====== Raspberry Pi =====

Purpose-built single-board computers for low-power always-on servers.

> //Raspberry Pi offers excellent power efficiency and is ideal for lightweight services.//

===== Overview =====

Raspberry Pi devices are designed for low-power always-on operation, making them excellent home servers. They consume minimal power, are easy to set up, and have extensive community support.

===== Model Recommendations =====

**Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB)**: Best choice for general hosting in 2026
  * 2-3x faster than Pi 4
  * Supports NVMe storage via PCIe
  * USB 3.0 for fast external storage
  * Costs ~$80-90

**Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB)**: Still capable option
  * Widely supported and documented
  * Good if found at discount
  * USB 3.0 for fast storage
  * Costs ~$55-65

**Raspberry Pi Zero 2W**: Single lightweight services only
  * Ultra low power (~0.8W idle)
  * Only for Pi-hole or similar
  * Costs ~$15
  * Limited to USB 2.0

===== What Fits on Pi 5 8GB =====

**Lightweight services:**
  * Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, Blocky
  * Home Assistant, MQTT, Zigbee2MQTT
  * Syncthing, Vaultwarden
  * Caddy, WireGuard
  * Uptime Kuma, ntfy

**Medium services:**
  * Audiobookshelf, Navidrome
  * Small Nextcloud instance
  * Small Postgres/MariaDB
  * Grafana, Prometheus, light Loki
  * Light k3s cluster

**What doesn't fit:**
  * Plex with hardware transcoding
  * Heavy AI/LLM workloads
  * Multiple virtual machines
  * Sustained compile workloads

===== Important Considerations =====

**Storage:**
  * SD cards fail in 8-14 months for 24/7 use
  * Boot from SSD instead for reliability
  * Only Pi 4 and Pi 5 have USB 3.0 for fast SSDs
  * NVMe requires HAT on Pi 5

**Power consumption:**
  * Pi 5: 3-5W idle, 8-12W under load
  * Pi 4: 2-6W idle, 6-7W under load
  * Pi Zero 2W: 0.8W idle, 2W under load
  * Monthly cost: $0.30-0.60 at $0.12/kWh

**Networking:**
  * Only Pi 4 and Pi 5 offer real gigabit Ethernet
  * Pi 3 and Zero 2W limited to 300 Mbps
  * Wi-Fi available but less stable than Ethernet

===== Complete Build Cost =====

**Pi 5 8GB setup (~$210-260):**
  * Pi 5 8GB: ~$80-90
  * NVMe SSD (256GB): ~$40
  * Active cooler: ~$10
  * Quality case (Argon ONE V5): ~$40-60
  * Power supply: ~$10
  * UPS HAT (optional): ~$30

===== References =====

  * [[https://selfhosting.sh/hardware/raspberry-pi-home-server/|Raspberry Pi as a Home Server: Complete Guide]]
  * [[https://ton-technotes.com/en/blog/2026-04-12-raspberry-pi-home-server-comparison/|I Want a Home Linux Server — So I Compared Every Raspberry Pi]]
  * [[https://dockerspot.com/blog/choosing-the-right-raspberry-pi-for-self-hosted-services/|Choosing the Right Raspberry Pi for Self-Hosted Services (2026)]]
  * [[https://www.bigiron.cc/guides/a-homelab-on-a-pi-5-what-fits|A homelab on a Pi 5: what fits, what doesn't, and the honest BoM]]

===== See Also =====

  * [[hosting:hardware:start|Hardware Overview]]
  * [[hosting:hardware:os_selection|Operating System Selection]]
  * [[hosting:hardware:power_cooling|Power and Cooling]]

Last updated: 2026-06-19
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