Don't forget the Raspberry Pi 3a

This is a great time to be building systems. Unless of course you need to buy any hardware. In which case the device you want will be either super-expensive, unobtainable or both. If you fancy a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 look forward to some hunting and a big bill at the end. But remember that you don’t always need the latest and greatest. If you want to make something to monitor a bunch of sensors and host a website, or run in a little interactive display, you might find that an older (and much cheaper) Pi will do the trick. You will also have a lot more luck getting one for a not-extortionate price.

Which brings us to the Raspberry Pi 3a. This is basically the same hardware as my favourite (but totally unobtainable) cheap Pi, the Pi Zero 2 W. But the 3a comes with proper usb and HDMI ports and even an audio output. It is also available to buy right now for a not too eye watering price. Worth a look.