Leo stared at his monitor, the glow reflecting off his glasses. He needed a brain for his "Smart Mirror" project, but the prices for the latest Raspberry Pi 5 were astronomical—nearly $300 for the high-end versions. "I don't need a supercomputer," he muttered, "just something to show me the weather and my calendar."

Finding a bargain depends on whether you want a shiny new board or a battle-tested used one.

He remembered the Raspberry Pi 3. It was the "Old Reliable" of the maker world. He began his hunt at the usual big-box online retailers, but the "New" listings were bundled with cases and power supplies he didn't need, pushing the price toward $80.

💡 : Don't buy more power than you need; the Pi 3 is still a powerhouse for simple IoT and media tasks. To help you find the best deal for your specific project:

: The official list price for the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ is currently $40.00 , a slight increase from its original $35 launch.