The perfect Raspberry Pi tasks anybody can do for each mannequin

The Raspberry Pi is a single-board pc that is massively well-liked amongst tinkerers as a result of its comparatively low value and spectacular versatility. They can be utilized to create every part from

retro game consoles to VPN servers
.

For the reason that first Raspberry Pi was launched in 2012, there have been a number of new fashions launched. Not solely has the usual Raspberry Pi mannequin been

continually upgraded with more powerful processors
, extra on-board connectivity and extra RAM, however new fashions of Raspberry Pi have been launched, too.

With so many

Raspberry Pi models
to select from, it may be arduous to know which is one of the best match in your mission. Listed below are a few of the finest makes use of for every mannequin of Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi 5

Probably the most highly effective Pi can also be essentially the most versatile

The Raspberry Pi 5 is essentially the most highly effective mannequin thus far, with a 2.4GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A76 processor, VideoCore VII GPU, and assist for as much as 16GB of RAM. This makes it essentially the most succesful mannequin out there, and completely fitted to tasks that require extra grunt.

The Raspberry Pi 5 is highly effective sufficient to make use of as a conveyable desktop, with twin 4K monitor and PCIe assist. It additionally makes a strong residence lab, able to working a number of services such as Plex for streaming films and TV reveals, Nextcloud for native cloud storage, or Bitwarden for a neighborhood password supervisor. If you wish to use your Pi as a retro gaming console, the Raspberry Pi 5 provides you with one of the best expertise, though it would nonetheless wrestle to emulate extra trendy consoles.

Raspberry Pi 4

A strong workhorse that may deal with most belongings you throw at it

Raspberry Pi / Pocket-lint

The Raspberry Pi 4 is not as highly effective because the Pi 5. It has a 1.8GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A72 processor and might assist as much as 8GB of RAM. Whereas it will probably’t deal with every part that the Pi 5 can, there’s nonetheless loads it will probably do.

The Raspberry Pi 4 makes a really strong Home Assistant server for most traditional setups, though it’s possible you’ll need to add an exterior SSD as microSD playing cards can fail in case you write to them too often. A Raspberry Pi 4 will also be used to run a Minecraft server or different light-weight gaming server. It’s also possible to use a Pi 4 as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) in your safety cameras.

Raspberry Pi 3

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth opens a world of prospects

Raspberry Pi / Pocket-lint

The Raspberry Pi 3 was the primary Raspberry Pi mannequin to return with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which means you did not want separate adapters to attach your Pi wirelessly to the web or to Bluetooth units. It makes it far more versatile than earlier Raspberry Pi fashions.

A Raspberry Pi 3 is not as highly effective because the Pi 4 or Pi 5, however it’s nonetheless a very good possibility for a network-wide advert blocker, utilizing software program akin to Pi-hole. The on-board Wi-Fi additionally makes it a very good possibility for a print server, which lets you flip your USB printer right into a Wi-Fi printer you possibly can entry from wherever. The Pi 3 can also be adequate to run Residence Assistant in case you’re not utilizing too many add-ons; I ran Residence Assistant on my Raspberry Pi 3 for a number of years earlier than upgrading.

Associated

This is the Kobo you should buy if you want the ultimate reading and writing experience

The Kobo Libra Color has every part you want from an e-reader: Coloration E Ink, bodily buttons, and stylus assist.

Raspberry Pi 1 and a couple of

They might be outdated, however they’re nonetheless helpful for a lot of tasks

Raspberry Pi

The older Raspberry Pi fashions lack on-board Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which restricts what you need to use them for out of the field. When you have a Pi 1 or 2 already, you should purchase Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters, however you may be higher off shopping for a more moderen Raspberry Pi as a substitute. Nevertheless, even with out Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, there’s nonetheless loads you need to use them for.

You’ll be able to add sensors to your Raspberry Pi to show it into a sensible residence sensor hub, which you’ll entry through Ethernet. You need to use it as a file server for sharing small information over your native community. It’s also possible to hook up a digicam module to your Pi and switch it right into a devoted timelapse digicam for capturing sunsets or shifting clouds.

Associated

5 practical Raspberry Pi projects that improve my life in subtle ways

There are such a lot of methods you need to use the favored single-board pc.

Raspberry Pi 400 and 500

A Raspberry Pi constructed right into a compact keyboard

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi 400 and 500 are primarily compact keyboards with the Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 5 constructed into them. Simply join a monitor and a mouse, and you’ve got a totally working PC.

The Raspberry Pi 400 and 500 had been designed to be splendid academic instruments for college students, they usually’re a good way for youths to study computing and coding, due to their low value and portability. That is not their solely use, nevertheless; you need to use a Raspberry Pi 400 or 500 as a conveyable headless note-taking gadget, as a devoted gaming machine for retro video games that predominantly use keyboard controls, or as a conveyable phrase processor and browser.

Raspberry Pi Zero fashions

With this Raspberry PI, you possibly can go from Zero to hero

Raspberry Pi / Pocket-lint

The Raspberry Pi Zero fashions, together with the Raspberry Pi Zero, Raspberry Pi Zero W, and Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, are a lot smaller units at very low costs. The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, for instance, is essentially the most succesful Pi Zero mannequin, and prices simply $15. The small type issue additionally makes them splendid for tasks the place a regular Raspberry Pi is simply too massive.

For instance, you possibly can construct a Raspberry Pi Zero right into a digital picture body, or create a trendy climate dashboard with an E Ink show, or construct one right into a mirror body with a show to create a magic mirror. You can additionally hook up some buttons to a Pi Zero and create your individual sensible residence controller.

Associated

I played Mario Kart World, and was shocked by this one feature

Mario Kart is lastly again, and this time the long-running sequence goes open world.

Raspberry Pi Pico fashions

These microcontrollers may Pico your curiosity

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W are a bit completely different from the remainder of the Raspberry Pi fashions. As an alternative of being single-board computer systems, these are microcontrollers which can be designed to carry out particular operations, quite than general-purpose working programs.

Raspberry Pi Pico fashions can be utilized for a variety of tasks. For instance, you need to use them to run motors, to regulate LED mild strips or matrix shows, to create a battery-powered sensible button, or a solar-powered climate sensor. Should you want one thing tiny, quick, and low-powered, then a Raspberry Pi Pico is usually a nice selection.

Raspberry Pi Compute Modules

These mini Pis do not must be solely for industrial use

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi Compute Modules are successfully the brains of a regular Raspberry Pi, with none of the built-in ports akin to USB, Ethernet, and HDMI. It’s primarily designed to be built-in into business and industrial merchandise. Nevertheless, they do have some makes use of for normal shoppers, too.

A method {that a} Raspberry Pi Compute Module might be helpful is as a element to energy different {hardware}. For instance, if you wish to arrange a Residence Assistant server, you should purchase a equipment referred to as Home Assistant Yellow, which accommodates all of the {hardware} in your residence hub, akin to Gigabit Ethernet and a Zigbee module, however with none brains. All you might want to do is add a Raspberry Pi Compute Module to the Residence Assistant Yellow, and you’ve got a succesful Residence Assistant residence hub.

When you have strong electronics abilities, you possibly can construct a Raspberry Pi Compute Module into your individual {hardware} to create spectacular tasks akin to constructing your individual NAS, making a handheld sport console, or making your individual pill.

Associated

How I turned my Raspberry Pi into a Zigbee hub and made my smart home better

Add Zigbee units to your sensible residence with no proprietary hub.