreviation for a Raspberry Pi

Not a money-saving proposition anymore

A base Raspberry Pi 5 1GB model is $45, and the bare minimum of accessories, including an SD card, a power adapter, and an HDMI adapter, bump the cost to $100. SSDs aren't as cheap as they used to be, and the specific model that the board supports is not even worth considering at this point. Similarly, even with a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, the bare minimum accessories cost rises to $40.

The money that you'll save on power bills isn't worth the low-power, limited-connectivity setup of these SBCs. They aren't suitable as full-fledged servers, and I won't suggest buying any new boards in today's scenario. The next iteration of Raspberry Pi won't arrive for a few more years, and that's a good thing. It's high time users realized that investing in them for a server experience is far more costly than a mini PC or a used thin client.

Think wisely

Overreliance on connectors, adapters, and HAT modules makes the Raspberry Pi setup more cluttered than it needs to be. It becomes a mess, and you end up spending too much money on them. Right now, I prefer repurposing thin clients over buying an SBC because the latter has become an expensive hobby. I have multiple boards and was fortunate enough to buy them when SD cards were cheap, but I won’t make the same mistake today. A mini-PC or thin client is a sensible pick for a serious home server setup.