Arduino and Raspberry Pi Comparison

Hmm. So you are on the right path. This is an era of automation, robotics, and IoT (Internet of Things). For this purpose, you can use custom build gadgets & tools like “Amazon Alexa” , “Google Assistant” , “Phillips Hue” , “LG Smart tv” etc. If you are interested in doing some automation stuff by yourself, Arduino and Raspberry are best for you. These can be the heart of your automation system. Few other boards are also available like ESP8266 and NodeMCU, but in this article, I shall only focus on Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

Here, I shall discuss the difference between Arduino and Raspberry Pi in a straightforward way. After reading this article, you will be able to choose the best hardware for your job. 

Actually, both (Raspberry & Arduino) are quite different in use and customization. 

Note:  This article will focus on Raspberry pi3 (B+) and Arduino UNO. 

Microcontroller / Minicomputer

 

Arduino is basically a microcontroller based electronic platform that is open source. It was developed to do interactive projects by Arduino. cc

Raspberry pi is a kind of minicomputer developed by the pi organization. It was developed to teach computer programming in developing countries. By default, its operating system is Raspbian based, but you can even other operating systems like Android, Windows 10, and Firefox.

Click the image if you want to buy best Arduino starter kit for beginners.	Click the image if you want to buy best Raspberry pi starter kit for beginners.

Speed Comparison of Arduino and Raspberry Pi

As Arduino is a microcontroller, it is very quick in performing different operations on small devices like Led, motors, and other sensors.

Raspberry Pi is Single Board Computer (SBC) having an operating system installed on it. It is suitable for large complex tasks.

Popular Variations of Arduino and Raspberry Pi

Arduino board has many variations. Notable are Arduino UNO, Arduino Mega, Arduino Due, Arduino Leonardo, etc. There are changes in hardware but programming is essentially the same.

Raspberry pi also has few variations. Raspberry pi zero (Zero,W/WH), Raspberry pi 2 (B), Raspberry pi 3 (B,A+,B+), Raspberry pi 4(B,400) etc. Now, hardware structure is different but programming is essentially the same. 

Hardware Structure

In Arduino and Raspberry Pi comparison, one important aspect is Hardware Structure. Due to its ultimate importance, it is drafted in form of table.

Arduino	Raspberry PI
Hardware Structure of Arduino  notably consists of  Microcontroller based on ATMEGA328P	Microprocessor Broadcom BCM2387 chipset. Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53   (64bits)
14 Digital input/output pins	40 Digital GPIO Pins
Button for Reset and ICSP Header	No such Buttons
Power Jack	Socket for Power
Power Supply & Ground Pins	+3.3V,+5V and Ground pins
6 Analog Pins	No Analog Pins available
16MHz Quartz Crystal	1.2 G Hz Speed
No built-in Camera Interface	Camera Interface available
No Wireless LAN and Bluetooth	Wireless LAN Available
No Ethernet Port	Ethernet Port Available
No Video/Audio Jack	Composite Video/Audio Jack
No USB Ports	4 USB Ports
No external Memory Available	Memory card slot
No Display Connector	Display Connector Available
No HDMI Port	HDMI Port Available
No Built-in Bluetooth	Bluetooth Available

Operating Voltage

Arduino operated on 5V while Raspberry Pi is operated on 3.3V(5V can damage GPIO pins permanently).

Sensors Interfacing

Sensor interfacing is comparatively very easy in case of Arduino. 

In the case of Raspberry pi, sensor and components interfacing is relatively difficult because it requires related libraries and software installations.

Arduino cannot be connected to the internet directly (You need external hardware to connect Arduino with the internet).

Raspberry pi can be connected to the internet easily via built-in Wifi or Ethernet port.

Operating System

Arduino has no operating system. It has an integrated Development Environment.

Raspberry pi is UNIX based so it can use anything like Scratch, Python, IDLE etc

Programming Language

When we think about programming languages of Arduino and Raspberry Pi, below are important points.

The recommended programming language for Arduino IDE is C/C++.

The officially recommended language for raspberry pi is Python but C/C++ and Python Ruby can also be used.

Start & Shutdown Procedure of Arduino and Raspberry Pi

Arduino starts running as it is powered up through a jack or PC USB. You need to unplug the power to turn Arduino OFF. It means power interruption does not damage the Arduino Program.

Raspberry Pi required proper shutdown technique as in the case of our normal PC otherwise, files can be corrupted. It means Power Interruption can damage the Operating System of Raspberry pi

Price Comparison of Arduino and Raspberry Pi

Arduino UNO is very cheap as compare to Raspberry Pi. In Pakistan, Arduino cost about PKR 500 and Raspberry pi 3 Model B+ about 4000PKR.

Comparing Memory Storage of Arduino and Raspberry Pi

Arduino has onboard storage while Raspberry Pi doesn’t have onboard storage (It has an SD Card port available).

You cannot upload heavy multiple programs on Arduino due to its low onboard storage. It has 32Kb of onboard storage capacity, which is used for storing code.

In raspberry pi you can use up to 64GB memory card(Which is more than enough in most cases).

Analog Pins

Arduino UNO has 6 built-in analog pins that can be used with analog sensors or signals. Raspberry Pi doesn’t have analog pins so connecting analog sensors or signals with it is bit tricky.

Shield Requirement

Arduino doesn’t have a built-in blue tooth module. If you want to attach a Bluetooth with it, you need to use external hardware called a shield.

Multitasking

Arduino performs one task at one time so multitasking is not possible in Arduino, whereas in Raspberry pi multitasking is possible as it is like a mini-computer

Data Transfer 

In Arduino, data transfer is done through the flash of the microcontroller. 

In raspberry pi data transfer is possible with SD Card, USB or FTP.

Register Width 

Arduino register width is 8 bits while Raspberry pi register width is 64 bits.

Current Capacity

The maximum current capacity for both Arduino and Raspberry Pi is 50mA.

RAM

Arduino has only 2 Kb RAM capacities while Raspberry pi 3 Model B+ has 1 GB RAM.

Conclusion

Now all the above points show the difference between Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Both have their own Prons and Corns. Selecting one of them for your job fully depends upon the nature of your job. 

Arduino is best for a single repetitive task like continuously sensing temperature and humidity. Switching light ON/OFF based on data obtained from an analog light sensor. Simple Automatic Lock system etc.

Raspberry pi is useful for complex programs and multitasking.

Some examples are given below.

i)Automatic Watering System.

ii)Weather Station.

iii) Temperature and Humidity sensors to turn HVAC System ON or OFF.

iv) Sending data automatically on internet.