Introduction: READ THIS BEFORE BUYING AN ARDUINO!!

About: just another electronics hobbiest trying to help you out

Over the years Arduino has become more and more famous. mainly due to its very easy and user friendly software, its extremely large and ever growing community, and finally its modularity.

Nowadays, nearly every electronics hobbyist owns atleast 1 type of Arduino. and if you don't, then it is past time for you to get one !!

and if you are planning on buying one. you might be wondering why is there so many Arduino clones that are way less than half the price of an original Arduino, and are they any good!!

The answer is yes. these clones perform exactly like an original arduino, they support all of its accessories, and they can be programmed using the Arduino IDE !!

Step 1: THEN WHY ARE THEY SOO CHEAP ?!

an Arduino clone uses almost the same components as a real Arduino and since Arduino is an open source platform and all its schematics are out for the public, most of these clones have the same component layout as an actual arduino.

You can see in the photo how the 2 Arduinos are almost the same.

which brings us back to the question. why are they much cheaper. firstly we have to pay attention to the fact that the Arduino company needs money for research and improvement of its products. and so when you buy an original Arduino you make a donation to the company.

when you buy an Arduino you are also paying money for the brand name, unlike when you are buying an arduino clone from some unknown chinese company.

Step 2: How to Spot a Fake Arduino

spotting a fake arduino is usually very easy since the companies that make the clones usually write their name on the board as you can see in the photo above. but sometimes companies try to disguise their arduinos as an original arduino to make more money. But don't worry you can easily find out!!

as you can see in the photos above there is a component that is either green or gold. the gold one was specially made for the Arduino company and therefore any Arduino clone will not have a gold component but rather a green one.

if you are buying one online then you should look for keywords like 'Arduino compatible' or 'Uno for Arduino' these mean that it is a fake arduino

Step 3: What Should I Look Out for When Buying a Clone

The arduino you see in the photos above is an funduino Mega 2560 that i got from Gearbest. and when I used it I found out that it is just as good as an actual Arduino and i have not faced any problems when using get. But watch out not all clones are that good !!!

unfortunately some clones are made from very bad quality components and may either work ver bad or maybe not work at all, and that is why you need to pay attention when buying a clone.

- avoid buying a clone that is too cheap!!
- avoid buying unbranded clones
- look for reviews on the product / Brand

Step 4: Where to Buy a Good Clone + Conclusion

A very good place to buy high quality clones at low prices you can click here

Also don't forget to subscribe to me on instructables and youtube i post very cool videos related to electronics and Arduinos there.

also do not forget to favorite this instructable if you found it helpful and see you guys later