The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B is a single-board computer that marked a significant upgrade for the Raspberry Pi line upon its release in February 2016. It was the first model to feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it ideal for a wider range of connected projects compared to its predecessors. Despite being an older model, its solid performance and features still make it a viable option for a variety of educational, hobbyist, and embedded applications.
Overview:
The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B was a major leap forward for the series, introducing a quad-core processor and wireless connectivity on the board itself. While it has been superseded by more powerful models, it maintains the same credit card-sized form factor, ensuring compatibility with many existing accessories.
Key features:
Integrated wireless connectivity: It includes onboard 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 (Classic and Low Energy), eliminating the need for separate USB adapters for wireless networking.
- Upgraded processing power: It is equipped with a 1.2GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 (64-bit) CPU, offering a substantial performance boost over the Raspberry Pi 2.
- General Purpose I/O (GPIO): The 40-pin header allows for connecting a wide array of sensors, modules, and other hardware.
- Full multimedia support: It has a full-size HDMI port, as well as CSI and DSI ports for a dedicated camera and display, respectively.
Core specifications:
According to the official Raspberry Pi website and other retailers like The Pi Hut, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B's specifications include:
Processor: Broadcom BCM2837 SoC with a 1.2GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU.
- GPU: Dual-Core VideoCore IV Multimedia Co-Processor.
- RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM.
- Connectivity: 802.11n Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.1 (Classic and Low Energy), 10/100 BaseT Ethernet.
- Ports: 4 x USB 2.0 ports, Full-size HDMI, 4-pole composite video, Micro USB for power, CSI camera port, and DSI display port.
- Storage: MicroSD card slot for the operating system and data storage.
- Power: Upgraded switched Micro USB power source requiring 5V at up to 2.5A