Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

The $5 computer that can change the world

Published Nov 26th, 2015 12:11PM EST
Raspberry Pi Zero Price

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

The world collectively dropped its jaw when the Raspberry Pi was first unveiled. A $35 computer that could be used to power just about anything? Yes, please. Then the even more capable Raspberry Pi 2 came along and earlier models dropped to as low as $20, which is staggering considering the doors that could still be opened by such a capable device.

But now, the unthinkable has happened: The UK-based Raspberry Pi Foundation has unveiled a brand new computer that can be purchased for just $5.

DON’T MISS: The un-gift guide: Awesomely unique gifts and gadgets you won’t find on any other list

Meet the Raspberry Pi Zero, a tiny little computer with great big ambitions. Here are the key details:

  • A Broadcom BCM2835 application processor
    • 1GHz ARM11 core (40% faster than Raspberry Pi 1)
  • 512MB of LPDDR2 SDRAM
  • A micro-SD card slot
  • A mini-HDMI socket for 1080p60 video output
  • Micro-USB sockets for data and power
  • An unpopulated 40-pin GPIO header
    • Identical pinout to Model A+/B+/2B
  • An unpopulated composite video header
  • Our smallest ever form factor, at 65mm x 30mm x 5mm

The Pi Zero has big implications in both the developed and developing world. Entrepreneurs now have ostensibly no barrier to entry when seeking to develop and build new hardware, and new, lower cost hardware can be built in an effort to bring more affordable products to developing nations.

Raspbarry Pi’s new $5 computer is available for sale beginning immediately in the U.K. and U.S., but the company has only built “several tens of thousands” of units so far and they’ll all likely be sold out today. More units are on the way, however, and Raspberry Pi has partnered with element14, The Pi Hut and Pimoroni in the U.K. and Adafruit and Micro Center in the U.S. to sell the Pi Zero.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.