Raspberry Pi

There are several form factors:

• A
• B
• zero
• compute module

Usually you want the "B" version which is the "standard" nowadays.

The first iterations of the Raspberry Pi v4 had some problems with USB voltage regulation.

There are three models of the Raspberry Pi 4, different in RAM size: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB.

The 8GB version is thought for memory intensive tasks, usually the 4GB version is enough for most applications though.

• DietPi – lightweight and easy to install Debian based OS.
• Raspbian – "standard" or "reference" OS for Raspberry Pi, it's supported by the Raspberry Pi Foundation
• Arch Linux ARM – rolling release distribution for advanced users.

• LibreElec – Turn your Raspi in a home entertainment system
• RetroPie – uses Raspbian as a base, along with EmulationStation and RetroArch
• Lakka – transforms the Raspi into a full blown DIY retro gaming console

It's possible, but don't do it (yet).

• official Raspberry Pi power supply
  • supplies 5.1 volt which is useful because the Raspi draws a lot of uneven load and shouldn't be supplied with less than 5V
  • regular 5V power supplies drop their voltage a bit when the load is high or the cable is long

• Official Case – doesn't have good airflow/ventilation, nor a heatsink, nor a fan
• Joy-IT:
  • LEGO Case
  • magnetic case with dual fans

Since Raspberry Pis are currently (as of 2021/2022) hard to get¹, here's a site which shows where they are in stock: rpilocator.com.

crontab

# Restart IRQ balancer once a day
0 0 * * * root /usr/sbin/service irqbalance restart

• Jeff Geerling: Raspberry Pi Playlist