Raspberry Pi Zero
[Vin157]
The Raspberry Pi Zero holds a Guinness World Record since 2017 for the smallest fully functional personal computer, a testament to its ultra-compact design measuring just 65x30mm and weighing only 9 grams. This feature, combined with its $5 price tag upon 2015 release, made it a landmark in computing history by democratizing access to programmable hardware for education and experimentation, much like the BBC Micro or Commodore 64 did in prior eras. In a university museum context, it exemplifies the shift to pocket-sized SBCs that fueled maker movements and STEM outreach, with massive popularity evidenced by millions sold and its role in the best-selling British computer line.
- Manufacturer: Raspberry Pi Foundation
- Type: Single Board Computer (SBC)
- Release Date: 2017
- Cost at release: $20 ($5 in the USA)
- MIPS: ~1,000 (~1 GIPS)
Hardware Specifications
- CPU: Broadcom BCM2835 SoC with single-core ARM11 CPU at 1 GHz.
- Memory: 512 MB LPDDR2 SDRAM.
- Ports/Connectivity: Micro USB OTG (data), Micro USB power, mini HDMI, unpopulated 40-pin GPIO header, composite video header, CSI camera connector (v1.3+).
- Storage: MicroSD card slot.
- Power: 5V via micro USB, ~0.5-1.5W consumption.
- Wireless: None (base model; added in Zero W).
- GPU: Broadcom VideoCore IV.
- Dimensions: 65 mm x 30 mm x 5 mm.
- Weight: 9 grams.
Tale of the Tape: Raspberry Pi Zero vs HP9830A
Let’s compare the world’s first desktop from 1972 vs the world’s smallest PC from 2017.
| Spec | HP9830A | Raspberry Pi Zero | Ratio |
| MIPS | 0.075 | 1000 | 13,333 times faster |
| Weight | 17kg | 9g | 1,888 times lighter |
| Memory | 8 kb | 512 MB | 64,000x more memory |
| Cost | $40,000 | $20 | 2,000x less expensive |
| Size | 65x30x5 mm | 495x483x178 mm | 4,364 times smaller |
Raspberry Pi Zero vs HP9830A
Operating System & Programming Languages
-
Operating System: Raspbian (now Raspberry Pi OS), a Debian-based Linux distribution optimised for ARM hardware,
-
Supported Languages: Python, C/C++, Java, Scratch, and BASIC variants
Notables
- Guinness World Record: Since 2017, holds title for smallest functional PC at 65x30mm and 9 grams.
- Sold out worldwide (20,000 units) in 24 hours on Nov 26, 2015; bundled free with MagPi magazine.
- $5 USD board redefined entry-level computing, cheaper than many peripherals.
- Revived 1980s “build-your-own” ethos like ZX Spectrum, amid Cambridge academics’ push to fight CS enrollment drop.
- Ultra-low-cost ARM SBC; sparked pocket robotics/IoT boom with GPIO focus.
- “The $5 Pi”; ad slogan: “100 billion MIPS per dollar!” – (actually 200 MIPS/$)
- Helped Raspberry Pi become UK’s best-selling computer; museum staple for maker/STEM democratisation.
Donated by: Andrew Miles
