Best Raspberry Pi 3 Starter Kits for DIY Projects (2019 update)

Update: All the starter kits mentioned in this list come with the latest and advanced Raspberry Pi 3 or Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus Single Board Computer.

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (B Plus) is the latest kit in the market and it lives up to the expectations that all users had with it. It is faster and smarter than all its predecessors. It also comes with so many different properties that you’ll be thrilled to use it!

If you have just started out, you might want to first learn about Raspberry Pi in detail before you understand why Raspberry Pi 3 is the rage right now. After getting a clear understanding, you can proceed to buy the best available kit. 

What is Raspberry Pi?

To put it in simple words, it is a small but extremely powerful computing platform that is also easy on the pocket! You can use it to do pretty much everything that a desktop does. Let me list out a few of its biggest features to enthral you (if you are not already enthralled):

• You can plug it into your monitor or PC and use it with the help of a mouse and a keyboard.
• You can browse the Internet, stream videos, watch movies, and listen to music just like you would on any full-fledged computer. You can also play games, make spreadsheets, and more.
• You can learn programming languages such as Python and Scratch using Raspberry Pi.
• You can use it to run various operating systems including Debian Linux OS and Windows 10.

If you want to buy a starter kit, you will surely look for the best and latest in the market. So, developers and programming enthusiasts, Raspberry Pi 3, is here for you! There are numerous different starter kits in the market that you can choose from. Which one’s the best suited to your needs though? Let’s find out together:

Best Raspberry Pi 3 Starter Kits

1. CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (B Plus) Starter Kit (32GB EVO+ Edition)

From CanaKit, you will get a premium Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus starter kit at an affordable price. This latest Pi 3 B+ package includes all the components and accessories that can help you to finish your electronics as well as robotics projects.

Below are the specifications & features of Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus kit by CanaKit:

• It comes with a 32GB EVO+ class 10 Micro SD card from Samsung with preloaded NOOBS software & a USB Micro SD card reader
• A premium quality Raspberry Pi 3 case will protect the board from any accidental damage
• Pi 3 compatible 2.5A UL listed USB power supply along with a micro USB cable is enough for powering your Pi setup
• The noise filter of the power supply ensures a stable power input to your system for avoiding the damage due to the high/low voltage
• Two heatsinks will help to cool down your Pi processor in the conditions of overheating and overclocking
• The kit also includes an HDMI cable and a GPIO reference card
• A fully colored quick starter guide from CanaKit will help you to understand the board and its components in a straightforward way

If you want to explore the world of Raspberry Pi, then get this CanaKit RPi 3 B Plus kit today. From making a media center to a web-based server, from a simple desktop computer to a high-end retro gaming console; all can be done quite easily with this kit.

2. V-Kits by Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ Basic Starter Kit

Another famous company, V-Kits by Vilros offers the Pi lovers a basic Raspberry Pi 3 B Plus starter kit. It provides a great value and configurations that can help you to finish your multiple Raspberry Pi projects with learning & fun. V-Kits by Vilros tried to provide everything, especially for the Raspberry Pi beginners, at a relatively low price.

Features and Specifications of V-Kits by Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Basic Kit are:

• A transparent protective case will allow you to access all the ports of Pi 3 B+ board easily
• Specially designed UL listed 2.5A power supply will provide enough power to your Pi setup
• A set of 2 good-quality heatsinks will prevent the overheating situations when you overclock your Pi
• Another interesting addition of the noise filter in the power supply will provide stability
• It includes a quick-starter guide for making a Pi-powered retro gaming console, media center, and other designs
• You will get a 1-year manufacturer guarantee and a top-rated customer support

This basic Raspberry Pi 3 B+ kit from V-Kits by Vilros comes with almost all the essential accessories accept a Pi compatible Micro SD card. So, you will need to buy it additionally. The other features that are offered by this kit at such affordable price is a boon for the RPi lovers, though.

3. CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (B Plus) Ultimate Starter Kit

This starter kit from the famous brand Canakit has it all. You won’t have to look any further when you purchase it. Plus, it is priced quite reasonably, we must say. Let’s take a look at the features now:

Features and Specifications of CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Ultimate Kit are:

• Along with the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, you will be able to enjoy 1 GB RAM, 1.4 GHz 64-bit Quad Core processor, enhanced ethernet capacity, and dual band wireless LAN! 
• The starter kit comes with a case and a 6.5-feet long HDMI cable that’s of extremely good quality. A heat sink is also included. 
• The kit’s manual has detailed instructions that you can go through for a quick start!
• Its 32 GB Micro SD Card comes loaded with NOOBS.
• It has a noise filter.
• It also has a 2.5A power supply with a micro USB cable that is 5 feet long.

4. Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Starter Kit with a Clear Case

Like the Canakit, Vilros has included this Raspberry Pi 3 starter kit on sale, and soon hundreds of tinkerers bought it. The Raspberry Pi 3 and all other components come in a clear & sturdy case. The company gives a one-year manufacturer warranty for all the parts and accessories of the kit.

Features & specifications of Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Starter Kit are:

• A perfect starter kit for the beginners and pros in electronics field
• A 16GB class 10 MicroSD card with preloaded Raspberry Pi Operating System
• You can build your favorite projects like programming with Scratch, XBMC media center, Minecraft, retro gaming console, ADS-B receiver, and much more with it
• Specially designed and UL listed 2.5A power supply, noise filter, and micro USB cable for the Pi 3 board
• Set of two heat-sinks makes your processor cooldown when you use it for extended period
• A quick starter guide will help you get going with your Raspberry Pi project

I like this kit because it helps to make the tinkering easy going and hassle-free. The pre-partitioned SD card may seem to be smaller capacity. If you want a full use, then format it and then enjoy the expanded memory.

5. Canakit Raspberry Pi 3 With Micro USB Power Supply

We can’t get enough of Canakit. And, you know what? Amazon can’t either! That’s why this particular starter kit is Amazon’s Choice too! It is possibly the most affordable option out there in its category and works like a charm. Keep reading to find out why you must buy it:

Features and Specifications of Canakit Raspberry Pi 3 Kit are:

1. It comes with Quad Core 1.2 GHz and a 1 GB RAM.
2. It has spectacular on-board Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth connectivity.
3. The kit also has a noise filter and a micro USB power supply. Both of them have been designed specifically for this product.
4. The kit has 2 heat sinks.
5. The instructions manual is quite clear and easy to understand. Simply follow the instructions given!
6. The only thing to remember here is that it does not come with a case. If you want one, you may need to buy it separately.

6. Kano Computer Kit 2017 Edition – Make Pi Computer

If you want to make your own computer without breaking your pockets, then go for this Kano computer kit. It is powered by the fastest Raspberry Pi 3 board. You just need to watch the story, attach the parts, and then see its working like a wonder.

Features and Specifications of Kano Raspberry Pi 3 Computer Kit are:

• You can make the Pi powered computer on your own by following colorful, page-by-page instructions
• This Kano kit will help you to learn processors, power, codes, sounds, pixels, etc. without much brainstorming
• You will also learn to use Python scripts, JavaScript, and other coding techniques for creating web applications and websites
• More than hundred apps like WhatsApp, Codecademy, Wikipedia, YouTube, Scratch, games, etc. will be accessible through this Kano computer
• You will be able to hack Minecraft, to create art, to make your own music pieces, and much more things with this Kano kit
• Apart from the Pi 3, you will get a wireless keyboard, HDMI cable, power cable, LED lights, stickers, power button, memory, Kano’s official OS, a DIY case, quick starter guide, and some applications details
• It is backed by a one-year warranty and lifetime care

7. Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit from NeeGo

The famous electronic kits producer – NeeGo designed this complete Raspberry Pi 3 starter kit, especially for the beginners. It comes with a super-powered micro computing Raspberry Pi 3 machine which helps you to implement your electronic circuit designing ideas in reality.

