Instead buying individual components, you can be armed with the essential components to get started with the Pi Model B+ using a kit. Considering your needs and the amount of money, I explore several RPi kits and I choose the best 4 kits with everything you need to get up and running with the Model B+.
Using the ultimate version kits, you can easily walk through the basics of using the Pi in a hands-on way. These kits are complete systems with essential components such as the Pi board, memory card pre-loaded with an operating system, cables, and even more, with additional accessories such as cases, sensors, buttons, or wireless modules for wirelessly applications.
The second option is to have only the essential components, once you have in your maker box an HDMI cable, a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor.
1. Ultimate kit to connect wirelessly the Pi to almost anything
Before jumping into the box, I would like to say that you don’t have another great option to have all you need to communicate wireless with Pi than the Ultimate Kit. With the spirit of thinker and builder, anyone can use the Wireless or Bluetooth dongle to connect the Pi Model B Plus to your phone, tablet, or computer. The kit contains a long list of components including the essential parts such as the Pi B+, a case, a pre-loaded memory card with NOOBS OS, standard power supply for UK, EU and US, HDMI, RCA, DVI & VGA cables, USB to Micro USB cable, RJ45 cable, as well as a keyboard and a mouse. Several other components useful for connecting the board are the Wireless and Bluetooth dongles, and a USB Hub. Other additional components are the Heat Sink Kit to cool the Pi, and the SD card reader for loading data to the memory card.
Having all these components, you can easily start a summer of building and control all devices designed to be controlled through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
2. The perfect kit to learn about electronics
This kit is a good option if you plan to start working with Pi by blinking LED’s, push buttons, build circuits with light sensors and use capacitors. The Raspberry Pi Component Starter includes in its $129.00 price the essential components such as the board, an 8GB memory card, the case to protect the Pi, the power supply, an HDMI cable, an Ethernet cable, and several other electronic components such as resistors, colored LED’s, push buttons, a LDR sensor, a 1uF capacitor, and a breadboard.
What is not included in this kit to start the work is some skills in electronics to interface the components, but otherwise, you can start building your first electronic circuit with your Pi and some helpful tutorials.
3. Essential components plus some cables
Assuming that you don’t have an HDMI or an Ethernet cable, this Raspberry Pi Starter Kit is probably the best solution to have in minutes your first functional RPi system. The kit contains the Model B+, the SD memory card with a capacity of 8GB and pre-loaded with NOOBS operating system, the 5V 2A power supply with adapters for UK, EU & USA, a black case, the HDMI cable to connect the board to a TV or PC monitor, and an Ethernet cable.
The kit has a price tag of $74.00 and the UK provided offers an excellent support and service.
4. Essential components for beginners to get their foot in the electronics and programming
This kit for Raspberry Pi Model B Plus is the Starter Kit with essential components for beginners. Having only the essential components, it’s understandable why the kit is cheap and is available at a price tag of $78.99. This kit assumes that you already have a HDMI cable, A TV or a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse.
The box contains the RPi B Plus, the case of Pi, the memory card pre-loaded with the NOOBS operating system, and the power supply. All you have to do is to insert the card into the board, plug the power supply into the motherboard, connect the Pi to a HDMI-compatible TV or monitor (if the monitor has VGA connector, you can use an HDMI To VGA adaptor) , add a keyboard and a mouse, roll up the sleeves and start the work. Blinking an LED with RPi Model B+ could be a good exercise for anyone able to learn how the fruit-named board can control simple components.