This is the official, high-quality power adapter manufactured specifically for the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B and Model B+. Engineered to deliver a steady, regulated 5V DC output at up to 2.5A, it prevents the frequent system crashes, corrupt SD cards, and "under-voltage warnings" (indicated by the infamous yellow lightning bolt icon) that common smartphone chargers often cause under heavy processor loads.

Specifications

• Input Voltage Range: AC 100V – 240V, 50/60Hz (Universal global compatibility).
• Output Voltage: +5.1V DC (Slightly elevated to safely compensate for voltage drops across the cable under load).
• Maximum Output Current: 2.5A.
• Total Output Power: 12.5W.
• Connector Type: Micro-USB.
• Cable Length: Approximately 1.5 meters (Heavy-gauge internal copper cores to minimize resistance).
• Protection Circuitry: Built-in Short Circuit, Over-Current, and Over-Voltage protection.

Key Features

• Stable Voltage Overhead: Outputs a calibrated 5.1V rather than a flat 5.0V. This small overhead ensures that even when the Pi 3B+ draws maximum current alongside connected USB peripherals, the voltage arriving at the board stays well above the critical 4.63V under-voltage threshold.
• Thick-Gauge Cable: Standard phone chargers use thin internal power wires that cause significant line loss. The official cable utilizes low-resistance, high-gauge internal wiring designed to carry full current efficiently.
• High Efficiency & Safety: Fully certified for industrial and educational use, featuring robust isolation to protect sensitive microcontrollers and components from mains power spikes.

Compatibility

• Optimized For: Raspberry Pi 3 Model B and Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+.
• Backward Compatible: Works perfectly with the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, Pi 1 Model B+, and Raspberry Pi Zero / Zero W / Zero WH.
• Note: Not suitable for the Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5, which require a USB Type-C connector and higher amperage (3.0A to 5.0A).

Usage Tips

• Avoid Thin Extensions: Do not plug this adapter into low-quality USB extension cables. Adding length through thin-gauge wiring re-introduces line resistance and will trigger the under-voltage lightning bolt.
• Peripherals Allocation: While this adapter supplies a solid 2.5A, the total current budget must be shared between the Pi's CPU and any connected USB devices. If you are running power-hungry peripherals (like external 2.5-inch magnetic hard drives), use a externally-powered USB hub.
• Safe Shutdowns: Always run a proper software shutdown sequence (sudo poweroff) before pulling the adapter from the wall to maintain filesystem integrity on your MicroSD card.