Raspberry Pi 5 Complete Guide: Projects, Setup & Tips for 2026
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the most capable single-board computer the Raspberry Pi Foundation has ever made, and in 2026, it's become one of the most versatile tools in a developer's toolkit. For $80 (8GB model), you get a quad-core ARM computer that can serve as a home server, an AI inference node, a media center, a NAS, a retro gaming console, or a full Linux desktop.
I've had a Pi 5 running continuously in my home office for over a year now. It hosts my personal services, runs a local AI agent, serves as a network ad blocker, and handles automated backups — all simultaneously, all silently, all for about $5/year in electricity.
This guide covers everything: specifications, initial setup, the best operating systems, my favorite projects, performance benchmarks vs. the Pi 4, and the accessories you actually need.
Raspberry Pi 5 Specifications
| Spec | Raspberry Pi 5 | Raspberry Pi 4 (comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Broadcom BCM2712, Quad-core Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz | Broadcom BCM2711, Quad-core Cortex-A72 @ 1.8GHz |
| GPU | VideoCore VII | VideoCore VI |
| RAM | 4GB / 8GB LPDDR4X-4267 | 1GB / 2GB / 4GB / 8GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | microSD + M.2 HAT support (NVMe) | microSD + USB boot |
| USB | 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 | 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 |
| Video Output | 2x micro-HDMI (dual 4K60) | 2x micro-HDMI (dual 4K30) |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, BT 5.0 | Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, BT 5.0 |
| PCIe | 1x PCIe 2.0 (via HAT/M.2) | None |
| Power | USB-C 5V/5A (27W) | USB-C 5V/3A (15W) |
| Price | $60 (4GB) / $80 (8GB) | $35-75 (discontinued) |
The headline upgrades: 2-3x faster CPU, PCIe support for NVMe storage, dual 4K60 output, and a dedicated power button. The PCIe addition is a game-changer — NVMe boot speeds are 5-10x faster than microSD, making the Pi 5 feel like a completely different device.
For more on the Raspberry Pi's history and impact, Grokipedia's Raspberry Pi article provides good context.
Initial Setup: Getting Started
What You Need
At minimum, you need:
- Raspberry Pi 5 board — The 8GB model is recommended for most projects. The 4GB model works for simpler use cases.
- Power supply — The Pi 5 requires a USB-C power supply rated at 5V/5A (27W). The official Raspberry Pi 27W power supply is the safest choice. Using an underpowered supply causes throttling and instability.
- microSD card — 32GB minimum, 64GB recommended. A fast A2-rated card makes a noticeable difference in boot and load times.
- Cooling — The Pi 5 runs hotter than previous models under load. At minimum, use the official active cooler or a case with integrated cooling.
Easiest path: The Vilros Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit includes the board, case, power supply, SD card, and heatsink — everything you need in one box.
Installing the OS
- Download the Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com on your main computer
- Insert your microSD card
- Select your OS (Raspberry Pi OS is the default choice)
- Click the gear icon to pre-configure WiFi, SSH, username/password, and hostname
- Write the image to the SD card
- Insert the SD card into your Pi 5, connect power, and boot
Pro tip: Pre-configuring WiFi and SSH in the Imager means you can boot the Pi headless (without a monitor or keyboard) and connect to it immediately over SSH from your main computer. This is how most developers use the Pi — as a remote server, not a desktop.
First Boot Configuration
After SSH-ing in (or opening a terminal if using a monitor):
# Update everything
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y
# Set your timezone
sudo raspi-config # Navigate to Localisation Options
# Enable any interfaces you need (I2C, SPI, etc.)
sudo raspi-config # Navigate to Interface Options
# Reboot to apply changes
sudo reboot
Best Operating Systems for Pi 5
Raspberry Pi OS (Default Choice)
Based on Debian, it's the best-supported option. Comes in three variants:
- Lite — Command-line only, minimal footprint. Best for servers and headless projects.
- Desktop — Full GUI with recommended software. Best for general use.
- Full — Desktop plus extra software (LibreOffice, etc.). Best for desktop replacement.
My recommendation: Use Lite for servers and headless projects, Desktop for anything where you'll occasionally connect a monitor.
Ubuntu Server
If you're already comfortable with Ubuntu on servers, Ubuntu Server for ARM runs excellently on the Pi 5. Better package management for server use cases, and more up-to-date packages than Raspberry Pi OS.
DietPi
A lightweight Debian-based OS optimized for single-board computers. DietPi's software installer makes deploying common services (Nextcloud, Pi-hole, Home Assistant) nearly one-click. Excellent for beginners who want to run specific services without learning Linux administration.
LibreELEC
Purpose-built for media centers. Boots directly into Kodi with minimal overhead. If your Pi 5 will exclusively be a media player, LibreELEC is the cleanest option.
Top Projects for the Raspberry Pi 5
Project 1: Home Server (My #1 Recommendation)
The Pi 5 makes an excellent always-on home server. With its low power consumption (5-12W), running it 24/7 costs about $5-10 per year in electricity — dramatically less than a traditional server.
