Pi 3B+ or Pi4 for FPP

Domestos

Apprentice elf
Joined
Jun 11, 2020
Messages
86
Location
Brisbane
Hi there,
Just curious as to whether it is worth while to go for the Pi4 over the Pi3B+ for the main show controller. I've heard somewhere that the Pi4's run quite hot, so am curious as to what the community "standard" is.

Umart is selling the Pi3B+ for $59 and the 4gb Pi4 for $96. So was wondering if the extra $40 odd bucks is worth while from a performance and future proof perspective.
 

LawrenceDriveLights

Senior elf
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
581
3b+ will be fine for your show player, no need really to go with the pi4, and yes the pi4's seem to run hotter in my experience
 

Mark_M

Annoying Elf
Joined
Dec 30, 2018
Messages
914
Location
Christmas Light world
Pi 4's do get very warm. With a heatsink on top I haven't had an issue.

I've only had a 4 because they were the same price for me.
Pi 3b's must have worked before the Pi 4 came out.
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
Community project designer
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
4,188
Location
Eaglehawk
3B+ all the way. There's pretty well nothing that can't be done with the 3's that you can do with the 4's as far as Falcon Player goes. If you were after shear processing power for a master without a cape of any sort then the Beaglebone Green or Black would probably more cost effective than the Pi4.
 

TerryK

Retired Elf
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
655
Location
West Central Ohio
Not necessarily 'quite hot' but yes, hotter. Depends I believe on the case and if one has a daughter board on it, that is what is around it inhibiting air flow. I just dis-mantled an Easter display that was running with a B+ (and Pi-Hat). There's another RPi3+ in the works for Christmas 2021. The RPi4 I have is destined for the geothermal control where the B+ was.

So, I agree with the others, the 3s will work just fine.
 
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