Fair point, but still quite some difference in price and it looks like these need a controlling computer of some description adding to the power overhead unless we talking pi of course

Depending on the number of miners. I have 3x HEX8A1, 3xHEXB and 1xBFL60, combined they use about 1.3kW, a 100W or so for the control PC is not that much in context. OTOH, for a single HEXB the PC would use too much power.