What you can host:
- Pi-hole — Network-wide ad blocker. Blocks ads on every device in your house, including smart TVs and phones.
- Nextcloud — Self-hosted cloud storage. Your own Dropbox/Google Drive with full data ownership.
- Vaultwarden — Self-hosted password manager (Bitwarden compatible).
- Uptime Kuma — Beautiful uptime monitoring for your websites and services.
- Nginx Proxy Manager — Reverse proxy for accessing all services through clean subdomains.
For a comprehensive guide to self-hosting, see our self-hosting guide for beginners.
Storage recommendation: Boot from microSD or NVMe, and attach a Samsung T7 Portable SSD via USB 3.0 for data storage. The T7's read/write speeds of 1,050/1,000 MB/s far exceed what the Pi's USB 3.0 bus can deliver, so the SSD will never be the bottleneck.
Project 2: AI Agent Host
This is the most exciting Pi 5 project in 2026. With 8GB of RAM and the optional Raspberry Pi AI Kit with Hailo Module, the Pi 5 can run local AI inference for voice assistants, image recognition, and even small language models.
What's possible:
- OpenClaw — Run a local AI agent on your Pi. I covered this in detail in our OpenClaw installation guide.
- Ollama — Run small language models (Phi-3, Gemma 2B, TinyLlama) locally for AI-assisted home automation.
- Whisper — Local speech-to-text for voice commands.
- Computer vision — Object detection, face recognition, and motion detection using the AI HAT.
The Hailo-8L AI accelerator on the AI Kit delivers 13 TOPS (tera operations per second), which is enough for real-time object detection and inference on small language models. It's not going to run GPT-4, but for edge AI applications, it's remarkably capable for the price.
For more on how AI agents work and where the Pi fits in, check out our rise of AI agents overview.
Project 3: Media Center
The Pi 5's dual 4K60 output makes it a capable media center. Running LibreELEC with Kodi, it can play virtually any video format, stream from network shares, and serve as a frontend for Plex or Jellyfin.
Setup:
- Flash LibreELEC to a microSD card
- Connect the Pi to your TV via micro-HDMI
- Boot and follow the Kodi setup wizard
- Add your media sources (local storage, network shares, streaming add-ons)
Performance: The Pi 5 handles 4K H.265 content smoothly. H.264 4K playback occasionally drops frames on complex scenes, but 1080p is flawless across all codecs. For a dedicated media center, the Pi 5 replaces a $200+ streaming device for $80.
Project 4: NAS (Network Attached Storage)
A Pi 5 NAS won't compete with a Synology on performance, but for a small home network, it's an excellent budget option.
Recommended setup:
- Pi 5 8GB running OpenMediaVault or TrueNAS Scale
- 2x USB 3.0 external drives in a mirrored (RAID 1) configuration for redundancy
- Connected via Gigabit Ethernet (not WiFi) for reliable throughput
Expected performance: 80-110 MB/s sustained read/write over Gigabit Ethernet. That's enough for streaming 4K video to 3-4 devices simultaneously, backing up phones and laptops, and serving as a Time Machine target for Macs.
Storage options: Two Samsung T7 Shield SSDs give you a silent, reliable storage pool. For larger capacity at lower cost, traditional 2.5" USB hard drives work fine — the Pi's USB 3.0 bus maxes out at about 350 MB/s anyway.
Project 5: Retro Gaming Console
RetroPie and Lakka turn the Pi 5 into a retro gaming powerhouse. The performance improvement over the Pi 4 is dramatic — systems that struggled on the Pi 4 (N64, PSP, Dreamcast) run smoothly on the Pi 5.
What runs well on Pi 5:
| System | Performance |
|---|---|
| NES, SNES, Genesis | Perfect |
| Game Boy / GBA | Perfect |
| PlayStation 1 | Perfect |
| N64 | Excellent (most games full speed) |
| Dreamcast | Good (most games playable) |
| PSP | Good (many games at full speed) |
| GameCube / Wii | Limited (some games playable) |
Setup: Flash RetroPie to your SD card, transfer your legally owned ROM files, connect a USB controller, and play. The entire setup takes about 30 minutes.
Performance Benchmarks: Pi 5 vs. Pi 4
I ran a series of real-world benchmarks to quantify the Pi 5's improvement:
| Benchmark | Pi 4 (8GB) | Pi 5 (8GB) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sysbench CPU (multi-core) | 38.2s | 14.8s | 2.6x faster |
| 7-Zip compression | 4,285 MIPS | 10,847 MIPS | 2.5x faster |
| Boot time (microSD) | 28s | 16s | 1.75x faster |
| Boot time (NVMe) | N/A | 8s | — |
| Python script execution | 12.4s | 4.9s | 2.5x faster |
| Node.js build (small project) | 45s | 18s | 2.5x faster |
| Docker container start | 8.2s | 3.1s | 2.6x faster |
| Chromium page load (heavy) | 6.8s | 2.3s | 3x faster |
| Network throughput (iperf3) | 940 Mbps | 940 Mbps | Same (limited by Gigabit) |
| USB 3.0 SSD read | 350 MB/s | 380 MB/s | Similar |
The consistent 2.5-3x improvement across CPU-bound tasks makes the Pi 5 feel like a different class of device. Tasks that were tolerable on the Pi 4 are now snappy on the Pi 5.
