Raspberry Pi 3 A+

Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ is the latest computer board from Raspberry Pi. It shares much of the same functionality as the Raspberry Pi 3B+ board, but with the footprint of the previous Raspberry Pi 1 A+ board.

Why choose the Raspberry Pi 3A+?

If you’re looking for a compact board with great speed, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ is for you. Whether you want to learn computer programming, or trying to incorporate Internet-of-things into your workplace, the 3A+ model can help you achieve your goals.
It would be impossible to tell you everything that a Raspberry Pi can do as, with some help from add-on devices, there are no limits to your imagination. From media players to full IOT integration, education to gaming, monitoring working conditions to work productivity, and even controlling your own robot, Raspberry Pi covers a huge range of applications. The benefit of the Raspberry Pi 3A+ is that it is smaller than most previous models and therefore ideal for integrating into applications where space might be limited.

Note: The Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ is supported by NOOBS_v2_9_0 or later.

Raspberry Pi 3A+ vs. 3B+

Both boards share similar functionality, such as processing power. The main differences between these two boards is their mechanical footprint and their memory capacities. The new 3A+ has the same footprint as the 1A+ which measures 65 x 56 mm. The 3B+ is 85 x 56 mm. Therefore the 3A+ is more compact and ideal for integrating into smaller designs.
The 3A+ has 512MB memory in comparison to the 1GB 3B+. The 3A+ also does not have an Ethernet connection.

What’s on-board?

Processor: Broadcom BCM2837B0 Processor Quad core A53 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC
Memory: 512MB LPDDR2 SDRAM
Bluetooth: 2.4Ghz/5GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth/BLE
USB: USB 2.0 port
Connection: GPIO Header 40-pin
HDMI: 1 x full size
Video: MIPI DSI display port, MIPI CSI camera port & 4 Pole stereo output and composite video port
Multimedia: H.264, MPEG-4 decode (1080p30). H.264 encode (1080p30). OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0 graphics.
Storage: microSD card slot for loading operating system and data storage
Power: USB connector for 5V / 2.5A dc

What is a Raspberry Pi?

A Raspberry Pi is a compact computer board which offers endless opportunities. Simply plug in your TV, keyboard, mouse and power supply, and you are ready to go. There is a whole family of Raspberry Pi’s available to you, each providing various functionalities. There are also add-on boards available to enable other uses, such as camera and LCD display modules.
The great thing about Raspberry Pi is that it is suitable for almost all age groups. Whether it’s introducing programming to children, or used by engineers to make complex computer-controlled systems, anyone can use one.

LOOKING FOR SOME INSPIRATION?

When we say that Raspberry Pi offers endless opportunities, we mean it. However, it doesn’t help you to understand how a Raspberry Pi board fits into your lifestyle or workplace. To help spark your ideas and get your project going, here are some things you might find the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B useful for:
• Learn to Programme - Raspberry Pi is a great tool to learn how to program and there are tonnes of resources available on the Pi Foundation website and other communities to help you.
• Teach to Programme - Raspberry Pi is used in schools all over the country, inspiring the engineers of tomorrow.
• Media Centre - play and stream TV channels and music.
• Wildlife Monitoring - Keep track of the wildlife in your garden, both day and night with the addition of the original or PINOIR camera modules.
• Retro Games Console - recreate your favourite games from your childhood, complete with a retro style joystick.
• Home Automation - enter the generation of the Internet of Things by setting up automated lighting, appliances or temperature control systems throughout your home.
• Lighting Show - impress your neighbours with a spectacular lighting show controlled your Raspberry Pi board.
• Industrial - use the Raspberry Pi to monitor areas of production, automate timely processes or even use for quality control.
For examples of projects and a community of people to help you get started, head over to DesignSpark (https://www.rs-online.com/designspark)