Raspberry Pi vs Pine A64

Introduction

Single Board Computers or SBCs have grown from making programming interesting, easy and inexpensive to young minds to being used in complex robotics, network and server projects. When speaking of single board computers, the first thing that pops in our minds (or most of us) is Raspberry Pi.

It became so popular that an estimated 20 million units have been sold until now. The success of Raspberry Pi has influenced several other creators and developers to make similar cheap yet powerful Single Board Computers.

One such family of single board computers is Pine64, a product developed to compete with Raspberry Pi, both in terms of price and performance.

The following is a small comparison between Raspberry Pi and Pine A64 single board computers.

Raspberry Pi vs Pine A64

The Raspberry Pi has been something of a minor cultural marvel in recent years, at least in the niche world of (very) portable computing. A computer the size of a small credit card that has as much computing power as the desktop machines we grew top with, these pocket-sized microcomputers have been used as everything from retro gaming rigs to full-blown desktop replacements.

They can even be manipulated to run affordable security camera setups, wireless printer servers, robot controllers and so much more.

The only barrier to entry for many might be the cost. Whilst you can pick up a Raspberry Pi 3B (the most recent model) for a pittance, for such a niche, hobbyist device, even the paltry £30/$35 price point might seem steep.

For those who are intrigued by the concept of the Pi, but are wary of the price, the Pine A64 minicomputer offers a remarkable alternative at more than half the price!

A microcomputer that is (on paper) just as powerful as its competitor, the Pine A64 single-board device boasts similar specs to the Pi and can more than keep up with it when it comes to most applications. But which comes out on top when the two are matched against each other in a good old-fashioned hardware face-off? Let’s examine the major benefits of each.

Raspberry Pi

• The most popular single board computer on the planet with a major following, which means there are countless guides available online. For beginners, there really is no alternative.
• The Pi’s default OS (“Raspbian”) was written with easy coding in mind and is a perfect learning tool for those looking to get into coding for the first time. Also, the Pi is so ubiquitous that a number of Linux style operating systems already work perfectly with it.
• The setup is self-explanatory and even if you’re having trouble, there are many guides available.
• The flexibility of the Pi is unprecedented in the market. A fully featured media center, replacement desktop rig, network server or retro arcade – the choices are almost endless.
• Excellent wireless and wired connectivity with 4 USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet and more, as well as Bluetooth connectivity and the option to upgrade storage with a micro SD card.
• The “Pi Store” allows access to hundreds of apps engineered to work specifically with the Pi.

 

Pine A64

• For just $15 (base model) the Pine is an absolute steal with up to 2GB of RAM (compared to the Pi’s maximum of 1GB) and a CPU that matches the Pi’s 1.2 GHz quad-core processor.
• The A64 has a built-in HDMI port capable of streaming 4K video.
• A more powerful GPU than the Pi, meaning better graphics for gamers.
• Can run Android OS, which will be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever used a smartphone.
• Three models to choose from offering various levels of power and usability.

Conclusion

Generally speaking – if you’re a beginner we’d recommend the Pi for its ease of use and large, vibrant community. But, if you’re willing to dig a little deeper, the Pine A64 will certainly give you more bang for your buck.

Whichever you opt for, however, make sure you supplement your purchase with a few accessories from RS Components to get the most out of your new device.

 

Image credits:

• Raspberry Pi – https://ift.tt/2U4tOwt
• Pine A64 – https://ift.tt/2BHV2lm

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