Essential Accessories
Must-Have
-
Official 27W power supply — Don't use a random USB-C charger. The Pi 5 needs 5V/5A, and most chargers max out at 3A. Underpowered supplies cause throttling, crashes, and data corruption.
-
Active cooling — The Pi 5's Cortex-A76 cores generate more heat than previous models. The official active cooler ($5) or a case with integrated fan is essential for sustained workloads.
-
Quality microSD card — A fast A2-rated card (Samsung EVO Plus, SanDisk Extreme) makes a noticeable difference in boot time and responsiveness.
Recommended
-
NVMe HAT + SSD — The M.2 HAT board ($12) plus a compatible NVMe SSD transforms the Pi 5's storage performance. Boot times drop to under 10 seconds, and I/O-heavy tasks like database operations become dramatically faster.
-
Case — The KKSB Case for Raspberry Pi 5 is a premium aluminum option with passive cooling fins. For a complete starter package, the Vilros Starter Kit includes everything you need.
-
Ethernet cable — For server and NAS projects, wired Ethernet is essential. WiFi adds latency and reduces throughput.
Nice to Have
-
Raspberry Pi AI Kit — The Hailo AI accelerator module adds dedicated AI inference capability for computer vision and language model projects.
-
USB-C hub — A UGREEN USB-C Hub adds extra USB ports, SD card reader, and HDMI if you need more connectivity than the Pi provides natively.
-
UPS HAT — For always-on server projects, a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) HAT with a small battery protects against power outages corrupting your SD card or data.
Tips for Getting the Most from Your Pi 5
1. Use NVMe storage for any serious project. The $12 M.2 HAT plus a $25 NVMe SSD completely changes the Pi 5 experience. microSD is fine for initial setup and experimentation, but NVMe should be your target for anything you'll use daily.
2. Overclock carefully. The Pi 5 can be overclocked to 3.0GHz (from 2.4GHz) with adequate cooling. Add these lines to /boot/firmware/config.txt:
arm_freq=3000
over_voltage_delta=50000
This gives roughly 25% more performance but requires active cooling and voids no warranty (the Pi Foundation is cool with overclocking).
3. Enable zram for more effective RAM usage. Zram compresses RAM contents, effectively increasing your usable memory by 30-50%. Install with:
sudo apt install zram-tools
4. Monitor temperatures. Keep an eye on thermals with:
vcgencmd measure_temp
Throttling begins at 80 degrees C. With the active cooler, you should stay under 65 degrees C even at full load.
5. Set up automatic updates. For always-on servers:
sudo apt install unattended-upgrades
sudo dpkg-reconfigure -plow unattended-upgrades
6. Use Docker for project isolation. Docker runs excellently on the Pi 5 and lets you manage multiple services cleanly without dependency conflicts.
For more context on self-hosting with Raspberry Pi, see Grokipedia's article on self-hosting.
Is the Raspberry Pi 5 Worth It in 2026?
Absolutely. At $80 for the 8GB model, there's nothing else that offers this combination of capability, community support, and versatility. The Pi 5 is:
- The best entry point for learning Linux server administration
- The most cost-effective always-on home server
- A capable AI edge device with the Hailo module
- A legitimate lightweight desktop computer for browsing and basic productivity
- The most fun $80 you can spend on tech this year
If you've been on the fence, now is the time. The supply chain issues that plagued the Pi 4 are long resolved, the Pi 5 ecosystem has matured with cases, HATs, and software support, and the performance is genuinely impressive for the price.
Quick Project Picker
| Goal | Best Project | Difficulty | Time to Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block ads on all devices | Pi-hole | Easy | 30 minutes |
| Self-hosted cloud storage | Nextcloud | Medium | 1-2 hours |
| Media streaming | Kodi / Jellyfin | Easy | 45 minutes |
| Budget NAS | OpenMediaVault | Medium | 1-2 hours |
| Retro gaming | RetroPie | Easy | 30 minutes |
| AI agent host | OpenClaw on Pi | Hard | 2-3 hours |
| Home automation | Home Assistant | Medium | 1-2 hours |
| Network monitoring | Uptime Kuma | Easy | 20 minutes |
Pick one, set it up this weekend, and I guarantee you'll be planning project two by Monday.
What are you running on your Pi 5? Got a project idea I missed? Follow me on X (@wikiwayne) and share your build — I'm always looking for new Pi project inspiration.
Recommended Gear
These are products I personally recommend. Click to view on Amazon.
Raspberry Pi 5 8GB — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
Vilros Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
Raspberry Pi AI Kit with Hailo — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
KKSB Case for Raspberry Pi 5 — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
Samsung T7 Shield SSD 1TB — Great pick for anyone following this guide.
This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our full disclosure.