What the Pi Zero actually has
Raspberry Pi's own documentation describes the Zero 2 W as having two micro USB ports: one for input power, and one for USB On-The-Go (OTG), compatible with adapters for keyboards, mice, hubs and other external devices. The original Zero W uses the same arrangement. Raspberry Pi's product page describes the Zero 2 W the same way: like the original Zero, it has a mini HDMI port, a micro USB port, and a micro USB power port.
This corrects one simplification in the popular framing. The idea that USB on these boards is mostly for diagnostics, if used at all, doesn't hold up. The Zero's data port is a real OTG port, and for many users it is the only way to attach anything.
The cost argument: plausible, but not measured
The case for Micro-USB runs like this:
- Parts: The connector and cables are cheap and abundant.
- Circuitry: The article says USB-C needs extra resistors on the board to negotiate power, while Micro-USB will accept 5 V with no such handshake.
- Redesign: Swapping connectors on a board that is already in production means a layout change and possibly new cases and accessories. Many vendors would rather save that for the next generation.
The USB-C part has a technical basis. The Type-C specification uses configuration-channel (CC) pins with pull-up and pull-down terminations to detect connections. So a USB-C input does need extra circuitry that a Micro-USB input doesn't.
Treat the rest as informed reasoning, not hard data. Neither the article nor Raspberry Pi's documentation publishes a bill of materials, a connector price comparison, or a redesign cost. The documentation confirms which ports the boards have. It does not say why Raspberry Pi chose them. Pin counts alone also don't settle assembly cost, so the article's pin-count comparison is color, not proof.
"Low power" needs a footnote
The article says Zero-class boards draw very little power, with the Zero 2 W topping out a little above 1.5 W. Those are the author's figures, and I could not verify them against a test with stated conditions. Raspberry Pi's documentation speaks in terms of recommended supplies, which is a different thing. It lists 5.1 V, with model-dependent current of 1.2 A for the Zero and Zero W and 2 A for the Zero 2 W. These are supply recommendations, not measured consumption, and attached peripherals change the picture.
Third-party material is looser still. Raspberry Pi's own Zero 2 W product page calls its official Micro USB supply the most reliable power source for the board. A retailer's tutorial quotes a 5–5.25 V range for the power port. The practical lesson is to buy a decent supply rather than reuse a random charger. That is ironic, given Micro-USB's reputation.
The same documentation carries a warning for peripherals. Raspberry Pi's getting-started guidance says a Zero may need a powered USB hub for a keyboard and mouse, because plugging a device in after boot can drop the voltage enough to reboot the CPU. Low-power hardware is not the same as a free pass on power budgeting.
Where the "USB data doesn't matter" claim falls short
The article says SBC users rarely need USB data. For the Zero family, Raspberry Pi's own material points the other way:
- OTG as a feature: A Raspberry Pi white paper on OTG mode calls the Zero, Zero W and Zero 2 W the most OTG-friendly boards in the Raspberry Pi family. It says they expose the SoC's USB controller directly on the USB data port, not the PWR IN port.
- One-cable setups: The same paper says that with a single USB connection providing both power and serial communication, you can plug the device in and log in via a terminal.
- Gadget mode in 2026: Raspberry Pi's January 2026 guide to USB gadget mode lets a Zero appear as a USB network adapter, so you can SSH in without Wi-Fi setup or IP scanning. The guide warns that once enabled, the port works only for USB networking plus power. It stops acting as a normal host port, so keyboards and storage can't be attached to it.
Windows users should note a hook in that guide. If Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is enabled for the Pi's adapter while the Pi is unplugged, Windows may bind its DHCP service to another interface, such as a Hyper-V adapter. The Pi's interface then shows as shared but gets no DHCP lease. Raspberry Pi's fix is to disable ICS on every adapter you shared from, plug the Pi in, then re-enable ICS.
The Pi 5 contrast, with a correction
The article uses the Pi 5 to show where USB-C earns its place: the board draws far more than Micro-USB comfortably supplies. That direction is right. Raspberry Pi's documentation and product brief put the Pi 5 on USB-C power with Power Delivery support, and the recommended supply is 5 V at 5 A (the 27 W USB-C supply); a 5 V at 3 A (15 W) supply works but limits USB peripherals to 600 mA. It also has separate USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.
I would not repeat the article's claim that the Pi 5's USB-C port is "capped at USB 2.0." The product brief doesn't support it, and it blurs the board's power input with its data ports. A related point from the Raspberry Pi white paper: Pi 4 and Pi 5 offer OTG support, but their power requirements may be an issue.
A USB-C receptacle also doesn't automatically mean faster data or more power. USB-IF describes Type-C as a connector system compatible with existing USB electrical and functional specifications. What you actually get depends on the board's circuitry and supported modes.
Practical advice for Pi Zero owners
- Know your ports. The port nearest the outer edge, labeled PWR IN, is power only. The one closest to the mini HDMI is the USB/OTG data port. Third-party troubleshooting guides report that a mouse LED lighting up with no response usually means a device was plugged into the power-only port.
- Use a real data cable for gadget mode. A Raspberry Pi forum thread advises a proper data cable on the OTG port, with nothing on the power port. If you use an OTG adapter, make sure it pulls the ID pin correctly. Otherwise the board may stay stuck in device mode.
- Budget for peripherals. If a Zero reboots when you plug something in, try a powered hub before blaming the board.
- Don't expect a connector swap to fix anything. Even if the Zero eventually moves to USB-C, the board design behind the port is what determines power and speed.
Will SBCs drop Micro-USB?
The article predicts boards will "slowly shed" Micro-USB within a few years. I found no roadmap or timeline backing that. What is documented is that the Zero family still uses Micro-USB while Raspberry Pi's larger, newer boards use USB-C. Either way, the claim that Micro-USB is "the worst generation of USB" is an opinion. It fits the connector's non-reversible design and its reputation for wear. No failure-rate data in the sources puts a number on it.
Bottom line
Micro-USB survives on Pi Zero boards because the connector suits a small, cheap board with modest power needs, and because changing a shipping design costs money. That is an inference from engineering logic, not a quoted manufacturer rationale. The Zero's second Micro-USB port is a working OTG data port, and in 2026 Raspberry Pi is still building features on it. Treat the cable, the port choice and the power supply as part of the design rather than afterthoughts. Those are the things that go wrong on a Zero.
Correction (October 26, 2026): The Pi 5 power-supply recommendation was inverted. Raspberry Pi's documentation lists 5 V at 5 A (the 27 W USB-C supply) as recommended; a 5 V at 3 A supply works but limits USB peripherals to 600 mA.