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Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ vs Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

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

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ at 6.5/10.

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB leads on I/O and networking.

They score the same on software support, performance, storage and value.

The biggest difference is I/O and networking, where the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB scores 8/10 to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+'s 5/10.

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

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB is for beginners, tinkerers and homelabbers who want official Raspberry Pi OS support and an active community for light, low-memory jobs. It suits GPIO projects, small services and learning Linux, where the software ecosystem matters more than raw capacity. It is less suited to anyone who needs fast native storage or plans to run it hot without cooling.

Typically about £44.30 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

CriterionWeightRaspberry Pi 3 Model A+Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB
Software support30%10/1010/10
Performance25%5/105/10
Storage15%4/104/10
I/O and networking15%5/108/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall6.5/107.0/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi 3 Model A+Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB
Processor (SoC)Broadcom BCM2837B0, quad-core Cortex-A53 64-bit SoC at 1.4 GHzBroadcom BCM2711, quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC at 1.5-1.8GHz (sources conflict: 1.8GHz on the manufacturer page, 1.5GHz in the datasheet and Amazon listing)
Memory512MB LPDDR2 SDRAM1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on model); the 1GB variant is one option
Storage optionsMicro SD card slot for OS and data; no onboard eMMC or M.2/NVMe connector found in sourcesMicro-SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage; no M.2 or NVMe interface listed
Networking2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2/BLE; no Ethernet port2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE; Gigabit Ethernet (PoE requires a separate add-on PoE HAT)
GPIOExtended 40-pin GPIO headerRaspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards); 28x user GPIO
Video outputsOne full-size HDMI port, DSI display port, CSI camera port, 4-pole stereo/composite port2 × micro-HDMI ports (up to 4kp60 supported); 2-lane MIPI DSI display port; 2-lane MIPI CSI camera port; 4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
Power input5V/2.5A DC via micro USB, or 5V DC via GPIO header5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A)

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

  • + Official Raspberry Pi OS and a large, supportive community
  • + Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and the standard 40-pin GPIO header
  • + Dual micro-HDMI outputs with up to 4kp60 support
  • − Micro-SD only, with no M.2 or NVMe interface listed
  • − Owners report heavy heat and throttling without better cooling
  • − 1GB is the smallest memory option in the range

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need native M.2 or NVMe storage rather than micro-SD
  • Anyone running several containers or VMs who needs more than 1GB of memory
  • People who want a board that stays cool without adding a heatsink or fan
Read the full Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB review ›

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