Raspberry Pi A+ Official: Smaller, More Capable & Just $20

When the Raspberry Pi foundation released its B+ model this past summer, it noted that an A+ was on its way. Pretty much everyone figured that it’d be similar to that device, include the same drawbacks as the original, and then cost about the same. Well, similar, yes, but cost the same? Nope: It’s $20. The company says that the A+ is “crazy affordable”, and it’s really hard to disagree.

Like the beefier B+ model, the A+ also supports a larger GPIO 40-pin socket, supporting HAT standard add-in boards. It also has a much-improved microSD card slot; gone is the friction-fit socket and in is a push-push slot. Also, thanks to a dedicated low-noise power supply, the audio circuit has been improved, improving audio quality overall.

Other specs include a 700MHz Broadcom BCM2835 processor (as the original A had), 256MB of RAM, 1x USB 2.0 port, and 1x HDMI port. The new model also happens to be lighter, about 23g, and it’s quite a bit smaller: 65mm in length, vs. 86mm. Note that unlike the B+, the A+ does not include a LAN port, as it caters more towards embedded projects.

Overall, a great launch, and one heck of a package for $20.