These are 2 great options in $150 categories. We’ll look at the major aspects of both and then draw the conclusion
Pricing
Raspberry Pi 5 Setup:
- Raspberry Pi 5 8GB: $80
- Raspberry Pi 5 4GB: $60
- Argon M.2 NVMe Case (Active Cooling + NVMe + Sleek Design ): $49
- 256GB SSD: $20
- Total: $129 (4GB) to $149 (8GB)
N100 Mini PC:
- N100 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD: $150
The pricing appears remarkably similar, with a fully equipped Raspberry Pi 5 setup approaching the cost of an N100 Mini PC. However you can start with a budget friendly option with an microSD card, albeit at the expense of read/write speeds and longevity.
Intel’s N100 processor has changed the mini PC market. It’s versatility replaces use cases of Pi
N100 MiniPC Uses Cases
- Any tasks demanding more compute
- Small servers for retro gaming
- Home automation hubs
- Media streaming centers
- Daily office use with Windows 11
These compact powerhouses come in various configs
N100 Varieties
- 2.5Gb LAN for faster network speeds
- WiFi 6
- Support for up to three displays
- NAS variants with multiple HDD slots for more storage
Pi 5 Specific Cases
- DIY Projects: The Pi 5’s GPIO pins, sensor compatibility, and support for HATs (Hardware Attached on Top) make it ideal for custom hardware projects.
- Software Ecosystem: If your existing software is optimized for the Raspberry Pi platform, sticking with the Pi 5 is more feasible.
- Ultra-Compact Builds: For projects where every millimeter counts, the Pi 5’s form factor offers unparalleled compactness, where in N100 you’ll have to design a custom motherboard.
- Personally, for me Pi has been more than just a single-board computer; it’s been a journey of discovery & gateway to where I am today. From running Windows on ARM to configuring bootloaders and exploring Android ports, the Pi platform offers a rich playground for experimentation and learning.
Conclusion
While the N100 MiniPCs offers impressive performance and versatility for general computing tasks, the Raspberry Pi 5 continues to shine as a platform for learning, experimentation, and specialized projects. There is good segregation between both so your choice will depend on the specific needs, budget, and desire of learning or do you want that “it just works”.
