The Raspberry Pi 3B + is a small development board, which allows us to assemble a computer very quickly and at a very reasonable price. This little device offers endless possibilities. In this article we explain how to get started with the Raspberry Pi 3B + in a very simple way .
What is the Raspberry Pi 3B + and what can I do with it?
First of all, we will explain in a very brief way what the Raspberry Pi 3B + is. It is a small single board computer or development board , which includes all the components necessary to function, except for storage.
The first Raspberry was born with the aim of bringing computing to all users, especially those living in underdeveloped countries, who can hardly access this type of device due to the high price they normally have. However, its possibilities of use are so many that it quickly became tremendously popular.
Currently, the Raspberry Pi in all its variants is widely used in schools, to allow children to start in the world of computing and technology for a very low price. It is also used in many programming projects , since its technical characteristics make it a very suitable device for this task due to its low energy consumption.
The latest Raspberry Pi 3B + version includes a processor manufactured by Broadcom that is based on the ARM architecture, with four A53 processing cores clocked at 1.4 GHz . It also includes a fairly modest VideoCore IV GPU, but it is enough for most of the projects that are done with this device. Its features are completed with 1 GB of RAM, a WiFi AC + Bluetooth 4.2 module, a Gibagit Ethernet (PoE) port, 4 USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI video output, and a power connector.
These specifications make the Raspberry Pi 3B + a very suitable device for various projects, such as a small home computer, a multimedia center, a download center, a retro video game emulation console, and much more . The truth is that this small device offers almost infinite possibilities, it will be your imagination that limits you.
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2837B0, Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit SoC | |
| Clock frequency | 1.4 GHz | |
| GPU | VideoCore IV 400 MHz | |
| RAM | 1 GB | |
| Wireless connectivity | WiFI 802.11.b / g / n / ac 2.4GHz / 5GHz Bluetooth 4.2 LE | |
| NET | Gigabit Ethernet Over USB 2.0 (300 Mbps) | |
| Ports | 40-pin GPIO HDMI 4 x USB 2.0 CSI for camera DSI for touch screen 3.5 mm jack connector for audio MicroSD slot Micro USB power port Gigabit Ethernet (PoE) |
What do I need to get my Raspberry Pi 3B + up and running?
Getting started in a project based on a Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus is easier. In addition to the plate itself, we will also need some essential accessories for its operation . The main accessories are the power adapter, a microSD memory card, and an HDMI cable to connect the board to our monitor. We will also need a keyboard and a mouse or some other type of peripheral, such as game controllers, depending on the type of project we are going to create.
Another highly recommended accessory, although not necessary, is a box in which to place the plate . This way it will be much more protected from dust and humidity. Electronic components are very sensitive to these two elements, so buying a case for your Raspberry Pi 3B + is a good investment. Its price is only approximately € 5.
Here is a list of everything you need to assemble your own Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus:
- Raspberry Pi 3B + 33 euros.
- Power adapter 11 euros.
- MicroSD card 12 euros.
- HDMI cable 2.30 euros.
- Box for the plate 5 euros.
- Keyboard and mouse combo 16 euros.
Another option is to purchase the official Raspberry Foundation kit to get started with the device. Its price of only 60 euros, and includes all the essential components together with a box. The advantage of acquiring this kit is that it comes with a memory card already prepared and with the operating system installed, so that we can skip the installation. The downside is that we don't have customization options and the card they offer us is only 8 GB.
Getting started with the Raspberry Pi 3B +
The first step is to install the operating system on the MicroSD memory card that you are going to use with your Raspberry Pi 3B +. There are many operating systems for this device, although we recommend starting with Raspbian. Raspbian is the official Raspberry Foundation operating system for this device. It is a Linux distribution based on Debian and has been adapted to work best with the hardware of the Raspberry Pi 3B +
The next step is to install Raspbian on the MicroSD memory card. For this we will use Etcher, a small free application that is very easy to use. We remind you that if you purchase the starter kit, you do not need to do this step , as the memory card is already prepared.
Once we have both downloaded files we can proceed. Installing Raspbian is as simple as opening Etcher, selecting the Raspbian file that we have downloaded, selecting the memory card on which we want to install it and accepting . The process will take a few minutes, depending on the writing speed of the memory card that we have purchased.
When the process finishes we will have the memory card ready to use it. We just have to put the card in our Raspberry Pi 3B +, connect the rest of the accessories such as the power cable, the HDMI cable, the mouse and the keyboard. The device will turn on automatically when we connect the power supply to the electrical network, since the board does not have any type of switch.
The power supply that we have proposed includes a small switch , in this way you can turn your Raspberry Pi 3B + on and off without having to connect and disconnect it each time from the electrical network of your house.We have thought of everything!
We hope this tutorial will be very useful for you to take your first steps with the wonderful Raspberry Pi 3B +. If you have any questions you can leave a comment.