Features & specifications of Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit from NeeGo are:

• The USB power supply of 2.5A and a noise filter with 6-foot cable are specially designed for the Pi 3 projects
• Out of the box connectivity with Bluetooth & WiFi enabled devices
• The black, high-quality case protects your Pi design from any accidental damage
• Two heat sinks, SD card adapter, HDMI & USB cables, noise filter, etc. accessories provide real value for money package
• Ready-to-use starter kit from NeeGo is perfect for the rookies and pros as well

The Neego Raspberry Pi 3 kit helps to learn circuits, robotics, to enjoy games, media, to use a digital office tool, to take pictures, to record videos, and to do much more other things. Education with fun, tinkering with entertainment is what the goal of this bundle.It is achieving it quite comfortable also.

8. OSOYOO Raspberry Pi 3 DIY Starter Lab Kit for Beginners

The OSOYOO has designed this 22 in 1 starter kit especially for beginners with Pi 3 circuits. If you want to learn and implement the Pi DIY projects in your home lab, then this learning lab kit is recommended for you.

Specifications & features of OSOYOO Raspberry Pi 3 DIY Starter Lab Kit are:

• This kit is useful for both the teachers and students for the science lab projects and experiments
• Each component is well designed to fulfill the requirements of a DIY kit for a Pi 3 setup
• The kit comes with 17 easy-to-do project tutorial guide included with pictures & videos
• 22 in 1 (total 111 components) starter kit comes in a protective case to prevent any damage to your design
• It is perfect for the beginners who want to learn basic electronics and Linux coding

Other accessories that come in this pack are a 40 pin ribbon cable, GPIO extension board, breadboard, one channel relay module, one servo motor, different sensor modules including pressure, temperature, infrared, & humidity, potentiometer, infrared remote controller, jumper wires, and other essential components.

9. Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Kit with Clear Case and 2.5A Power Supply

This starter kit from Vilros is also Amazon’s Choice. Thousands of users have left amazing reviews for it. So, why shouldn’t you buy it? It is the best gift for someone who loves creating new things and tinkering during their free time. Below are a few important highlights for you:

Specifications and Features of Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Kit are:

• The kit has a Quad Core BROADCOM 64-bit ARMv8 and a 1 GB RAM.
• It also comes with a UL certified noise filter, USB cable, and power supply. They are also designed only for Raspberry Pi 3. Thus, they work well and do wonders! 
• The kit has a transparent case for protection. All the ports are easily accessible even through the case. Thus, it is user friendly as well.
• It has multiple ports, including HDMI, 4x USB, Display Serial Interface (DSI), Camera Serial Interface (CSI), 3.5 mm analog audio-video jack, and ethernet.

Now, with so many Raspberry Pi 3 options in the market you are probably confused about the bets one. Keeping cost, performance, requirements, and ease of use in mind, we would definitely recommend the Canakit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit. Have you used it yet? We want to hear your experience!

Raspberry Pi Starter Kits Comparison:

How to get the best Raspberry Pi 3 kit?

It all depends on your particular project needs, knowledge, and of course, your budget. But, I want to mention here that, any project you are going to make, the overall amount will not exceed to 100 bucks, most probably.

I am always in a look of adding latest and best kits for Raspberry Pi 3 to provide you an excellent choice for your electronic projects. The bundles mentioned in the list above are recommended for both the beginners as well as for the experts in electronics and robotics. Whether you want to start with an easy peasy experiment or want to have an extra flavor in your project with Raspberry Pi 3, these kits will not make you regret choosing them.

I am waiting for the helpful thoughts and suggestions from you. You can share your ideas and inputs through the comment section below or from the contact form. I will be happy to hear from you.

