Can’t Find a Raspberry Pi? Buy a Used NUC Instead
upstart writes:
The Pi Shortage Pricing Changes the Equation:
If the Raspberry Pi was consistently in stock and selling for the MSRP, the pricing for the Raspberry Pi 4 boards would range from $35 for the base 1GB model up to $75 for the 8GB model.
That sweet $35 price point is one of the best things about the Raspberry Pi and exactly why the Pi has become the foundation of so many projects. We love the Pi, and over the years, we've written lots of tutorials about it. I've used Pi boards for media centers, home servers, hobby projects, you name it. So it's safe to say we're big fans.
But shortages that started in 2020 and remain ongoing have changed the landscape. You can't get your hands on a Pi board for $35 right now (and you won't be able to for the foreseeable future). Now your best bet to get a Pi is to shop on auction sites like eBay-but instead of paying $35-70, you're paying $125 to $175. In many instances, that's just for the bare board with no case, storage, or power supply.
And at those price points, the "Wow, I'm getting a lot of microcomputer for $35!" excitement goes right out the window, and you should consider spending the money on something else instead. Enter the Intel NUC. Let's take a closer look.
The author makes the case that a used NUC is more capable, and upgradable, and costs what you'd pay for a new Pi. Are there any options out there near the original $35 price point, or are we looking at +$100 for the foreseeable future?
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