Choosing the right place to buy the best Pi has been a challenge that most users have to deal with daily. Since its establishment in 2012, the Raspberry Pi has sold up to approximately 31 million units. The popularity of these units has opened up several online stores, some legit and some scams. Therefore, if you have never purchased one, the choice of selecting the appropriate seller can be kind of daunting.
You no longer have to research since this article will cover the best stores and shops worth considering. Before buying a Raspberry Pi, there are questions that one should first put into consideration. Below are some of the vital questions:
Why do I need a Raspberry Pi?
A tech guru, or rather a tech geek, should own a Raspberry Pi. The essence of having the Pi is that it can serve as a secondary computer. a Raspberry Pi can be used for web and email surfing. Some people question the speed of a Pi. However, that is not the case since fun starts when the Pi is used for suitable project completion. For instance, projects like robotics, security cameras, retro arcade devices, and fart detectors. When working with this kind of project, the Raspberry Pi should be your first choice.
Thanks to the 40 GPIO pins. They have enabled the board’s connectivity to various connections such as sensors, light, motors, and other input and output devices. The Pi’s magic comes from its ability to combine its small size, low power, expandability, and low cost. These are features one would not want to miss at any cost. Also, there is a huge ecosystem of Hardware Attached on Top (HATs) and daughterboards to the GPIO pin hence providing features such as motor drivers, elnk displays, and power via the ethernet.
If you don’t aspire to be a maker or creator using the Raspberry Pi, the Pi has many other alternatives that you can opt for. For instance, the Pi makes a great web server, game emulator, and media streamer. These are choices a person who does not want to be a creator or maker can choose. The Raspberry Pi OS (formerly referred to as Raspbian) is a form of Linux that gives you the ability to learn and explore more without primarily installing the OS on your primary physical computer.
Which Raspberry Pi should I consider?
If you carefully peruse the internet, you will come across a dozen of models for sale, but you possibly cannot buy all of them. Therefore, you will have to decide on what model suits your need and budget in such a case. There are a handful of current-gen Pi models that can be worth considering and valuable to your money.
Hence, before you start looking for the appropriate place to buy your Pi, you should first know which type of model you need. The knowledge about the model has been covered in our previous articles, and if you need more information, you can review them to have a clear view of what model suits you and your budget.
What is my Budget?
This is another component that a prospective buyer should consider when planning to buy a Raspberry Pi. As we have previously seen, there are different models of the Raspberry Pi, and the models differ in price. This makes your budget very important factor when purchasing a Raspberry Pi. If you have adequate funds, you can move to the next step.
How to Identify and Locate the Latest model?
This is another important step for any potential buyer. Identifying and locating a Raspberry Pi latest model might be challenging; however, with this article’s help, the process has been simplified. From most reviews, it is evident that the Raspberry Pi 4 B launched in 2019 has been one of the most selling Pi’s in the industry, and it has 4GB RAM.
However, due to technological advancements, an 8GB model is available now. The new model is faster and has USB 3.0 support. Also, it has a 4K resolution ability making it more appealing to prospective buyers.
Which is the Suitable Buying method?
This is another important component of the buying process. One has to know which method best suits him or her. For instance, one can know whether to settle on physical buying from a store or purchasing the Pi online with this method. This process absolutely depends on the user, and some factors that might impact the buying option are location, availability, cost, reliability, and transparency.
All the mentioned factors will help one choose wisely which buying method to choose. Therefore, put the elements into consideration as you plan on selecting the suitable buying method to use.
After putting all the factors named above into consideration, you will have to get into the buying process. Below is a list of legit sellers that we guarantee. Ensure you get your Pi from one of the mentioned stores to avoid plunging into unnecessary inconveniences.
Where to buy a Raspberry Pi
This is the official website for the Raspberry Pi. Why here? The main reason is that they are the Pi’s official owners and providers; hence, it is the best place to purchase the Pi. Besides, they have a variety of other necessary components that can be of great help to you. If you are new, this site will help you know what else should be purchased along with the Raspberry Pi. Thus, the reason it ranks in our list. Click the link to have a look at the different varieties of products offered by Raspberry.
Microcenter has the Pi model 4 in capacities of 2, 4, and 8GB. If you need a legit store, you can buy your Pi kit from Microcenter since it is a verified vendor and dealer. They also have warranties on their products that is a plus to any buyer.
I know most people have either heard or come across the Amazon platform. This is among the leading e-commerce shops globally. It has a wide variety of Raspberry Pi starter kits that come with other accessories to help the buyers. A point to note is that bare boards cannot be found in Amazon. At the time of writing this article, the best deal at Amazon is the Canakit Raspberry Pi 4 basic starter kit that ranges as follows:
2GB – $62
4GB – $ 82
8GB – $ 120
This is a good offer that you would not want to miss at any cost.
For the 2GB models, this should be your ultimate destination. The full range of Raspberry Pi model 4 is approximately $45. Try it out now and save some bucks.
If you are looking for both bare boards and Raspberry Pi starter Kits, this is your ultimate solution. Also, their shipping is much affordable starting from $6.95. This is a legit store. Give it a try now.
Adafruit is also a legit store known for storing the Raspberry Pi 4 model and sells bare boards. The prices of 2GB capacity ranges from $35. Isn’t this pocket-friendly? Then what are you waiting for? Give it a try now.
This Brick-and-mortar store located in Cambridge has all the Raspberry models. If you live in the UK, this should be your first choice since it is the official Raspberry store. Also, you can get anything you want in the store. Therefore, why should you wander around? Get to the store in person and purchase your products of interest.
This is another huge store that stores large quantities of Raspberry Pis. The boards and kits’ price range from €33. We can confidently say it is affordable and pocket-friendly. Purchase your equipment or board now from CPC.
Currently, as we are writing this article, this store has plenty of Pis in store. They offer shipping services even though their shipping takes slightly more prolonged periods. You can check out the store for more information.
This can be said to be a general store since it contains all three Raspberry Pi models, and it offers a lot more branded accessories. This is a much-developed store as they also brand products to suit their customer needs. You can get the value of your money by giving this store the go-ahead.
This store has the Raspberry Pi 4 B models in stock. The stock is present in multiple configurations, and it also contains the bare boards at their MSRPs. Besides, the store has a tone of starter kits that the user can choose from confidently. It is a legit store, and therefore you ought not to worry about anything. With this store, the customer pays for the shipping fee as they do not offer free delivery.
Conclusion
We have learned various circumstances surrounding the buying of a Raspberry Pi, and now we believe you are in an excellent position to make your decision based on the guideline. Always ensure to be keen when selecting an online store because of the rise of the number of fraudsters whose primary objective is to drill your pockets. If you have no idea what to do or where to go, refer to this article, and we bet you won’t regret it at all.
The questions that demand to be considered before looking for a store are essential as they will help in the buyout process. In case of uncertainties, feel free to consult the relevant authorities and reach out for help. Now you understand what to do before and when in need of buying a Raspberry Pi.