Let me know which kit you liked the most and how it was helpful in your Raspberry Pi project. Help your friends and other electronics enthusiasts to make the best use of these kits for their innovative projects by sharing this list.

How to setup Raspberry Pi 3?

So, you got your favorite Pi 3 starter kit and now going to implement your project idea. But wait a second. How the heck will you start designing the project without setting your Pi up? Do you know the setup process? If Yes, then it’s good and goes for your design, but, if the answer is no, then you should check this quick guide below to setup your favorite Raspberry Pi 3 board.

To setup your Raspberry Pi 3 board, you need some tools and accessories first. Let’s check the list below:

1. A 2.5V Raspberry Pi power supply
2. An SD card with the capacity of 8GB onboard storage, a card reader
3. A USB mouse & keyboard
4. A Raspberry Pi touchscreen display or HDMI monitor
5. A USB powered WiFi dongle adapter or Ethernet cable

Note: If you bought the best Raspberry Pi Starter Kit, then you do not need to purchase the above tools separately, as the kit includes them all.

Step-1: Use NOOBS to install the official Raspberry Pi OS on your SD card

Every Pi starter kit comes with a preloaded NOOBS SD card. But if you are purchasing a separate component, then make sure you buy the one which is NOOBS ready.

1. With the help of NOOBS SD card, install Raspbian OS by downloading the official image from the official website.
2. Format the SD card in the FAT type. Depending on the system you use, i.e., Windows or Mac, there are tutorial available on the web if you don’t know how to do this.
3. Now, extract the content of the downloaded zip file and save it on the memory card. Once done, eject the SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi 3.

Step-2: Connect all the devices to your Pi

It is the time to make a connection between your Pi and other needed devices. Remember to do it in sequence otherwise; you may have recognition problem at the time of boot up. See the sequence below:

1. HDMI cable
2. Touchscreen
3. USB powered devices like keyboard, mouse, etc.
4. WiFi dongle or Ethernet cable whichever you are using for the network connection
5. At last, the Raspberry Pi power supply

Step-3: Installing and running the Operating System

After booting up and formatting the SD card, you will be prompted to install the Pi OS. Follow the below things to do it:

First, select your regional language and keyboard layout you want on your Pi.

Then choose ‘Raspbian’ from the list and click on ‘Install’ button.

After few minutes, the NOOBS will finish the installation. Then the system will restart automatically, and a Raspbian Desktop will appear on the screen. Now, it’s the time for configuration.

You will see a Menu on the top-right corner of the screen. Click on it and select the applications like web browser, documents, games, etc. you want to run on your OS. Set up a WiFi network and Bluetooth connection after the OS gets running.

Step-4: Set up WiFi and Bluetooth

Just like you do with other Operating Systems like Windows, you can set the WiFi connection on your Raspbian OS.

1. Click on the Internet network icon on the top-left of your desktop.
2. From the list of names, select on the WiFi network you want to connect with.
3. Enter the credentials and click on Ok button.
4. If you are using the USB WiFi adapter for the internet, the method will be the same.
5. Now, to connect Bluetooth devices, click on the Bluetooth icon on the top-left side of the screen.
6. Choose ‘Add device.’
7. When your Bluetooth enabled device shown on the screen, choose it and then follow the pairing instructions.

Step-5: Use the Raspberry Pi PC without Display

Surprised? But it’s true. You can use your Raspberry Pi remotely without any additional display. If you have a desktop or laptop PC at home, then you can connect your Pi to it and then use its OS environment on your own PC. Through the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) or an SSH command line interface, you can make this possible.

So, by following the above steps, you can quickly setup your Raspberry Pi 3 board. If anything goes wrong or you entered false details, then don’t worry and repeat the steps above.

Related links to add more interest:

• Raspberry Pi Official Site: https://www.raspberrypi.org/
• Wiki-page to add more knowledge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
• List of Raspberry Pi Projects: http://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Projects/