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For a Raspberry Pi 5, choose the official Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply: Raspberry Pi specifies 5 V at 5 A for the board, and that supply supports the mode that raises the Pi 5’s available USB peripheral current. For a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, the official recommendation is its 15 W USB-C supply (5 V at 3 A). Your board model and attached USB devices—especially an SSD or hard drive—determine which recommendation fits.
Which power supply fits your Raspberry Pi?
| Raspberry Pi model | Raspberry Pi recommendation | Why it matters for an always-on stream |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 27 W USB-C supply; 5 V at 5 A | The 5 A mode raises the board’s USB peripheral current limit, useful when storage or other USB devices draw more power. |
| Raspberry Pi 4 Model B | 15 W USB-C supply; 5 V at 3 A | This is the listed recommendation for this board; do not assume the Pi 5 supply specification is needed. |
| Raspberry Pi 500 | 27 W USB-C supply; 5 V at 5 A | Included for comparison: Raspberry Pi lists the same supply class for Pi 500. |
| Raspberry Pi 400 | 15 W USB-C supply; 5 V at 3 A | Included for comparison: Raspberry Pi lists the same supply class for Pi 4 Model B. |
Raspberry Pi says, “We recommend using an official Raspberry Pi power supply.” Its current model table gives the recommendations above and cautions that voltage figures are measured at the plug, so removable-cable voltage loss must be allowed for. See Raspberry Pi’s getting-started and power documentation.
Why the Pi 5 recommendation is about more than total watts
Choose the right 5 V current mode
The official Pi 5 27 W USB-C supply specifies up to 5.1 V at 5 A and supports USB Power Delivery. The Pi 5 requests 5 V modes; a supply’s headline wattage alone does not show that it can provide the required 5 V, 5 A mode. Raspberry Pi’s USB-PD note explains that 5 V at 5 A is an optional supply profile, so check the voltage and current profile, not just the wattage printed on a charger. Pi hardware documentation and the 27 W supply product brief give the relevant specifications.
Account for USB storage and peripherals
With a detected 5 A supply, the Pi 5’s USB peripheral current limit rises from 600 mA to 1.6 A. A 3 A supply can still be adequate when attached peripherals are low-power, but the board restricts USB power when it does not detect the 5 A supply mode. USB current is shared across devices; if a drive or combined peripheral load exceeds the board’s limits, use an externally powered USB hub rather than expecting the board to supply it.
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#1 Best Overall
- CanaKit Power Supply for the Raspberry Pi 5
- Power Delivery (PD) Support, including 5V / 5A (27W) specially designed for Pi 5 and up to 45W for other devices
- UL Listed
- Includes noise filter for added stability
- Thick and insulated cable (4ft length)
This is particularly relevant for a USB SSD or hard drive used to hold media. The 27 W supply brief identifies high-power USB devices such as drives as a reason to use the supply. A powered hub is the safer arrangement for devices whose power needs exceed the board limit.
How to choose a third-party USB-C supply safely
- Match the board: use the model-specific Raspberry Pi recommendation above as your baseline.
- Check the profile, not only the wattage: for Pi 5, verify that the supply explicitly supports 5 V at 5 A. A “27 W” label by itself does not establish that.
- Count USB devices: consider storage, adapters, and any other connected devices. For a load beyond the board’s USB limit, provide separate power through a powered hub.
- Use a suitable cable: cable quality and length affect voltage at the board; Raspberry Pi’s figures are measured at the plug and its documentation says removable-cable voltage loss must be allowed for.
Power does not prove FFmpeg can sustain your stream
A correctly sized supply helps avoid power-related interruptions, but it does not establish that a particular Pi can encode your chosen resolution, frame rate, and codec continuously in FFmpeg. The Pi-specific FFmpeg performance for your settings is not established here, so test the actual board, media, and peripherals before relying on it for a 24/7 broadcast. Do not infer electrical consumption from YouTube’s bitrate recommendations: bitrate is network traffic, not a measurement of power draw.
Rank #2
- USB-C Connector for the latest Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
- DC 5. 1V 3 Amp Power Supply
- 15. 3 watts, 1. 5M cable (18AWG)
- Item Weight: 3.84 ounces
Check the YouTube stream separately
YouTube’s encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS ingestion and lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 options. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval, with four seconds as the maximum, and publishes bitrate recommendations by codec, resolution, and frame rate. Select settings that YouTube accepts and that your Pi can actually encode; the existence of a YouTube recommendation does not prove Pi performance. Test using representative audio and movement, and monitor stream health. See YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrates.
For network stability, YouTube advises that outbound bandwidth exceed the total stream bitrate and recommends about 20% headroom. A stable power supply cannot compensate for inadequate upload bandwidth or disruptions in the connection. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips.
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- Standard: The black GaN 27W USB-C PD Power Supply (with 1.3M Length) for Pi 5 Output: 5.1V/5A Input: AC100-240V; It allows the the Pi 5 to power a wider range of peripherals.
- High Quality Power Solution: This GaN power supply can supply for Raspberry Pi 5 current up to 5.1V/5A to Pi 5 motherboard. In addition, there is no problem that low voltage appears even in full-load power operation.
- 6-layer Protection Function: Includes various functions such as over-power protection, over-current protection, short-circuit protection, over-voltage protection, low-voltage protection, and electrostatic protection.
- Good Compatibility: The GaN 27W PD USB-C Power Supply is also capable of delivering 5A@5.1V ,3A @ 9V, 2.25A @ 12V, and 1.8A @ 15V to PD-compatible products, making it a good cost-effective power supply for many general-purpose.Compatible with Raspberry Pi 5 16GB/8GB/4GB/2GB
- For Pi 5：The total power drawn from the four USB ports on Pi 5 is limited by default to a nominal 600mA; this limit is automatically increased to a nominal 1.6A when the USB-C PD Power Supply is detected.
Troubleshooting an unstable Pi stream
- USB drive disconnects or fails to mount: check whether the Pi 5 is receiving the detected 5 A supply mode and whether the total USB load exceeds the board’s limit. Try a powered hub for a high-draw drive.
- The board reports undervoltage or behaves erratically: verify the supply’s voltage/current profile and cable; a high wattage at another voltage is not a substitute for the required 5 V mode.
- The Pi stays powered but the YouTube stream drops: inspect YouTube stream health and outbound bandwidth, allow the recommended network headroom, and check for connection disruptions. A larger power supply alone does not fix network faults.
- FFmpeg cannot keep up with the selected stream settings: distinguish encoding performance from power delivery. Test the chosen codec, resolution, frame rate, and media on the target Pi rather than assuming that a supply upgrade makes the workload sustainable.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a continuous YouTube stream from uploaded, prerecorded video, StreamNeo avoids keeping a Pi, computer, or home internet connection running. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video in the cloud, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. Files stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; the first day is free with no card. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube and prerecorded uploads, not camera broadcasting. See StreamNeo or start the free first day.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 3.5A USB-C power supply specially designed and tested for the Raspberry Pi 4
- Includes noise filter for added stability
- 18 AWG Cable
- UL Listed
- 5ft Cable Length
Rank #4
- Compatible only with the Raspberry Pi 2, Pi 3 and Pi 3 B+. NOT Compatible with Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5
- UL Listed
- 5-feet cable with integrated noise filter
- Micro USB plug
- Output: 5V DC / 2.5A Regulated Input: 100 - 240VAC
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