Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

joeman — Mon, 10 May 2021 19:23:29 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by joeman on 5/10/2021 7:23:29 PM

NEW! Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
Comparison Chart	Technical Specifications	Unboxing Video
40 Pin Out	Pi3 Video Arcade Project

If you have a question that is not answered in this FAQ, please ask it below in the comments. If your question is specific to your order or status of delivery, please reach out to us in Feedback & Support.

When will the new Raspberry Pi 3 be available for purchase?
The Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 is available to purchase from Monday 29th February onwards www.element14.com/raspberrypi. We expect that due to the huge popularity of the product around the globe, the new board will sell out very quickly.

How much does the new model cost?
RRP $35 USD (excluding sales tax, shipping & handling fees).

What is the max limit on how many I can buy?
As many as you can afford! We’ll make as many as you need.

Are there any new accessories that I can purchase for the new Raspberry Pi 3 Model B?
Yes, there are three new accessories to enable users get even more out of their Raspberry Pi 3:

A new 16GB NOOBS SD card16GB NOOBS SD card featuring all of the software you would need to get started in the easiest and quickest fashion.

A unique 2.5A Raspberry Pi power supply2.5A Raspberry Pi power supply which will enable users to power their Pi and add on boards all from one power source – maximizing the benefits of the Pi 3’s improved power management capabilities.

A new Raspberry Pi 3 CaseRaspberry Pi 3 Case

Where can I buy the new Pi from?
The Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 is available for purchase. The simplest way is to click the ‘Buy Raspberry Pi 3’ button on the element14 Community Raspberry Pi page.

Alternatively, please try one of our preferred resellers at:

View Preferred Resellers

Which countries can the Raspberry Pi 3 be purchased?
The Raspberry Pi 3 is available through our very well established global reseller network in the majority of countries around the globe. Please visit the following to check for availability:

Click Here

Where can I find more information about the new Raspberry Pi 3?
More information on the new model, including video and an array of other content, can be found at: www.element14.com/raspberrypi.

What about projects using the old board? Can I easily swap to the Pi 3?
The new model has the same form and factor as the previous generation of Raspberry Pi (B+ and Raspberry Pi 2Raspberry Pi 2), hence in the majority of use cases you will be able to easily swap to the Pi 3. It will depend though on the nature of the project that is being undertaken.

What Raspberry Pi model is right for me?
The new Pi 3 board is ideal for customers wishing to develop IoT applications. It is IoT ready, straight from the box, and has improved performance and more efficient power management.

For education customers, who might not need the benefits of wireless connectivity but may still be seeking extra performance, we have the very popular Raspberry Pi 2 Model BRaspberry Pi 2 Model B.

The Raspberry Pi 1 A+ provides an ideal solution for those customers seeking low power consumption devices.

The compute module suits those customers who are looking for a small form factor to create their own bespoke “design in” solutions.

Will the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B still be available?
Yes, the Raspberry Pi 2 Model BRaspberry Pi 2 Model B will still be the right board for many customers needs, hence the Pi 2 will continue to be available for sale.

Will the Raspberry Pi Touchscreen Display work with the new Raspberry Pi3 Model B?
Yes, the Touchscreen DisplayTouchscreen Display will work with the new Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 board. For installation follow the connection instructions for the Touchscreen Display.

If the Raspberry Pi 3 is not in stock, how long will it be before it becomes available?

All orders for the Raspberry Pi 3 are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Placing your order now ensures that as soon as we get more units in stock, your new Raspberry Pi 3 will be shipped. You can expect to receive your Raspberry Pi 3 within the delivery time quoted on our websites as you added the product to your shopping cart.

When will my new Raspberry Pi 3 Model B arrive?

With huge global demand for the new Raspberry Pi 3 stock is selling out fast. If we were unable to service your need with our initial stocks, you can expect to receive your Raspberry Pi 3 within the delivery time quoted on our websites. We are serving all customers on a first-come, first-serve basis, hence will do our best to deliver your Raspberry Pi 3 earlier than the date quoted online

What is the global availability of the new Raspberry Pi 3?

