Raspberry Pi too EXPENSIVE? Dad Explains the Radxa Zero 3W
Raspberry Pis used to be the go-to for cheap, reliable projects.
Now they’re expensive, hard to find… and not even the best option anymore.
In this video, I test the Radxa Zero 3W - a $22 single board computer that, on paper, outperforms the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (and even competes with a Pi 3B+). We'll load Debian on the Radxa Zero 3W, and see what happens!
A VIEWER COMMENTED THAT THESE ARE SOLD OUT - 4 HOURS INTO THIS VIDEO BEING UP!
Fear not... the Radxa Cubie A7Z or A5E, are a little more expensive, but WAY more capable. The Radxa Cubie A5E, for example, is dual Ethernet, wifi6, 8 cores, and supports an NVMe SSD - for $32. Bananas. As always, use a coupon code when ordering from Aliexpress.
*The worksheet for this video is here*: https://www.dad-the-engineer.com/blog...
But here’s the problem: raw performance isn’t everything.
I’ll walk you through:
• What makes Raspberry Pi alternatives so compelling
• How the Radxa Zero 3W compares (CPU, RAM, GPU, and more)
• The real-world setup process (including the parts that break)
• Why cheaper SBCs can be powerful… but frustrating
• When you should (and shouldn’t) replace your Raspberry Pi
Because the truth is:
You’re not just buying hardware — you’re buying an ecosystem.
And sometimes, that ecosystem is worth the extra money.
I'll be doing the same soon for Orange Pi, Banana Pi, Libre, and others!
💻 Gear Used:
• Radxa Zero 3W
• microSD card (16GB+)
• USB-C hub, keyboard, mouse
• HDMI adapter
Chapters:
00:00 - Raspberry Pis are EXPENSIVE
01:48 - The Radxa Zero 3W - Better AND cheaper than a RPi 3B!
02:38 - What's a Single Board Computer (SBC)
03:21 - What you need
04:14 - Loading and configuring the OS
06:48 - What using a Raspberry Pi gets you
08:28 - Not all help is helpful
09:52 - Conclusion
#RaspberryPi
#Radxa
#Homelab
#Linux
#SelfHosting