Raspberry Pi OS vs Armbian

Struggling to choose between Raspberry Pi OS and Armbian? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Raspberry Pi OS is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like linux, raspberry-pi, open-source.

It boasts features such as Lightweight Linux distribution, Optimized for Raspberry Pi hardware, Raspberry Pi Desktop preinstalled, Python and Scratch programming support, Chromium web browser included, LibreOffice office suite included, Variety of programming languages and IDEs available, GPIO access for hardware projects, Camera and display support, Customizable desktop environment and pros including Free and open source, Active community support, Very lightweight and fast, Good performance even on older Pi models, Beginner friendly desktop environment, Lots of documentation and tutorials available, Easy to set up and use.

On the other hand, Armbian is a System & Hardware product tagged with linux, raspberry-pi, orange-pi, banana-pi, embedded-systems.

Its standout features include Optimized for SBCs like Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, Banana Pi, Lightweight Linux distribution, Minimal yet fully functional OS, Optimized for stability, performance and security, Supports Debian and Ubuntu bases, Variety of desktop environments, Active community support, and it shines with pros like Lightweight and fast, Stable and reliable, Highly customizable, Actively maintained, Good hardware support, Easy to install and use.

Feature	Raspberry Pi OS	Armbian
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	System & Hardware

Product Overview

Raspberry Pi OS

Description: Raspberry Pi OS is a Linux-based operating system optimized for the Raspberry Pi family of small single-board computers. It comes with a desktop environment and a range of applications for web browsing, productivity, programming, and more.

Armbian

Description: Armbian is a lightweight Linux distribution made specifically for single-board computers and embedded devices like Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, and Banana Pi. It offers a minimal yet fully functional operating system optimized for stability, performance, and security.

Key Features Comparison

Raspberry Pi OS Features

• Lightweight Linux distribution
• Optimized for Raspberry Pi hardware
• Raspberry Pi Desktop preinstalled
• Python and Scratch programming support
• Chromium web browser included
• LibreOffice office suite included
• Variety of programming languages and IDEs available
• GPIO access for hardware projects
• Camera and display support
• Customizable desktop environment

Armbian Features

• Optimized for SBCs like Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, Banana Pi
• Lightweight Linux distribution
• Minimal yet fully functional OS
• Optimized for stability, performance and security
• Supports Debian and Ubuntu bases
• Variety of desktop environments
• Active community support

Pros & Cons Analysis

Raspberry Pi OS

Pros

• Free and open source
• Active community support
• Very lightweight and fast
• Good performance even on older Pi models
• Beginner friendly desktop environment
• Lots of documentation and tutorials available
• Easy to set up and use

Cons

• Limited software packages compared to full Linux distros
• Relatively limited hardware support beyond Pi devices
• Some stability issues on newer Pi models
• Desktop environment is basic and lacks some features
• Not as customizable as other Linux distros

Armbian

Pros

• Lightweight and fast
• Stable and reliable
• Highly customizable
• Actively maintained
• Good hardware support
• Easy to install and use

Cons

• Limited default software selection
• May require some Linux knowledge for setup
• Not all SBCs fully supported
• Documentation can be lacking in areas

Pricing Comparison

Raspberry Pi OS

• Free
• Open Source

Armbian

• Open Source
• Free