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! Guess what's MUCH better:    • Orange Pi Zero 3W - When Raspberry Pis are...   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