3 ms·

Over 60% extra... It's only a bargain if you need it. For a general purpose computer I'm with you, but the Pi5 often isn't used as a general purpose computer s

by tjoff 2y ago

Over 60% extra... It's only a bargain if you need it. For a general purpose computer I'm with you, but the Pi5 often isn't used as a general purpose computer so if you know the software isn't going to be using it then it is pure waste.

alias_neo 2y ago
You're absolutely right. I'd say for a specific application, I'd guesstimate you probably want it to be using something like 80% of the RAM when it's running full-tilt, maybe you'd want some headroom for upgrades. Pi's aren't a great value for general purpose computing when cube-PCs will get you orders of magnitude more power and functionality for 2-4x the price, and people often neglect to factor in the price of a case, PSU, storage which stack up the cost rapidly. Every generation I grab a couple of the latest model-B and run a few quick desktop tests to see where they're at subjectively (no benchmarks, just boot it up and "use" it) and Pi 5 is still orders of lower than what I expect from a computer. Put them to work in a specific application and their reliability and great ubiquity shine; I have a couple of Pis in 3D printers, one powering a touch-screen dashboard, a couple in my server rack for Hashicorp Vault, Unifi Server, ARM build server, a half a dozen or so in home-made speaker/TTS devices, a couple in retro gaming-handhelds, one in a dedicated WiFi AP for MiTM/testing/traffic-inspection, and one with a NVMe HAT running a file-server for low-power network storage. Each Pi serves a purpose, and I've allocated a device a specific model based on its requirements; a couple of them are probably over-powered just due to having a specific Pi spare, but I try to shuffle them around to be using the weakest/cheapest Pi available that suits the purpose.
- nottorp 2y ago
  > and their reliability ... don't forget to add more cooling for that reliability
  - alias_neo 2y ago
    Yes definitely. In my experience I've only ever had to cool models from the Pi4 upwards. Of course the number of them I'm running is small, so it's anecdotal, but over years since the launch of the first Pi (which I still have), they're all still chugging along, with all but the Pi4s and Pi5s completely un-cooled (no heatsinks or fans).
    - nottorp 2y ago
      I'm sort of whining a bit. I'd like it if they still kept a weaker Pi that doesn't require cooling in production. Not the Zeros though, full featured ones.
      - fanf2 2y ago
        You can still buy a Raspberry Pi 3. The more recent models can run without cooling; they will throttle if necessary.
        nottorp 2y ago
        Do they still manufacture it? Or is it old stock? Or is the A+ the new Raspberry PI 3? It seems to have a different form factor though. I don't see 3 Bs in stock in my usual places. 4s and 5s are plenty though.
- Marsymars 2y ago
  > Pi's aren't a great value for general purpose computing when cube-PCs will get you orders of magnitude more power and functionality for 2-4x the price Eh, not orders of magnitude more. An RP5 is like 25% of the speed of an Apple M3.
rwalle 2y ago
I would guess most consumer purchases of pi's are setting in a drawer gathering dust. So less RAM is less of a waste of money. (Don't ask how I know it)

by tjoff 2y ago

alias_neo 2y ago

You're absolutely right. I'd say for a specific application, I'd guesstimate you probably want it to be using something like 80% of the RAM when it's running full-tilt, maybe you'd want some headroom for upgrades. Pi's aren't a great value for general purpose computing when cube-PCs will get you orders of magnitude more power and functionality for 2-4x the price, and people often neglect to factor in the price of a case, PSU, storage which stack up the cost rapidly. Every generation I grab a couple of the latest model-B and run a few quick desktop tests to see where they're at subjectively (no benchmarks, just boot it up and "use" it) and Pi 5 is still orders of lower than what I expect from a computer. Put them to work in a specific application and their reliability and great ubiquity shine; I have a couple of Pis in 3D printers, one powering a touch-screen dashboard, a couple in my server rack for Hashicorp Vault, Unifi Server, ARM build server, a half a dozen or so in home-made speaker/TTS devices, a couple in retro gaming-handhelds, one in a dedicated WiFi AP for MiTM/testing/traffic-inspection, and one with a NVMe HAT running a file-server for low-power network storage. Each Pi serves a purpose, and I've allocated a device a specific model based on its requirements; a couple of them are probably over-powered just due to having a specific Pi spare, but I try to shuffle them around to be using the weakest/cheapest Pi available that suits the purpose.

nottorp 2y ago
> and their reliability ... don't forget to add more cooling for that reliability
- alias_neo 2y ago
  Yes definitely. In my experience I've only ever had to cool models from the Pi4 upwards. Of course the number of them I'm running is small, so it's anecdotal, but over years since the launch of the first Pi (which I still have), they're all still chugging along, with all but the Pi4s and Pi5s completely un-cooled (no heatsinks or fans).
  - nottorp 2y ago
    I'm sort of whining a bit. I'd like it if they still kept a weaker Pi that doesn't require cooling in production. Not the Zeros though, full featured ones.
    - fanf2 2y ago
      You can still buy a Raspberry Pi 3. The more recent models can run without cooling; they will throttle if necessary.
      - nottorp 2y ago
        Do they still manufacture it? Or is it old stock? Or is the A+ the new Raspberry PI 3? It seems to have a different form factor though. I don't see 3 Bs in stock in my usual places. 4s and 5s are plenty though.
Marsymars 2y ago
> Pi's aren't a great value for general purpose computing when cube-PCs will get you orders of magnitude more power and functionality for 2-4x the price Eh, not orders of magnitude more. An RP5 is like 25% of the speed of an Apple M3.

rwalle 2y ago

I would guess most consumer purchases of pi's are setting in a drawer gathering dust. So less RAM is less of a waste of money. (Don't ask how I know it)