Back in 2016, the BBC began a nationwide scheme to deliver every year 7 child in the country their very own microcomputer – the Micro:Bit. A pretty cool initiative, and one that enabled 11-year-olds to get a grasp on the basics of computing and coding. However, when it comes to microcomputers, there’s been a long-established sheriff in town – the Raspberry Pi.
Now on its 4th iteration, the Raspberry Pi is the unquestionable king of microcomputers. So, how do the two compare – if at all?
The original face off: Raspberry Pi 3 vs the BBC Micro:Bit V1
When the Micro:Bit first came out, it’s immediate counterpart from the Raspberry Pi family was the Raspberry Pi 3.
In design terms, it’s important to establish that the Raspberry Pi and Micro:Bit are not really the same. The Raspberry Pi 3, for example, offers users a rudimentary PC level device – a true microcomputer with its own built-in interface. Meanwhile, the Micro:Bit should be considered a microcontroller, lacking its own interface, rather acting as a board for an externally written programs. The disparity between these designs is apparent across the fundamentals of each device’s respective builds.
Power wise, the Pi 3 offers a 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU with a 1GB RAM. Compare this to the Micro:Bit V1, which utilises the smallest ARM processor available – the ARM Cortex MO CPU.
Connectivity options are impressive on the Pi 3, which boasts an HDMI port, four USB 2.0 ports and a 3.5mm jack. The Micro:Bit only offers 5 simple I/O rings, which require crocodile clips to complete the connection.
Looking to software capabilities, the Pi 3 can run both Linux and Windows 10, while the BBC Micro, as an embedded software platform, cannot run a full operating system. The Pi 3 also has web-based UI capabilities for editing Javascript, Python, C++ and Blocks.
A fair comparison?
With all the above in mind, those wishing to directly compare the two devices will find there is no real competition between the two, however the important thing to understand is there isn’t meant to be. The Micro:Bit was introduced as an intentionally basic introductory device for school age students to take their first steps into computing, programming and coding, while the Pi is almost looking to recreate the capabilities of a home PC.
Newer versions of both devices are now available in the form of the Raspberry Pi 4 and the Micro:Bit V2. However, the improved CPU, memory, connectivity and support capabilities of the Pi 4 only further consolidate the gap between itself and the Micro:Bit, despite the V2 boasting a new built microphone and speaker and more computing power.
Rather than looking to fight against the Raspberry Pi, the Micro:Bit aims to act as a gateway device to it. So, instead of considering the two devices rivals, it’s better to think of the Micro:Bit as the introductory complement to Raspberry Pi, which remains the go to device for anyone interested in microcomputer technology.
