• You can get thin clients for much less than that… Better performance if needed, similar power efficiency for similar loads, they sometimes bring storage, power supply and ram and you don’t generate more e-waste as these are already being thrown out by many big companies every few years.

    The only reason to go for the PI is if you really need the GPIO, the tiny form-factor and even then there are cheaper alternatives with similar or better spevs.

        • I don’t know, I think that might be overstating it a bit. Even the highest cost 8GB Pi 4 model tops out at $75 without accessories but I can only find 2 listings on Ebay at the moment for MFF PCs that can beat that price, also without accessories.

          • eBay is not where we buy new hardware.

            Pi has been ridiculously expensive and hard to get from 2020 to 2023, and we’ve had applications where we’ve been deploying them.

            Think we’ve seen cost up to $200 for a complete kit.

            You need power, SD-card, a case, and depending on application also a micro HDMI adapter. It all adds up.

            Slight difference if you are just upgrading in place, but comparing the unit price of a bare Pi to a computer with everything that you need is not apples to apples.

              • No idea where the other guy is getting his Lenovos. We’ve been buying Pi’s because of form factor and GPIO.

                We had a fair share of those Lenovos in the office when I started (I think they were around $500 in our config back then), but they’ve all been replaced with laptops now.

                In my department we run around with $3000 MacBook Pros, so not very budget minded at all.

      • Not sure where you’re from. But here is a random one from ebay . You will find many like it. I got this model with 4gb ram, 256 ssd and power supply for ~80€ on europe, much less then I could pay for any PI4 at the time that came with no case, no psu, no ssd. It idles around 3-4w headless with no peripherals running home assistant. There are other models too ofc. Just have a look around used hardware stores if you have them around your area.