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Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W vs Raspberry Pi Zero WH

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

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi Zero WH at 5.9/10.

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W leads on software support, performance and value.

They score the same on storage and I/O and networking.

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

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

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 Zero 2 WRaspberry Pi Zero WH
Software support30%10/109/10
Performance25%6/104/10
Storage15%4/104/10
I/O and networking15%5/105/10
Value15%7/106/10
Overall6.9/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi Zero 2 WRaspberry Pi Zero WH
Processor (SoC)Broadcom BCM2710A1, quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53 at 1GHzBroadcom BCM2835 with a 1 GHz single-core 32-bit ARM11 CPU and 400 MHz VideoCore IV GPU
Memory512MB LPDDR2512 MB LPDDR2 RAM at 450 MHz
Storage optionsmicroSD card slot onlymicroSD slot only
Networking2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, BLE, onboard antenna; no Ethernet2.4 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
GPIO40-pin HAT-compatible I/O header footprint, unpopulated40-pin GPIO header, pre-soldered on this model, 0.1in (2.54 mm) pin pitch
Video outputsMini HDMI port; composite video via test pointsMini HDMI port and composite video (via 2 unpopulated pins)
Power inputMicro USB, rated 5V DC 2.5A (supply rating)5V via micro USB port; two micro-USB ports, one for input power and one for external devices

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

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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