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Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB vs Raspberry Pi Zero WH

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

both 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 Zero WH at 5.9/10.

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

They score the same on 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 Zero WH's 5/10.

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

7.0/10verdict: wait for deal

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

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

5.9/10verdict: skip

The Raspberry Pi Zero WH is for people who want a small, low-power board with GPIO ready to use straight away. It suits single-purpose projects that need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and header-based add-ons rather than much processing power. It is not aimed at anyone who needs wired networking, fast storage or several services running at once.

Typically about £15.40 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 4 Model B 1GBRaspberry Pi Zero WH
Software support30%10/109/10
Performance25%5/104/10
Storage15%4/104/10
I/O and networking15%8/105/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall7.0/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GBRaspberry Pi Zero WH
Processor (SoC)Broadcom 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)Broadcom BCM2835 with a 1 GHz single-core 32-bit ARM11 CPU and 400 MHz VideoCore IV GPU
Memory1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on model); the 1GB variant is one option512 MB LPDDR2 RAM at 450 MHz
Storage optionsMicro-SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage; no M.2 or NVMe interface listedmicroSD slot only
Networking2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE; Gigabit Ethernet (PoE requires a separate add-on PoE HAT)2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 with BLE per Raspberry Pi (4.1 per The Pi Hut); no wired Ethernet port
GPIORaspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards); 28x user GPIO40-pin GPIO header, pre-soldered on this model, 0.1in (2.54 mm) pin pitch
Video outputs2 × 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 portMini HDMI port and composite video (via 2 unpopulated pins)
Power input5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A)5V via micro USB port; two micro-USB ports, one for input power and one for external devices

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

  • + 40-pin GPIO header comes pre-soldered
  • + Same header as flagship Model B boards, so HATs fit
  • + Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in
  • − Single-core 32-bit CPU with 512 MB RAM
  • − No wired Ethernet; 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
  • − microSD is the only storage option

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need wired Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi
  • Anyone running several containers or VMs on one board
  • Users who want storage beyond a microSD card
Read the full Raspberry Pi Zero WH review ›

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