The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B is a single-board computer with a quad-core Broadcom BCM2837 64-bit CPU, 1GB RAM, on-board Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and one Ethernet port. The closest Thinvent match is the Thinvent Micro 6 Pro Mini PC, which uses the same Amlogic S905X3 chip family as the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B's ARM-based design, has a 4-core ARM Cortex A55 processor, 4 GB RAM and 32 GB storage, and runs Thinux™ Embedded Linux. For a Thinvent thin client option, the Thinvent Micro 5R Thin Client uses an ARM Cortex A53 processor with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B vs Thinvent Micro 6 Pro and Thinvent Micro 5R
| Raspberry Pi 3 Model B | Thinvent Micro 6 Pro Mini PC | Thinvent Micro 5R Thin Client | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2837 (ARM) | Amlogic S905X3, ARM Cortex A55 | Rockchip RK3528, ARM Cortex A53 |
| Cores | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| RAM | 1 GB | 4 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage | microSD card slot | 32 GB eMMC | 16 GB eMMC |
| Form Factor | Single-board computer | Mini PC | Thin Client |
| Operating System | Not confirmed | Thinux™ Embedded Linux | Thinux™ Embedded Linux |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, dual antenna, dual band | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), dual band, Bluetooth 5 |
| Ethernet | 1 port | 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| Display Outputs | 1 HDMI | 1 HDMI | 1 HDMI 2.0 |
| Cooling | Not confirmed | Fanless passive cooling | Fanless passive cooling |
Key differences
-
The Thinvent Micro 6 Pro has 4 GB of onboard RAM, four times the 1 GB of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.
-
The Thinvent Micro 6 Pro includes 32 GB of eMMC storage, while the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B relies on a separate microSD card.
-
Both Thinvent models use fanless passive cooling and an aluminium housing.
-
The Thinvent Micro 5R adds Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, and it has two USB 2.0 ports.
-
The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B has a 40-pin GPIO header, which the Thinvent models do not have. The Thinvent Micro 6 Pro has USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports and a microSD slot instead.
-
We could not confirm the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B's operating system options beyond Raspberry Pi OS, so we have left that point out of the comparison.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B if you need a single-board computer with GPIO pins for hobby or prototyping projects. Choose the Thinvent Micro 6 Pro Mini PC if you need more RAM and onboard storage in a fanless, Linux-based mini PC. Choose the Thinvent Micro 5R Thin Client if you need Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and a fanless thin client.
