Raspberry Pi 3 vs 4 vs 5: which one to buy in 2026?
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B vs Pi 4 Model B vs Pi 5 compared: CPU, RAM, USB, Ethernet, PCIe and power. Spec table and a clear recommendation for each use case.
Between the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, the Pi 4 Model B and the Pi 5, the difference is not just price: USB 3, true Gigabit Ethernet, dual video output, then PCIe and up to 16GB of RAM on the Pi 5 all change what a project can do. Specs below come from Raspberry Pi’s official product pages (Pi 3 B, Pi 4 B, Pi 5).
1. Spec table
| Pi 3 Model B | Pi 4 Model B | Raspberry Pi 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoC | Broadcom BCM2837 | Broadcom BCM2711 | Broadcom BCM2712 |
| CPU | 4 × Cortex-A53, 1.2 GHz | 4 × Cortex-A72, 1.8 GHz | 4 × Cortex-A76, 2.4 GHz |
| GPU / video | VideoCore IV, 1 × full-size HDMI | VideoCore VI, 2 × micro-HDMI (4K) | VideoCore VII, 2 × micro-HDMI (4Kp60) |
| RAM | 1GB LPDDR2 | 1 / 2 / 4 / 8GB LPDDR4-3200 | 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 / 16GB LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Ethernet | 100 Mbit/s | Gigabit | Gigabit |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | 802.11n, BT 4.1 | 802.11ac, BT 5.0 | 802.11ac, BT 5.0 |
| USB | 4 × USB 2.0 | 2 × USB 3.0 + 2 × USB 2.0 | 2 × USB 3.0 + 2 × USB 2.0 |
| PCIe | No | No | PCIe 2.0 ×1 |
| Power | micro-USB 5V, 2.5A | USB-C 5V, 3A | USB-C 5V, 5A recommended |
| GPIO | 40 pins | 40 pins | 40 pins |
2. What changes day to day
- Pi 3: easy to find second-hand and very well documented, but 1GB of RAM and no USB 3 limit browsing, compiling and disk transfers.
- Pi 4: USB 3 + real Gigabit make it a decent small NAS, server or Linux desktop from 4GB.
- Pi 5: newer CPU, up to 16GB, PCIe for fast storage, but more demanding on cooling and power.
3. Prices
Raspberry Pi prices move often (stock, reseller margins, VAT or sales tax). We don’t quote figures: check current price with an approved reseller. US: Raspberry Pi 5 4GB on Amazon.com or Raspberry Pi 5 8GB on Amazon.com (affiliate links). Always check the board revision and what is included (power supply, cooler).
4. Which Raspberry Pi for which use?
Stay with a Pi 3 if you are reusing hardware or running a very light project (GPIO, a sensor, a small script).
Go for a Pi 4 for a modest DIY NAS, a server that needs throughput, USB 3 drives, or an everyday Linux desktop on a budget.
Choose a Pi 5 if you need CPU headroom, 8GB or more, or the PCIe bus. Plan for active cooling and the 27W supply. Not sure which memory size? Read Raspberry Pi 5: which RAM to buy.
For Home Assistant, a Pi 5 with 4GB plus a Zigbee dongle works well; the ready-made alternative is Home Assistant Green.
For a teenager torn between a bare board and a robot, a Pi-based kit such as the SunFounder PiCar-X (affiliate link, Pi not included) mixes both.
5. Where to buy in the US and UK
Raspberry Pi lists its approved resellers country by country. In the US, you can find the boards at SparkFun (affiliate link).
In short: Pi 3 = the historic reference, now tight; Pi 4 = the sweet spot for networking and USB; Pi 5 = top performance and RAM, at the cost of heat and price.