The best Raspberry Pi 3 kits for coders, gamers, and DIY projects

The Raspberry Pi is one of the most versatile and underappreciated computing platforms you can find. Priced at around $36 or so for the basic board, this credit-card-sized piece of technology can be outfitted and turned into a low-budget media center PC, a classic gaming station, or an Internet of Things (IoT) base station for your smart home gadgets. There are a lot of different things you can create with these Raspberry Pi kits — though exactly what comes down to the specific kit you choose to buy.

As an improvement over the Raspberry Pi 2, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B packs a 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU paired with 1GB of RAM. There’s also onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a MicroSD slot, four USB ports, and a full-size HDMI port. The newer Raspberry Pi 3 B+ refresh improves this hardware a bit further. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for all types of DIY projects for any tinkerers out there.

Below, we rounded up a few deals on different Raspberry Pi Model B computers, Raspberry Pi 3 bundles, and Raspberry Pi kits. Whether you’re looking to build your own retro gaming console, want a Raspberry Pi-based coding machine, or are looking for some gift ideas for a techie you know, we have something for everyone.

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit — $75

CanaKit’s complete Raspberry Pi 3 B starter kit remains the top-selling Raspberry Pi bundle, and it’s easy to see why. This package comes with the latest Raspberry Pi computer kit, a power supply, and a 32GB MicroSD card preloaded with NOOBS software to get you started right out of the box. That SD card should provide you with enough memory for small projects, but if you’re trying to do something bigger, you can easily use another one of your SD cards with more gigabytes.

Also included are a 2.5-amp Micro USB power supply, an HDMI cable, two heat sinks to keep your board running cool, and a sleek black enclosure that protects your Raspberry Pi and gives you access to its ports. Amazon is offering this excellent starter bundle (including step-by-step instructions) for just $75, or you can grab the newer Pi 3 B+ CanaKit for just $5 more. Make sure to check out the overwhelmingly positive customer reviews if you need some convincing on this Pi 3 kit. There is also CanaKit’s $50 clear case edition option (and a Pi 3 B+ version of that one, too, for $5 more) for those who want to see how this starter kit fits together.

Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 RetroPie Arcade Gaming Kit — $80

Relive the days of side-scrolling platform games with the Raspberry Pi 3 Gaming Kit. This is similar to the aforementioned bundle, with the main difference being that this kit includes a 32GB Samsung MicroSD card preloaded with RetroPie gaming software along with two classic SNES-style USB controllers (which — let’s admit it — is still the best controller style for retro gaming). You also get two heat sinks, a power supply, and an adapter HDMI cable.

RetroPie lets you turn your Raspberry Pi into an all-in-one arcade console by emulating such consoles as the Apple II, Dreamcast, Game Boy, Neo Geo, Nintendo Entertainment System, SNES, and Atari Jaguar, among others. Amazon offers this bundle for $80, and it even comes with an NES-style housing (a $15 value) to complete your retro gaming starter kit. For $10 more, you can have this same kit with the newer Pi 3 B+ board if you want the latest hardware. If building a console is one of your Raspberry Pi projects, a Raspberry operating system like RetroPie is a great place to begin.

Raspberry Pi 3 Desktop Starter Kit — $80

If you already have a spare HDMI cable lying around and just need a basic kit to get started, then this Raspberry Pi 3 add-on board is perfect for you. Like most kits, this officially licensed starter bundle includes the Raspberry Pi 3 B, a 16GB MicroSD card pre-loaded with Raspbian and NOOBS, a 2.5-amp power supply, and an attractive black plastic case. Available for $80, this new bundle is one the most affordable Raspberry Pi 3 kits on this list for what you get. Being that it’s a less expensive starter kit, you may want to think about upgrading the SD card if you’re planning on tackling larger projects.

Raspberry Pi 7-Inch Touchscreen Display

For tinkerers who already have a Raspberry Pi board, this 7-inch display is a great way to turn your build into a proper tablet computer (it would pair perfectly with many of the kits on this roundup, too). This multi-touchscreen has an SD resolution of 800 x 400, so while it won’t win any awards, its 10-finger detection capability and low price point make it a fine addition to a wide variety of Raspberry Pi projects, especially when paired with something like the mountable SmartiPi Touch Case. A $23 discount lets you grab the Raspberry Pi 7-inch touch display for just $73 right now.

Kano Computer Kit (2018 model) — $150

For a nearly complete computer setup and a great project for kids and students, check out the Kano Raspberry Pi 3 Computer Kit. Along with the Raspberry Pi computer and enclosure, this bundle includes HDMI and USB cables, an 8GB MicroSD card, and a wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad for the Kano OS.

Assemble the computer and hook it up to an HDMI display, and you’re ready to dig into the pre-installed games, coding apps, and learning software. The 2018 edition of the Kano Computer Kit is a great gift for teachers, home-schoolers, computer clubs, and young tech enthusiasts looking to learn how an operating system works, and is currently on sale for just $94 ($56 off) from Amazon.

UCTronics Raspberry Pi robot car kit — $80

If you love DIY projects like the Kano computer but robots are more up your alley, check out this kit from UCTronics. You’ll need to for the basic board, but this add-on package includes everything else necessary to construct your own little robo-rover that you can control via your computer, tablet, or smartphone. The UCTronics is more than just a Pi-controlled RC car, though: It’s got multiple built-in sensors and a 5MP camera that together allow it to intelligently navigate obstacles, move toward light, or follow a programmed route.

The UCTronics Raspberry Pi robot car kit is currently available for just $80. You can also check out the Deluxe version for $20 more if you want to add a Wi-Fi camera to your robot.

NeeGo Raspberry Pi 3 Ultimate Starter Kit — $149

In the market for an inexpensive tablet? Why not build one yourself instead? This bundle from NeeGo is the ultimate Raspberry Pi starter kit, letting you create a full-fledged tablet computer setup. Along with the breadboard, the NeeGo starter kit comes with a Raspberry Pi housing attached to a vibrant 7-inch multitouch display. You also get everything else you need to get started right out of the box, including a 16GB SD card loaded with NOOBS. You can pick up the Neego Raspberry Pi 3 ultimate starter kit for just $149 on Amazon, but right now, the newer Raspberry Pi 3 B+ tablet kit is on sale for an even cheaper $132 after a $10 coupon (redeemable on the product page).

Piper Computer Kit with Minecraft Raspberry Pi Edition — $154

The Kano kit gives you pretty much everything you need to build a computer — minus a display, of course — but if you want an all-in-one Raspberry Pi computer bundle that’s so simple a kid can build it, then the Piper complete computer kit is what you need.

The Piper kit comes with a Raspberry Pi 3, a wooden computer case, USB mouse, an HD LCD display, and other accessories needed to complete the build (including a fold-out laminated blueprint to help you along). It also comes with a copy of Minecraft: Raspberry Pi Edition, ensuring that the Piper computer will be a hit with all the young techies. At $154 from Amazon, the complete Piper Raspberry Pi kit is relatively affordable for a no-frills computer setup, making it the perfect gift for aspiring programmers.

Vilros Raspberry Pi Zero W Complete Starter Kit — $35

This kit from Vilros doesn’t actually use the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, but instead features the Raspberry Pi Zero W computer. The Raspberry Pi Zero W features a smaller board with built-in wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. The bundle includes heatsinks, power supply, 16GB card with NOOBS and RetroPie software pre-installed, HDMI and USB cables, and a black case built specifically for the Raspberry Pi Zero W.

The case also comes with interchangeable lids depending on what you need to use it for — for instance, one has a peephole for turning your Pi W into a wireless IP camera. This kit comes in at just $35 from Amazon.

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