Updated May 6, 2023
Difference Between Raspberry Pi Zero vs 3
Raspberry Pi is a small single-board series of a computer which is based out of the United Kingdom. The Raspberry Pi Foundation created it to promote primary computer science teaching in schools and developing countries. It is an ARM credit card-sized Single Board Computer (SBC) that runs on Debian based Linux Operating system.
The name is raspberry pi Zero, a $5 computer and thereby a modern small computer among its competitors. This incredibly cheap computer is smaller than a credit card with the dimensions of 65mm X 30mm X 5mm with a thickness and weighing just 9 gms. This product doesn’t lack any features which its competitors have. Its single-core CPU is clocked at 1GHz, increasing the speed by 40 percent higher than the original. If you factorize based on the 512 MB, the speed can be three times higher than the original Raspberry Pi.
The new version of Raspberry Pi is Pi 3. It has onboard support for Bluetooth and wifi and a 64-bit processor. Engineers, students, and makers will find it exciting. It has enhanced USB boot capabilities, a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, and a three times faster gigabit Ethernet internet network. Let us now understand the differences between Raspberry Pi Zero vs 3 in detail.
Head-to-Head Comparison Between Raspberry Pi Zero and 3 (Infographics)
Below is the top 34 difference between Raspberry Pi Zero vs 3:
Key differences between Raspberry Pi Zero and 3
Let us discuss some of the significant Difference Between Raspberry Pi Zero and Raspberry Pi 3:
- Raspberry Pi Zero has the size of half of the Raspberry A+ model with a low-cost mini-computer. It is also less powerful, whereas Raspberry Pi 3 is the third generation computer system of the Raspberry series, which has replaced its predecessor Raspberry Pi 2 Model B.
- The features of Pi Zero include 1 GHz of CPU, micro USB power, 512 MB of RAM, micro USB OTG cable, mini HDMI port, composite video and reset headers, CSI camera connectors, and a HAT-compatible pin header. In contrast, Raspberry 3 has the features such as 1 GB of RAM, a total HDMI port, a micro HD card slot, an Ethernet port, four USB ports, 40 pins, and a combination of a composite video and a 3.5 mm audio jack, display and camera interface with VideoCore IV 3D graphics core.
- If you need an analog video output, both Raspberry Pi Zero vs 3 has different systems to cater to the needs in their own way. With Raspberry Pi Zero, you will find an unpopulated pin, whereas, in the case of Raspberry Pi 3, the shared audio pin is used.
- LCD panels are not supported in Raspberry Pi Zero but are kept in Raspberry Pi 3. This means a touchscreen can be added easily to the Pi 3 model as it already supports and has a dedicated connection.
Raspberry Pi Zero and Raspberry Pi 3 Comparison Table
The primary comparison between them is discussed below:
| Basis of Comparison between Raspberry Pi Zero vs 3 |
Raspberry Pi Zero |
Raspberry 3 |
| Definition | A small cheap computer that consists of a micro SD card slot, a mini-HDMI socket, and a video header | The newer version of Raspberry Pi supports Bluetooth, wifi, and a 64-bit processor. |
| Price | $5 | $35 |
| Release Date | 30 Nov 2015 | 29 Feb 2016 |
| Core Type | ARM1176JZF-S | Cortex-A53 64 bit |
| GPU | VideoCore IV | VideoCore IV 1080p@30 |
| CPU Clock | 1 GHz | 1.2 GHz |
| RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB DDR2 |
| No. of cores | 1 | 4 |
| Soc Type | Broadcom BCM2835 | Broadcom BCM2837 |
| USB ports | Micro + micro OTG | 4x USB 2.0 |
| Provision for Ethernet | No | Yes |
| HDMI port | Mini port | Yes |
| Analog Audio Out | HDMI audio | Yes |
| Analog Video Out | Via unpopulated pin | Shared with audio pin |
| I2C | Yes | Yes |
| SPI | Yes | Yes |
| GPIO | 40-pin header with pinout identical to Model A+, B+, 2B | 40 pins (IIC, UART, SPI, IIS (audio)) |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| LCD Panel | Yes | No |
| SD/MMC | Micro SD | Micro SD |
| Bluetooth | No | 4.1 LE |
| Wifi | No | 802.11n |
| Power Ratings | 160 mA | 1.34A @ 5V |
| Power Consumption | 160 mA (USB) | 350 mA (USB) |
| Power Sources | microUSB or GPIO | microUSB or GPIO |
| Width | 2.55 in (65 mm) | 2.22 in (56.5 mm) |
| Height | 1.18 in (85.6 mm) | 3.37 in (85.6 mm) |
| Depth | 0.19685 in (5 mm) | 0.66929 in (17 mm) |
| Weight | 0.31746 oz (9 gm) | 1.58 oz (45 gm) |
| LCD Panel | Not Supported | Supported |
| OS Supported | Linux | Linux, Windows 10 IoT Core, Android Things |
| Camera Interface | Yes | Yes |
| Advantages |
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Conclusion
There are many Raspberry products, and choosing the right product per your need can sometimes be challenging. But this should be done based on your project’s requirements and the capital you can invest. Raspberry Pi Zero can be recommended for users thinking of embedding in their mini-computer related to low power. Stay tuned to our blogs for more articles like this.
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