There is huge demand around the globe for the new Raspberry Pi 3, with stock being shipped around the globe as fast as possible.

• UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa - the new Raspberry Pi 3 will be available from the 29th February onwards with thousands of Pi’s being delivered every week throughout March.

• North America – the first new Raspberry Pi 3 will be arriving in North America from the week commencing the 29th February onwards. We expect these to sell out very quickly, but with thousands more boards arriving every week, please check our MCM electronics and Newark element14 websites for the latest availability

• Australia/New Zealand – the first Raspberry Pi 3’s are due to arrive in Australia from the week commencing the 29th February onwards and more stock will arrive every week thereafter.

• Asia Pacific – due to huge global demand we are expecting the first Raspberry Pi 3’s to be available from mid to late March. We recommend you place your order now to reserve the first stocks as they become available

GETTING STARTED

What software will be made available and where can I download it?
New software is available for download on the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s website. Please visit: http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ for the latest Pi software.

Alternatively, you can purchase a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B with a 16GB NOOBS MicroSD card with the software pre-loaded to ease getting started. See our accessories listing for full details.

How do I get the built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to work with the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B?
IMPORTANT: To enable the built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity you will need to update the operating system on the card to the latest version. On first boot please click on the ‘Terminal’ icon and type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

What versions of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are supported?
The new Raspberry Pi 3 supports BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy 4.1) and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

Is there a MircoSD Card available the new model?
We recommend customers purchase a Micros SD card with the operating systems pre-installed, as it’s the easiest way to get started.

A new 16GB NOOBS MicroSD card16GB NOOBS MicroSD card, including all of the software you would need to get started quickly and easily is available from element14.

To enable the built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity you will need to update the operating system on the card to the latest version. On first boot please click on the ‘Terminal’ icon and type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Will the 16GB NOOBS MicroSD Card I receive work with other models?
Yes, it will be backwards compatible.

Will the microSD card and Operating System from my previous model of Raspberry Pi work with the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B?
No, if you are using Raspbian you will have to update it first. On your existing Raspberry Pi you can run the following commands from the terminal while connected to the internet:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

sudo rpi-update

Alternatively, you can download the latest SD Card image from raspberrypi.org/downloads.

Will the Raspberry Pi support more than just the Raspbian operating system?

Yes, the Raspberry Pi already supports 7 official operating systems including:

Raspbian
Windows 10 Core IoT
OpenELEC
OSMC
Arch Linux
RISC OS
Pidora

Is WiFi and/or Bluetooth available on earlier models of the Raspberry Pi?
This functionality is not built-in to the previous models (Pi2, B+, etc.), but you can gain access to WiFi and Bluetooth by using an appropriate USB dongle (we recommend the WiPi dongleWiPi dongle).

Can the Pi 3 be overclocked?
Overclocking the Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 3Raspberry Pi 3 is not recommended and you may void your warranty attempting to do so.

Is the Raspberry Pi 3 benefiting from ARMv8 or ARMv7 architecture?

The Raspberry Pi 3 uses the latest BRCM2837 processor, containing a quad 64 bit A53 processor running at 1.2GHz. The processor instruction set is compatible with the ARMv8-A architecture which includes backwards compatibility with the previous ARMv7-A architecture. The Raspbian distribution will only support ARMv7-A instruction set but other distributions will be able to take further advantage of the ARMv8-A instructions and 64 bit support.

Is there a size limit on the microSD Card with the new board?
We have successfully tested cards up to 64GB with the new Raspberry Pi 3 board.

What power supply do I need?
We recommend you use the new official 5.1V, 2.5A Raspberry Pi power supply2.5A Raspberry Pi power supply available from element14. This power supply will enable users to power their Pi and other accessories from one power source, thus maximising the benefits of the Pi 3’s improved power management capabilities.

Where can I find schematics for the new model?
We do not issue schematics.

Tags: bluetooth, sdio wi-fi adapter board, pi3, faqs, raspberry_pi_space, faq, raspberry pi 3, raspbian