When I found out that there was a $5 Raspberry Pi Zero being sold, I rushed to buy one. I did no research as to what it was, but for such a paltry amount of money, I couldn't resist. For whatever reason, I even bought a case for it, which is arguably silly -- why protect such an inexpensive piece of tech?
When it finally arrived, I was impressed with the small size, but very disappointed overall. This may sound incredible, but the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero is just too damn expensive. Quite frankly, it is ridiculous that such a useless computer is being sold. Do you agree?
Here's the deal folks; the Raspberry Pi Zero is useless without buying a ton of extras. Previous Raspberry Pi models have come with essentials, like an Ethernet port, full-size USB ports and a full-size HDMI port. The Zero has none of those things -- seriously.
In order to add the same ports as the $35 Raspberry Pi 2, you will need to buy the following. I have added approximate pricing and links.
- USB OTG Cable -- $4
- 4 port Powered USB Hub -- $11
- USB Ethernet Adapter -- $10
- mini-HDMI to HDMI adapter -- $2
- 2x20-pin strip male header -- $1
Total plus the $5 Pi Zero is $33. Yes, you are reading that correctly. The $5 computer, after buying essential accessories, is almost the same price as the Raspberry Pi 2. Plus, it is now a Frankenstein-like mess of wires and adapters. The $35 Raspberry Pi 2, with all of these things integrated, is clearly the smarter buy. Heck, you even get double the RAM and a more powerful processor!
Sure, having a $5 computer looks impressive on paper, but as you can see, the devil is in the details -- it is a gimmick. Not to mention, many people are spending more than $5 on the Zero because it can sometimes be hard to find. Save your money and buy the Raspberry Pi 2. You will spend more upfront, but you will be much happier that you did.
Do you agree that the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero is too damn expensive? Tell me in the comments.