alt Hacker NewsThe SBC markets been on life support for a long time. Youtubers making videos about them don't seem to grasp that and keep pumping out reviews and projects like its still 2019. The pi specifically has plummeted in popularity and for most use cases they just aren't a cost effective option when second hand micro pcs are dirt cheap and vastly more capable.
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I don't think comparing new Pis to used micro pcs is fair. Compare a _used_ Pi with a used micro pc. If you have any geek friends, it's probably not hard to find a used Pi for free.
An SBC is a great gateway to embedded development. There are some industrial PCs in that niche, but generally mini/client PCs don't fill that need.
For a couple years, a Pi was a decent value as a cheaper small desktop replacement.
PCs don't have GPIO. They're different markets and the desktop replacement never materialized.