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Khadas VIM3 vs Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+

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

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Khadas VIM3 scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ at 6.5/10.

The Khadas VIM3 leads on performance, storage and I/O and networking.

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ leads on software support and value.

The biggest difference is software support, where the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ scores 10/10 to the Khadas VIM3's 6/10.

Khadas VIM3

Khadas VIM3

6.6/10verdict: buy

The Khadas VIM3 is for tinkerers who want a six-core Arm board with NVMe support and a 40-pin header. It suits media, display and embedded projects where the NPU and flexible storage matter. It is less suited to anyone who wants a board that runs cool with no extra cooling.

Check price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+

Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+

6.5/10verdict: good, not the best

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ is for people who want a small, low-power board for a single, light job. It suits wireless projects that use the 40-pin GPIO header, a display or a camera. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs wired networking, several USB devices or much memory.

Typically about £22.86 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

CriterionWeightKhadas VIM3Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+
Software support30%6/1010/10
Performance25%7/105/10
Storage15%8/104/10
I/O and networking15%7/105/10
Value15%5/106/10
Overall6.6/106.5/10

Specifications

SpecKhadas VIM3Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+
Processor (SoC)Amlogic A311D, four Cortex-A73 cores at 2.2GHz and two Cortex-A53 cores at 1.8GHz, with 5 TOPS NPUBroadcom BCM2837B0, quad-core Cortex-A53 64-bit SoC at 1.4 GHz
Memory2GB or 4GB LPDDR4/LPDDR4X512MB LPDDR2 SDRAM
Storage optionseMMC 5.1 16GB or 32GB, micro-SD slot, M.2 2280 socket for NVMe (PCIe 2.0 x1)Micro SD card slot for OS and data; no onboard eMMC or M.2/NVMe connector found in sources
NetworkingGigabit Ethernet with Wake-on-LAN; AP6398S 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.02.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2/BLE; no Ethernet port
GPIO40-pin GPIO header, 2.54mm pitchExtended 40-pin GPIO header
Video outputsHDMI with CEC, MIPI-DSI display interface, touch-panel connectorOne full-size HDMI port, DSI display port, CSI camera port, 4-pole stereo/composite port
Power inputVIN connector 5–12V; USB-C port 5–20V USB Power Delivery input5V/2.5A DC via micro USB, or 5V DC via GPIO header

Strengths and weaknesses

Khadas VIM3

  • + M.2 NVMe socket alongside eMMC and microSD
  • + Six-core A311D with NPU; owners praise efficiency
  • + Several official OS images, including mainline Linux
  • − Owners report heat and instability without a fan
  • − Power delivery quirks reported, including bootloops and shutdowns
  • − RAM stops at 4GB

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want a fanless, cool-running board with no extra cooling
  • Anyone needing more than 4GB of RAM
  • Builders who can't test and choose their power supply carefully
Read the full Khadas VIM3 review ›

Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+

  • + Compact board with low idle power draw
  • + Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 built in
  • + Extended 40-pin GPIO header plus HDMI, DSI and CSI ports
  • − No Ethernet port; wireless networking only
  • − Single USB 2.0 port limits peripherals
  • − 512MB RAM and micro SD only

Skip it if:

  • Anyone who needs a wired Ethernet connection for a server or network appliance
  • Buyers who plan to run heavier apps or several services at once
  • People who need more than one USB port or storage beyond a micro SD card
Read the full Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ review ›

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