Raspberry Pi 3 Model B vs Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

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

both judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB scores 7.9/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B at 6.4/10.

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB leads on performance, storage, I/O and networking and value.

They score the same on software support.

The biggest difference is performance, where the Raspberry Pi 5 4GB scores 8/10 to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B's 5/10.

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

6.4/10verdict: wait for deal

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

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Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

7.9/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB is for homelabbers and developers who want a small Linux board with official OS support and a standard 40-pin GPIO header. It suits people moving up from a Pi 4 who want more CPU performance for services, projects or display output. Buyers should be ready to sort out a proper 5A power supply and think about cooling.

Typically about £105.60 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Raspberry Pi 3 Model B	Raspberry Pi 5 4GB
Software support	30%	10/10	10/10
Performance	25%	5/10	8/10
Storage	15%	4/10	6/10
I/O and networking	15%	5/10	7/10
Value	15%	5/10	6/10
Overall		6.4/10	7.9/10

Specifications

Spec	Raspberry Pi 3 Model B	Raspberry Pi 5 4GB
Processor (SoC)	Broadcom BCM2837, quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.2 GHz	Broadcom BCM2712, quad-core Arm Cortex A76 processor @ 2.4GHz, 512KB L2 per core and 2MB shared L3 cache
Memory	1GB RAM	LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM, offered in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB variants
Storage options	microSD slot only, for OS and data	microSD card slot with SDR104 support; M.2 storage needs a separate adapter over PCIe 2.0 x1
Networking	100Base Ethernet; wireless LAN and Bluetooth	Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0/BLE, Gigabit Ethernet; PoE+ needs a separate HAT
GPIO	40-pin extended GPIO header	Standard 40-pin header
Video outputs	Full-size HDMI, 4-pole stereo and composite video port, CSI camera port, DSI display port	Dual 4Kp60 HDMI output with HDR support; VideoCore VII GPU; micro-HDMI connector
Power input	Micro USB, up to 2.5 A switched supply	5V/5A DC via USB-C with Power Delivery support

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

+ Official Raspberry Pi OS images built for the Pi 5
+ Quad Cortex A76 cores at 2.4GHz; owners report big gains
+ Standard 40-pin header, two USB 3.0 ports, dual 4K HDMI
− Owners report high temperatures, throttling and shutdowns
− Needs a 5A supply; some 3A and laptop chargers fail
− M.2 storage needs a separate adapter; Ethernet is Gigabit only

Skip it if:

Buyers who need 2.5GbE or faster wired networking on the board
Anyone who wants native M.2 NVMe without buying an adapter
Buyers who cannot supply a 5A USB-C power supply or plan for cooling

Read the full Raspberry Pi 5 4GB review ›

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