Since its debut in 2012, the Raspberry Pi has provided a single-board computing platform that's small, easy, and affordable. The device is priced low enough to introduce novices to the world of computing but versatile enough that it's starting to find its way into more serious pursuits. While the Pi has evolved from its first release into the powerful 3B+ and 3A+ boards, their computing power is still no match for more expensive, and physically larger modules — such as the NVIDIA Jetson line.
Jetson Nano vs. Raspberry Pi 3
While these two devices have existed peacefully for years in their respective niches, NVIDIA is taking their product line one step closer to the size and price of the Raspberry Pi and its ilk with its Jetson Nano. The Nano is still larger and more expensive than the Raspberry Pi 3A+, the Raspberry Pi Foundation's latest offering, but the $99 price tag for the Nano development kit makes the two devices much more comparable.
This chart illustrates how the Jetson Nano stacks up to Raspberry Pi's latest, the 3A+, along with the older 3B+, which provides better competition with its additional RAM and ports.
|
|
Jetson Nano Dev Board |
Raspberry Pi 3A+ |
Raspberry Pi 3B+ |
|
AI Performance |
472 GFLOPs |
21.5 GFLOPs (est*) |
21.4 GFLOPs (est*) |
|
GPU |
128-core NVIDIA Maxwell |
Broadcom VideoCore IV |
Broadcom VideoCore IV |
|
CPU |
1.4 GHz 64-bit Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 MPCore |
1.4 GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 |
1.4 GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 |
|
RAM |
4GB LPDDR4 |
512MB LPDDR2 SDRAM |
1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM |
|
Board dimensions |
100 x 79mm |
65 x 56mm |
85 x 56mm |
|
GPIO header |
40-pin |
40-pin |
40-pin |
|
Ports |
4x USB 3.0, Wired Ethernet 10/100/1000 Mbps |
1 USB 2.0 |
4 USB 2.0, Wired Ethernet up to 330 Mbps |
|
Wireless |
None |
Dual-band 802.11ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2/BLE |
Dual-band 802.11ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2 |
|
M.2 Key E Slot |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Multimedia |
2160p30 (H.264) |
1080p30 (H.264) |
1080p30 (H.264) |
|
Video Output: |
HDMI, DisplayPort (4K) |
HDMI, Display Serial Interface (DSI) |
HDMI, Display Serial Interface (DSI) |
|
Camera Serial Interface (CSI) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cost |
Note that the board dimensions listed do not include component overhangs (USB, Ethernet, etc.).
The Verdict: Jetson Nano Developer Kit
Looking at these stats, there's not much comparison when it comes to AI performance. The Jetson Nano boasts a nearly 22x (estimated*) advantage over the A+, and roughly the same over the 3B+. If you're looking for edge-based AI in a small package, the Jetson Nano development kit is the SOC for you.
Jetson Nano Module
When you're ready to make your idea into a mass-market product, the Jetson Nano module will be available in June 2019 for the — strangely higher — price of $129. Instead of an SD card, the Nano will come with 16GB of eMMC 5.1 flash memory ― which could justify the pricing. Otherwise, these boards boast identical specs, excluding the carrier board's ports and accessories.
The Pi 3A+'s space savings are impressive, but you'll likely need to add a USB hub.
Overview of the Raspberry Pi 3A+
However, Raspberry Pi is still a solid option if you want a general computing device for your build. Considering the Pi 3A+ is roughly one-quarter of the price of the Nano, you can use the extra cash to buy accessories. For around $10 more than the 3A+, the Pi 3B+ comes with a port setup that's similar to what is on the Nano:
- 4 USB 2.0
- Wired Ethernet up to 330 Mbps
Additionally, both Raspberry Pi products feature built-in Wi-Fi, something the Nano does not have. While I found it effortless to install a dongle in my "getting started" post, it's something to consider if you prefer to have Wi-Fi included.
The Verdict: Jetson Nano and the Raspberry Pi
In the end, both the Jetson Nano and the Raspberry Pi 3A+ are excellent devices. While the gap between the two is much narrower than NVIDIA's other Jetson options the TX2 and AGX Xavier - these boards have a few key differences. Do your research and choose the best product for your project.
*Estimate based on scaling ResNet-50 test outlined here (1.4 FPS) to SysBench CPU test outlined here. Comparison is 36 FPS for the NVIDIA Jetson Nano versus 1.4 FPS for the RPI 3, giving a ~25.7x speed advantage. Speeds were scaled for the 3A+ and 3B+ based on relative SysBench Raspberry Pi 3 CPU scores.