[jjeaff]

There have always been good small form factor options out there. But the big deal with the Pi is not just price and performance. It's all the software development and custom builds that use raspberry pi. Usff PCs don't usually have gpio pins on them, and they don't have tons of purpose built projects for them.

I have a small raspberry pi zero w running linux CUPS printer software and literally just stuck to the back of an old label printer that is plugged in on a high up shelf in my office. There isn't any other $10 device that would be reasonable for this.

I also have another zero w running piKVM in my server rack, connected to a 4 port KVM switch. So I can get full KVM access for my home servers, none of which have IP KVM built into the consumer mobos I built them with. PiKVM only works on raspberry pi and would require porting to other hardware options.

I have another raspberry pi 3b running octoprint to control my 3d printer and provide a camera feed. Octoprint also does not work on other hardware, that I know of.

Some things are much better on a small form factor intel NUC type device. I moved my home assistant off of a PI for a much more performant NUC. But that was easy only because home assistant has made their software to work on other platforms.

I think the raspberry pi W units are the real hero. But they are so difficult to get at the $10 msrp.