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5 reasons to try a Raspberry Pi Zero W for compact IoT projects

By Dylan Turck
From XDA-Developers

5 reasons to try a Raspberry Pi Zero W for compact IoT projects

The Raspberry Pi has become a powerhouse in the computer market, well known for its reasonable prices, versatile capabilities, and small form factor. Even though the Raspberry Pi is remarkably small on its own.

The Pi foundation decided to go even smaller with the Raspberry Pi Zero W and its successor, the Raspberry Pi zero W 2. This makes the Raspberry Pi Zero W and its successor perfect for compact IoT projects where the size of the SBC really matters.

5 Project needs

A device for every project

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Some projects need more power, some have tight budgets, and some need smaller hardware. All we know is that anyone who has a Raspberry Pi loves making DIY projects. The Raspberry Pi Zero W gives hobbyists another tool in their tool belt to use where necessary.

The Raspberry Pi Zero W has carved itself a niche in the DIY project scene for hobbyists who need a smaller board, need less power usage, or maybe don't need an SBC as complex as newer Raspberry Pi models.

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4 Energy usage

Lower power requirements

The Raspberry Pi Zero W uses much less power than any other SBC on the market. This makes it perfect for compact projects that don't have extra power to spare. This also helps if you want your project to be battery-powered instead of being charged or plugged in the whole time.

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3 Capabilities

Packed with features

While the Raspberry Pi Zero W is not as powerful as a modern Raspberry Pi unit, it still has a lot of features that make it perfect for compact projects. The SBC comes with a 1GHz processor and 512 MB RAM, which makes it surprisingly functional for an SBC with such a small form factor.

This is comparable to the power of a desktop computer from the mid-2000s; only it can fit in your pocket. The SBC comes with a USB (OTG), an HDMI out, a micro USB connector for charging, a microSD card slot for storage, wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, a camera connector, and a GPIO header.

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2 Cost

Great for projects with budget constraints

When the first Raspberry Pi was released, the world was shaken by the device's size, but the price was even more shocking. No one could ever have imagined that you could have as much power as the Raspberry Pi did for the low price of $35 on release.

Although Raspberry Pi models have become increasingly expensive with each new model, the Raspberry Pi Zero W was originally released with a measly price tag of just $10, which you can probably pick up for under $5 now. Its successor, the Raspberry Pi Zero W 2, can be bought for just $15.

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1 Size

Size does matter

Source: YouTube

Most people use the Raspberry Pi for DIY projects due to the size of the SBC. It is hard to make projects fit the form factor of a traditional ATX motherboard and all the other required hardware needed to make it run.

Well, some people need something even smaller than a traditional Raspberry Pi to make their projects work, and that is where the Raspberry Pi Zero W enters the picture. Being the smallest Raspberry Pi model available, this Pi is sure to fit any project you could possibly imagine.

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The perfect SBC for compact projects

The lower price tag and surprisingly decent functionality of the Raspberry Pi Zero W make it a great option for people who have a lower budget or have certain size constraints on their projects.

But if you're looking for a similarly sized SBC with slightly more power, then its successor is also a great option for your next compact IoT project.

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