Raspberry Pi 4 Takes Raspberry Pi 3 to new levels

Raspberry Pi 4 Takes Raspberry Pi 3 to new levels

The Raspberry Pi is already a classic, and the release of the Raspberry Pi 4 promises to enhance the performance of already existing applications and make the single board computer a reality.  

The RPI 4 board has the same RPI form factor we’ve come to love, but there are many things that have been redesigned, making the board incompatible with previous design. As we’d expect from a new version, the device has increased the processing power compared to the Raspberry Pi 3.

Hardware

Image Courtesy of Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi 4 is a significant redesign with multiple changes such as the USB-C connector, the arrangement of the Ethernet and USB ports and other things

  • Processor: The Pi 4 is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 CPU initially running at 1.5GHz, but later version are clocked at 1.8 GHz
  • Memory: It comes in multiple variants, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM. Update: the 1GB version has been discontinued.
  • Storage: The microSD card slot is available as always, but USB booting is also possible
  • Graphics: The VideoCore VI GPU supports dual 4K HDMI outputs
  • Connectivity: The Pi 4 includes dual-band Wi-Fi 6 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0 (Classic + LE), and Gigabit Ethernet
  • USB Ports: 2x USB 3.0 ports and 2x USB 2.0 Ports
  • Power Input: USB-C
  • GPIO: Standard 40-pin GPIO header

AS the whole industry is shifting USB-C, the new Raspberry PI changes its connector from the usual USB micro B we’ve been accustomed to a USB-C connector. The power requirements are still the same with the board needing a 15W Power supply (5V @ 3A).

A limited version of the Raspberry Pi 4 schematics are available, focusing mainly on the I/O of the system that enables improved interface with the board to design 

Wireless Connectivity

The RPI 4 has an integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth  module. The Wi-Fi supports both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Even better, the board has modular certification, which means that you can integrate the RPI 4 into a product and reuse the FCC certification without redoing all the wireless testing.

Gigabit Ethernet

RPI 4 is the first Raspberry Pi to have Gigabit Ethernet, which helps speed up those transfers

Processing Power

RPI Foundation claims the new 1.8GHz A76 Processors of the BCM2712 is up 3x as fast as the Raspberry Pi 4 when considering raw power. That kind of performance improvement will benefit a lot of heavy processing applications, like cameras processing, object recognition and other items.

Backwards Compatibility

The Raspberry Pi 4 is a redesign and has significant changes which means that old Raspberry Pi enclosures won’t fit. This is also because the  

Power Issues

The first versions of the Raspberry Pi 4 had a design error in the USB C power input – instead of using two separate resistors for the CC signal lines that are used to negotiate power, the designers used only one. This resulted in a large number of power supplies and cables not working well. The issue was resolved in later boards, but goes to show that even complex boards like a high speed CPU can run into issues with relatively simple parts of the design.

Software

Great hardware is nothing without great software, and the RPI is supported by the Raspberry Pi OS by default, along with support for other Linux distros.

The good news is that the Raspberry Pi software stack is mature and working. In fact most users of RPI OS seem to prefer it compared to other alternatives, since it’s finely tuned to the RPI capabilities.

Raspberry Pi 5 support began in Raspberry Pi OS 12 with Kernel 6.1.21 but the latest RPI OS release uses Kernel 6.6.31.

Price

The original Raspberry Pi was $35 which was great for a variety of applications. The 1GB RPI4 is priced at exactly that, which means that given all the improvements, the RPI4 is a great upgrade.
But the 1GB variant has been discontinued, which isn’t really an issue because 1GB is very limiting for most applications (part of the reason why it was discontinued).
  • 2GB – $45
  • 4GB – $55
  • 8GB – $75
4GB ends up being the sweet spot for a Raspberry Pi 4. 2GB is fine if your applications aren’t very demanding, while 8GB is somewhat of a luxury you can choose if you need more. This enables end users to choose the right level and optimize the cost of the system, which keeps it  
 

Our Take

The Raspberry Pi 4 is a fantastic upgrade to the Raspberry Pi 3, with multiple price points depending on your needs that should fit any budget, although it won’t strictly meet the old $35 price point.

More Information

7.8
Recommended
An much improved Raspberry Pi over the RPI 3, with improved power and capabilities
Release Date: 29 Jun 2019
Price: $35 , $45 , $55 , $75
Memory: 2GB , 4GB , 8GB
Peripherals: Dual 4K Support , Ethernet , Wi-Fi