A Raspberry Pi is a delicate electronic instrument and that means you’ll definitely need to pair it with the best Raspberry Pi power supply. Usually, you’ll find a power supply in the best Raspberry Pi kits, but sometimes you might want to pick up a spare. These power supplies will give your Pi the right amount of clean wholesome electrons so that you can do something really cool with them. Note that each Pi model has different power requirements, so check to make sure you’re buying the right thing!
Basic and perfect (v.4)
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Official PSU
Staff Pick
The company behind all of your Pi-goodness has released its very-own Power Supply, rated for 5.1V 3.0A of power. You can snag this in either white or black, and there are four different models to pick from, depending on what country you live in.
$12 at Amazon
$15 at Newegg
Mighty Mini (v. 4)
Smraza Raspberri Pi 4 Power Supply
This power supply from Smraza provides the regulated power your Raspberry Pi 4 needs and the adapter is up to 20% smaller than the competition. If you need to plug things in where space is at a premium, this is the one to buy.
$10 at Amazon
Kit and Kaboodle (v.4)
Miuzei Raspberry Pi 4 Case with 5V 3A USB-C Power Supply
You need two things to get your Raspberry Pi 4 up and running: a power supply and a case. Why not buy everything in a bundle with a fan and heatsinks, too? Save time and save money!
$17 at Amazon
Slimline (v. 3 B+)
CanaKit 5V 2.5A Raspberry Pi 3B+ Power Supply
Owners of the Raspberry Pi 3B+ will want to get this power supply from CanaKit, as it’s rated for 5V 2.5A. This gives you enough juice to keep your 3B+ up and running for as long as you need. The cable itself measures in at 5 feet long, and has an integrated noise filter near the Micro-USB charging end.
$10 at Amazon
$16 at Newegg
World Power (v. 3 B+)
PWR+ Raspberry Pi 3 Power Supply
This power supply works with any input voltage from 100 volts to 240, so it’s built for traveling. It also works with the Pi Zero and Pi A so you won’t have to look elsewhere if you have one of those models. In addition to sporting rating of 5V 2.5A, the OBDOK charging cable measures in at 3.3-feet, which should be more than long enough for what you’ll need.
$15 at Amazon
Use any case
Argon ONE Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply
Argon ONE’s Pi 4 power supply provides an input voltage ranging from 100V to 240V, and an output of up to 5.25V 3.5A with its USB-C charging port. The cable measures in at 3.3 feet, and was designed to fit perfectly into your Pi 4, regardless of what kind of case you’re using.
$12 at Amazon
Built-in power switch
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply with PiSwitch
CanaKit is the primary supplier of many of the best Raspberry Pi kits that you can find in stores. But the company also provides some great accessories including the Pi 4 Power Supply with PiSwitch. The PiSwitch is an add-on that allows you to quickly cut the power to your Raspberry Pi, without just unplugging it from the wall or from the Pi itself.
$11 at Amazon
Extra-long cable
MakerSpot 5V 3A Power Supply
Nobody likes being limited in where you can place the Raspberry Pi because the power supply cable is too short. That’s where a power supply like the one from MakerSpot comes into play thanks to its 5-foot-long AC cable. This Micro-USB power supply is perfect for Raspberry Pi models ranging from the Pi Zero up to the Pi 3B+.
$11 at Amazon
Perfect for the 4
Vilros Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply
Vilros’ Raspberry Pi 4 power supply provides charging speeds up to 5.1V 3A, is designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 4, and features a 5-foot cable. Plus, Vilros includes a built-in On/Off switch that is located near the charging port end of the cable.
$11 at Amazon
$16 at Walmart
$13 at Newegg
It’s important to get the best Raspberry Pi power supply
It’s important to buy the right type of power supply for your Raspberry Pi board. While something like the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Official PSU isn’t going to fit the Micro-USB port on an older model, with adapters and determination anything is possible. The consequences of supplying the wrong power can be dramatic — as in nothing works at all — or sporadic and low voltage can cause unknown errors because the board just doesn’t get enough juice.
Those looking for a great charger for older Raspberry Pi models will want to check out the CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3B+ Power Supply. This power supply is verified to work with the Pi 2, Pi 3, and Pi 3B+, while sporting a 5-foot-long cable so you don’t have to change your setup. And it’s important to make sure that the power supply is rated properly, and that’s what you get from CanaKit with this 5V 2.5A rated power supply.
