Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ — Compact Quad-Core Board with Dual-Band Wi-Fi

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ delivers the core performance of the 3B+ in a smaller, lighter form factor. You still get a 1.4 GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU, 512 MB RAM, dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wi‑Fi, and Bluetooth 4.2, but on a board with just one USB port and no Ethernet jack.

This makes the 3A+ perfect for embedded products, media players, and interactive installations where you want the power of a full Linux computer with excellent wireless performance, but don’t need lots of USB ports or wired networking.

Why pick the 3 Model A+

Compact but capable: Same BCM2837B0 64-bit quad-core SoC as the 3B+ @ 1.4 GHz, with 512 MB RAM.
Fast wireless on board: Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth 4.2/BLE for flexible connectivity.
Simpler I/O layout: Single USB 2.0 port and no Ethernet help keep builds tidy and compact.
Full Raspberry Pi ecosystem: 40-pin GPIO header, CSI/DSI connectors, and compatibility with many HATs and cases.

Project ideas and applications

Wireless media players: Stream audio or video over Wi‑Fi to TVs, speakers, or displays.
Interactive installations: Use HDMI, USB, and GPIO to drive kiosks, museum exhibits, and display walls.
Headless wireless hubs: Small MQTT brokers, Home Assistant sidecars, or custom wireless gateways.
Portable projects: Pair with a small battery pack and display for wireless handheld tools or test rigs.

Starter bundles

3A+ desktop starter: Board + 5 V PSU + case + 16 GB microSD card + HDMI cable.
Wireless kiosk kit: 3A+ + HDMI display + case + keyboard/mouse + GPIO breakout.
Camera & vision pack: 3A+ + Pi camera + flex cable + tripod or mounting hardware.

Recommended add-ons

5 V 2.5 A power supply to provide enough current for Wi‑Fi and USB peripherals.
microSD card with Raspberry Pi OS or specialized media/IoT images.
Raspberry Pi 3 A+ case or compatible enclosure with good airflow.
Raspberry Pi HATs for relays, motor control, extra I/O, and sensors.

Technical specifications

Processor	Broadcom BCM2837B0, quad-core Arm Cortex‑A53 64‑bit @ 1.4 GHz
Memory	512 MB LPDDR2 SDRAM
Wireless	Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, BLE
Ethernet	None (use USB Ethernet adapter if wired networking is required)
USB	1 × USB 2.0 port
Display	Full-size HDMI port; DSI display connector for official LCDs
Camera	CSI camera connector for official and third-party camera modules
Audio/Video	3.5 mm AV jack for stereo audio and composite video
Storage	microSD card slot for boot and filesystem
GPIO	40-pin header, 3.3 V logic, standard Raspberry Pi pinout
Power input	5 V DC via micro-USB (2.5 A recommended)
Dimensions	Approx. 65 × 56 mm compact A+ form factor

Pinout & power notes

3.3 V GPIO: Use level shifters when interfacing with 5 V sensors or logic.
Power margin: Wi‑Fi peaks and USB devices draw from the same 5 V rail—size your PSU with some headroom.
Thermal behavior: Under sustained CPU load a small heatsink or ventilated case is recommended.

What’s in the box

1 × Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ board

FAQ

How is the 3A+ different from the 3B+?: The 3A+ uses the same CPU and wireless chipset as the 3B+ but has 512 MB RAM instead of 1 GB, only one USB port, and no Ethernet. In exchange you get a smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient board.
Can I still use Ethernet with this board?: Yes. You can add a USB‑to‑Ethernet adapter on the single USB 2.0 port if you need wired networking for configuration or deployment.
Is 512 MB of RAM enough?: For many kiosk, media, and IoT applications it is. For heavy desktop workloads or many browser tabs, a newer Pi with more RAM is usually a better fit.