Best Raspberry Pi alternatives
Boards and small PCs that beat a Raspberry Pi 5 at a specific job, and what you give up.
Editorial opinionReviewed Oct 28, 2026
The Raspberry Pi 5 is still the easiest board, but its 2026 prices have climbed and it lacks a video encoder and fast networking. These alternatives each win at something; all of them have weaker software support than a Pi.
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#1 · Most power in Pi size
Orange Pi 5 Max
For advanced users- Processor
- Rockchip RK3588
- RAM
- 16 GB
- Network
- 1 × 2.5 GbE
- Great fit for
- No use rated great
from $95 (launch price)
Editorial opinionOverall 7.2/10Eight RK3588 cores, 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6E on a Pi-sized board.
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#2 · x86 in Pi size
Radxa X4
Recommended- Processor
- Intel N100
- RAM
- 16 GB
- Network
- 1 × 2.5 GbE
- Great fit for
- Home Assistant · Media server
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Editorial opinionOverall 7.4/10An Intel N100 with a Pi-style header: runs Windows and any x86 image.
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#3 · Most connections
Orange Pi 5 Plus
For advanced users- Processor
- Rockchip RK3588
- RAM
- 32 GB
- Network
- 2 × 2.5 GbE
- Great fit for
- No use rated great
from $109 (launch price)
Editorial opinionOverall 7.5/10Two 2.5 GbE ports, full-speed NVMe and up to 32 GB.
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#4 · Best as a router
FriendlyElec NanoPi R6S
Recommended- Processor
- Rockchip RK3588S
- RAM
- 8 GB
- Network
- 3 × 2.5 GbE
- Great fit for
- Router / firewall
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Editorial opinionOverall 7.6/10Three network ports and a fanless case, ready for OpenWrt.
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#5 · Or just a mini PC
Beelink EQ14
Highly recommended- Processor
- Intel N150
- RAM
- 16 GB
- Network
- 2 × 2.5 GbE
- Great fit for
- Home Assistant · Media server · Router / firewall
from $385 (typical price)
Editorial opinionOverall 8.4/10Costs about the same as a 16 GB Pi 5 kit and is easier as a home server.
How we chose
- A clear advantage over a Pi 5 for one job (CPU, networking, x86, price).
- Software you can live with: Armbian, vendor images or plain x86.
- Sold on Amazon in the US or Spain.