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Raspberry Pi 5 4GB vs Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

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

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB scores 7.9/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W at 6.9/10.

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

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W leads on value.

They score the same on software support.

Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

6.9/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is for people who need a wireless quad-core Arm board for headless projects. It suits those replacing an original Pi Zero or building embedded and IoT jobs that need a 40-pin footprint and Bluetooth. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants a desktop, wired networking or fast storage.

Typically about £14.40 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 5 4GBRaspberry Pi Zero 2 W
Software support30%10/1010/10
Performance25%8/106/10
Storage15%6/104/10
I/O and networking15%7/105/10
Value15%6/107/10
Overall7.9/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi 5 4GBRaspberry Pi Zero 2 W
Processor (SoC)Broadcom BCM2712, quad-core Arm Cortex A76 processor @ 2.4GHz, 512KB L2 per core and 2MB shared L3 cacheBroadcom BCM2710A1, quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53 at 1GHz
MemoryLPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM, offered in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB variants512MB LPDDR2
Storage optionsmicroSD card slot with SDR104 support; M.2 storage needs a separate adapter over PCIe 2.0 x1microSD card slot only
NetworkingDual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0/BLE, Gigabit Ethernet; PoE+ needs a separate HAT2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, BLE, onboard antenna; no Ethernet
GPIOStandard 40-pin header40-pin HAT-compatible I/O header footprint, unpopulated
Video outputsDual 4Kp60 HDMI output with HDR support; VideoCore VII GPU; micro-HDMI connectorMini HDMI port; composite video via test points
Power input5V/5A DC via USB-C with Power Delivery supportMicro USB, rated 5V DC 2.5A (supply rating)

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

  • + Quad-core 1GHz CPU is a clear step up from the original Zero
  • + Drop-in replacement for the original Zero, easing migration
  • + Wi-Fi is competent and the onboard antenna is decent
  • − 512MB RAM hampers web browsing
  • − Runs hot under load and needs cooling
  • − No Ethernet, no 5GHz Wi-Fi, header pins unpopulated

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need wired Ethernet or 5GHz Wi-Fi
  • Anyone wanting a browser-based desktop with 512MB of RAM
  • Buyers who need fast storage or USB 3 peripherals
Read the full Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W review ›

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