Raspberry Pis are a ton of fun, but it can be a lot when you're getting into the hobby. There are lots of little nuances and pitfalls that you need to skirt around to really get the most out of them. Of course, you will make mistakes; that's part of a hobby, after all. But there are some considerations you can make before you get started that can help reduce that number of errors as low as possible before you get started.

3 Raspberry Pis can become a lot more than just a miniature desktop

The possibilities are endless

The easiest way to use a Raspberry Pi is as a miniature PC. You can plug in your keyboard and mouse, get it to output over HDMI, and then use it like it you would a desktop computer. When I got my first Pi, this was the first thing I set it up to do. And while this is really nice by itself, I was left wondering, "Is this it? Is it just a small computer?" Sure, you can use it as a teeny-tiny computer if you'd like, but a Raspberry Pi can fit a ton of different roles; you just need to get imaginative with it.

Do you want to make a magic mirror? Perhaps use the Raspberry Pi as the heart of a robot? Maybe make your own surveillance system with it? When you start off with a Pi, always remember that they're versatile little boards. When you get tired of using it for one thing, repurpose it so it can do something else instead.

2 Bigger is not always better

There's no shame in getting a smaller unit

So, which Raspberry Pi should you get? If you're like me, you'll open up an online Raspberry Pi store, look for the board with the bigger number at the end (that's how you know which one is the best, after all), and grab that one.

That's a totally valid path, and at the end of the day, you'll be the proud owner of a Raspberry Pi 5, which is definitely not a bad thing at all. However, you'll notice that Raspberry Pi stores sell a range of boards. Some will even go all the way back to the first Raspberry Pi model.

You may think this is just companies trying to shift excess stock, but the truth is, buying the biggest and beefiest Pi isn't always the best course of action. Sure, a Raspberry Pi 5 will handle your demands better than the earlier models, but it's also quite a bit more expensive. And if you don't need all of that processing power, there's absolutely nothing stopping you from picking up an earlier model, or one of the Pi Pico variants, instead.

Put it this way: if you want to spread things on bread, you'll use a bread knife. If you want to cut a tough steak, you'll use a steak knife. If you're cutting down a tree, you opt for a chainsaw. And while it's totally possible to buy a chainsaw so you can butter your toast in the morning, you're paying a lot for a ton of power that you're not going to use.

In a similar vein, the Raspberry Pi 5 is not the be-all and end-all of the boards. Sure, if you want to do some intense processing, game emulation, or graphics rendering, a Raspberry Pi 5 will fit the job just fine. But do you need a Raspberry Pi 5 if you want to use the SBC to toggle little LEDs on and off? Probably not. You can save a lot of money and hassle by grabbing an earlier Pi model, or a Pi Pico, to get the job done instead.

1 There are a ton of resources out there to use...so use 'em

Don't re-invent the wheel

When you want to create a project, you may feel a sense of pride in buying the hardware and working out how to tweak everything from scratch. The thing is, if you're just starting out with a Raspberry Pi, you should spend the first few projects just learning how all the pieces go together. You should not go head-first into a project by yourself; that can be a sure-fire way of getting frustrated and burning out before you complete it.

I recommend searching for what you want to do on Hackster.io, Hackaday.io, and the Raspberry Pi subreddit. Follow the instructions in the guide and focus on learning the basics. Once you become a dab hand at the board, then you can do projects by yourself.

Getting a slice of Pi

Getting into Raspberry Pi boards can be tricky, but once you're in, they can be a rewarding and addictive hobby. Hopefully your own intro into Raspberry Pis has gotten a lot easier.