The New Raspberry Pi Could Be Your Desktop PC — If Your Standards Are Low Enough
At $35, almost no computer is cheaper, but you’ll be limited in what you can do
The Raspberry Pi 4 is being billed as a full desktop computer, and one that costs just $35. What used to be an inexpensive gadget for tinkerers could now be an inexpensive computer for everyone. Or at least a bare-bones web browser box. But if you’re looking for it to replace a typical desktop, your standards might have to be pretty low.
The Raspberry Pi 4 kicks off the first new generation of Pi boards since the Raspberry Pi 3 was released in 2016. At its ultra-low price — only a little bit less than a pair of Apple Earbuds — the Pi 4 comes with 1GB of RAM, an upgraded processor, two USB 3.0 ports, and a new USB-C power connector. Its most headline-grabbing feature is its ability to power a single 4K display up to 60 frames per second, or two of them at 30 frames per second. You won’t be able to play 4K games on it, but it can at least output to your fancy new TV.
However, according to Thorin Klosowski, author of Idiots Guide to the Raspberry Pi and staff writer for Wirecutter, one of its biggest benefits is rather mundane: for a little extra money, you can get a lot more RAM.“The optional $55 4 GB of memory model is easily…
