Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ Board 1.4GHz Quad-Core with Dual-Band WiFi & BT 4.2

Specifications

• Processor: Broadcom BCM2837B0, Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.4GHz
• Memory: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM
• Wireless LAN: 2.4GHz and 5GHz IEEE 802.11.b/g/n/ac wireless LAN
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)
• Ethernet: Gigabit Ethernet over USB 2.0 (maximum throughput 300 Mbps)
• GPIO: Standard 40-pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards)
• Video/Audio: 1 × full-size HDMI, MIPI DSI display port, MIPI CSI camera port, 4-pole stereo output and composite video port
• USB: 4 × USB 2.0 ports
• Storage: MicroSD format for loading operating system and data storage
• Power: 5V/2.5A DC power input via Micro USB, 5V DC via GPIO header
• PoE: Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled (requires separate PoE HAT)

Applications

• Industrial IoT Gateways: Aggregate sensor data and securely push it to AWS/Azure.
• Smart Home Hubs: Run Home Assistant locally for ultimate privacy and control.Edge AI & Machine Learning: Prototype basic computer vision with OpenCV and Pi Camera.
• Retro Gaming Consoles: Build custom arcade machines running RetroPie.Network
• Ad-Blockers: Deploy Pi-hole to block ads across your entire Wi-Fi network.

Unlock New Capabilities

• Past Projects (Prerequisites): If you've mastered basic Wi-Fi logging with an ESP32 or NodeMCU, you know the pain of memory limits and single-threaded operations.
• Feature Upgrade: The Raspberry Pi 3 B+ unlocks actual multi-threading, massive local databases, Python scripting with heavy libraries (like Pandas/OpenCV), and real-time dual-band internet access.
• Effort/Requirements: Intermediate to Advanced. You will need a basic understanding of Linux terminal commands, a high-quality 5V 2.5A power supply, a Class-10 MicroSD card, and an HDMI monitor for initial setup.

Virtual Technician & Wiring Guide

• ⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING: The Raspberry Pi GPIO pins operate strictly at 3.3V logic levels. Connecting 5V sensors directly to the data pins will instantly destroy the processor! Always use logic level converters. At Probots, we are Probots™ Logic-Safe advocates we highly recommend pairing this with 3.3V compatible sensor modules to prevent accidental frying of your premium SBC.
• Pin 2 & 4: 5V Power (Output, or Input to bypass micro-USB)
• Pin 1 & 17: 3.3V Power Output
• Pin 6, 9, 14, 20, 25, 30, 34, 39: Ground (GND)
• Pin 8 & 10: UART (TXD & RXD)

Package Includes:

• 1 x Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ Board - 1.4GHz Quad-Core with Dual-Band WiFi & BT 4.2

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• What is the power requirement for the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+?
  It strictly requires a 5V, 2.5A high-quality Micro USB power supply to prevent under-voltage throttling.
• Can I power the board via the GPIO pins?
  Yes, you can supply 5V directly to Pin 2/4 and GND to Pin 6, but this bypasses the onboard protection polyfuse.
• Does the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ support 5GHz WiFi?
  Yes, it features a dual-band wireless module supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.
• What is the difference between the Pi 3B and the 3B+?
  The 3B+ features a faster CPU (1.4GHz vs 1.2GHz), dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, faster Ethernet, and PoE support.
• Does it feature true Gigabit Ethernet?
  It has Gigabit Ethernet over USB 2.0, which means the maximum throughput is capped at around 300 Mbps.
• Are the GPIO pins 5V tolerant?
  No, all GPIO pins are strictly 3.3V. Applying 5V will permanently damage the board.
• How do I prevent the board from overheating?
  While thermal management is improved over the 3B, adding a standard stick-on heatsink or a small cooling fan is highly recommended for continuous heavy loads.
• Can I run a 64-bit OS on this board?
  Yes, the Cortex-A53 is a 64-bit processor, allowing it to run 64-bit versions of Raspberry Pi OS and Ubuntu.
• What is the maximum MicroSD card size supported?
  It natively supports SDHC and SDXC cards. Cards up to 256GB (or larger) work perfectly when formatted to FAT32 or exFAT.
• Does it support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
  Yes, the board has the necessary 4-pin PoE header, but requires the official Raspberry Pi PoE HAT to extract the power.
• How many USB ports are available?
  There are four standard USB 2.0 ports available for peripherals.
• Can it boot directly from a USB drive instead of an SD card?
  Yes, native USB booting is supported out of the box on the 3B+.
• How do I connect a camera module?
  Use the onboard MIPI CSI (Camera Serial Interface) port designed for official Raspberry Pi cameras.
• What display connections does it have?
  It features one full-size HDMI port and a MIPI DSI port for official touchscreen displays.
• Does it have built-in Bluetooth?
  Yes, it comes with Bluetooth 4.2 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
• Can I run Windows OS on it?
  You cannot run standard Windows Desktop. It only supports Windows 10 IoT Core, which is designed for embedded applications.
• How do I access the hardware serial console?
  The hardware serial is available on GPIO pins 8 (TXD) and 10 (RXD), but it must be enabled via the raspi-config menu.
• Are the mounting holes the same as the Pi 4?
  Yes, the physical footprint and mounting holes are identical to the Pi 3B, Pi 2, and Pi 4.
• What do the onboard LED lights mean?
  The solid Red LED indicates power is connected, and the flashing Green LED indicates MicroSD card read/write activity.
• Why am I seeing a lightning bolt icon on my screen?
  This is an under-voltage warning. Your power supply is dropping below 4.63V. Swap it out for a dedicated 5V 2.5A wall adapter.