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Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO vs Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B scores 6.4/10 overall, ahead of the Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO at 4.6/10.

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B leads on software support, storage and I/O and networking.

They score the same on performance and value.

The biggest difference is software support, where the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B scores 10/10 to the Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO's 5/10.

Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO

Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO

4.6/10verdict: skip

The Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO is for people who want a small, wireless board for light, single-purpose jobs. It suits builders who already have Raspberry Pi Zero cases or GPIO accessories to reuse. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs wired networking, fast storage or a lot of memory.

Typically about £23.93 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

6.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B suits people who want a small board for GPIO projects, simple services or learning. It fits builders who need a 40-pin header with camera and display ports. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs fast networking, USB 3 or storage beyond a microSD card.

Typically about £33 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightBanana Pi BPI-M2 ZERORaspberry Pi 3 Model B
Software support30%5/1010/10
Performance25%5/105/10
Storage15%3/104/10
I/O and networking15%4/105/10
Value15%5/105/10
Overall4.6/106.4/10

Specifications

SpecBanana Pi BPI-M2 ZERORaspberry Pi 3 Model B
Processor (SoC)Allwinner H3 quad-core Cortex-A7Broadcom BCM2837, quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.2 GHz
Memory512 MB DDR3, shared with GPU1GB RAM
Storage optionsmicroSD (TF) card up to 64 GB; no onboard flashmicroSD slot only, for OS and data
NetworkingOnboard Wi-Fi 802.11n via AP6212/K016 (SDIO); no onboard Ethernet100Base Ethernet; wireless LAN and Bluetooth
GPIO40-pin header, pin-compatible with Raspberry Pi 340-pin extended GPIO header
Video outputsMini HDMI 1.4, 1080p30 output; decodes 1080p60 H.264, encodes 1080p30 H.264Full-size HDMI, 4-pole stereo and composite video port, CSI camera port, DSI display port
Power inputMicro USB, 5V/2AMicro USB, up to 2.5 A switched supply

Strengths and weaknesses

Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO

  • + Pin-compatible 40-pin GPIO header, matching Raspberry Pi 3
  • + Onboard 802.11n Wi-Fi
  • + Owners report Raspberry Pi Zero cases and accessories fit
  • − No onboard Ethernet; wired networking only via GPIO
  • − 512 MB of RAM, shared with the GPU
  • − microSD only, with a single USB 2.0 OTG port

Skip it if:

  • Anyone who needs onboard wired Ethernet or gigabit networking
  • Buyers wanting NVMe, M.2 or storage beyond a 64 GB microSD card
  • Homelabbers planning several containers or VMs on more than 512 MB of RAM
Read the full Banana Pi BPI-M2 ZERO review ›

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

  • + 40-pin GPIO header plus CSI camera and DSI display ports
  • + Built-in wireless LAN and Bluetooth
  • + Production promised until at least January 2028
  • − Ethernet is 10/100 only, not gigabit
  • − No USB 3; four USB 2.0 ports
  • − microSD only, with no M.2 or NVMe support published

Skip it if:

  • Anyone who needs gigabit Ethernet or USB 3 for fast file transfers
  • Buyers who want NVMe or M.2 storage rather than a microSD card
  • People who need more than 1GB of RAM for several services or VMs
Read the full Raspberry Pi 3 Model B review ›

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