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Raspberry Pi 4

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Raspberry Pi 4
Also known asPi 4, RPi4
DeveloperRaspberry Pi Holdings
TypeSingle-board computer
Release date24 June 2019; 5 years ago (2019-06-24)
LifespanWill remain in production until January 2034[1]
Introductory price$35 (1 GB)
$45 (2 GB)
$55 (4 GB)
$75 (8 GB)
Operating systemRaspberry Pi OS (default)
System on a chipBroadcom BCM2711
CPUQuad-core ARM Cortex-A72 @ 1.5 or 1.8 GHz
Memory1, 2, 4 or 8 GB (LPDDR4)
Removable storageMicroSD, USB
GraphicsVideoCore VI @ 500 MHz
Power5V @ 3A via USB-C or PoE (with additional HAT)
PredecessorRaspberry Pi 3B+
SuccessorRaspberry Pi 5

The Raspberry Pi 4 is the fourth generation of the Raspberry Pi flagship series of single-board computers. Developed by Raspberry Pi Holdings and released on 24 June 2019, it introduced significant upgrades over its predecessor. At its core, the Pi 4 features a new Broadcom BCM2711 system-on-chip, which has a 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 CPU and a VideoCore VI GPU, offering a boost in processing and graphics performance.

Among other notable hardware improvements are the addition of two USB 3.0 ports, the inclusion of true gigabit Ethernet, and support for dual displays at 4K resolution through two micro HDMI ports. Furthermore, RAM options go beyond the 1 GB standard of previous models, adding 2, 4, and 8 GB variants. While the base model with 1 GB of RAM maintained the $35 price point that had become a hallmark of the Raspberry Pi series, the higher RAM variants exceeded this price due to increased production costs.[2][3]

On 28 September 2023, the Raspberry Pi 5 was announced, succeeding the Raspberry Pi 4.[4]

Features

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CPU

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The Raspberry Pi 4 features a Broadcom BCM2711 system-on-chip (SoC), which is a significant upgrade over previous models. It retains the quad-core design of the BCM2837 used in the Raspberry Pi 3 but uses more powerful ARM Cortex-A72 CPU cores based on the ARMv8 64-bit architecture, running at either 1.5 or 1.8 GHz depending on the chip revision.[5] Early models used the B0 stepping (an earlier chip version), while later revisions adopted the C0 stepping in mid-2021, which offers improved thermal performance and higher clock speed.[6] The BCM2711 is about 50% faster than the one used in the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+. The processor includes 32 KB of L1 cache, 48 KB of L1 instruction cache per core, and a shared 1 MB L2 cache.[5]

GPU

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The BCM2711 integrates a VideoCore VI GPU, replacing the earlier VideoCore IV. It is clocked at 500 MHz and includes a new Memory Management Unit, allowing it to access more memory despite being a 32-bit GPU.[5] The GPU supports OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2.[7][8] The multimedia capabilities include hardware decoding of H.265 (4Kp60) and H.264 (1080p60 decode and 1080p30 encode) video.[5]

RAM

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The Raspberry Pi 4 uses LPDDR4 RAM running at 3.2 GHz. It is available in variants with 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, or 8 GB of memory, with the 8 GB model introduced a year after the initial release.[9][10][5]

IO and Connectivity

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Raspberry Pi 4 with PoE HAT

The Raspberry Pi 4 introduced several upgrades to input/output (I/O) capabilities. USB connectivity was improved from four USB 2.0 ports on earlier models to two USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports. A dedicated PCI Express bus connects the USB controllers and a natively attached Ethernet controller, enabling true Gigabit Ethernet speeds.[11][5] The single full-sized HDMI port on previous models was replaced by two micro-HDMI ports, allowing for dual-display output.[5][12] The board includes two DSI display ports (only one exposed on the Raspberry Pi 4B) and two CSI camera ports (only one exposed on the Raspberry Pi 4B).[5] It also supports up to six I²C and UART interfaces and up to six SPI interfaces (five exposed on the Raspberry Pi 4B).[5] Bluetooth was updated from version 4.2 to 5.0,[13] and the power input switched from Micro-USB to USB-C.[14] The Ethernet port supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) in compliance with the IEEE 802.3af standard (802.3at Type 1), similar to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+.[5]

Compute Module 4

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Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4

On 19 October 2020, 16 months after the original release of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, Raspberry Pi released the Compute Module 4, a computer-on-module version of the Pi 4 platform designed for embedded and industrial applications. The Compute Module 4, like the original Pi 4 model, features options for 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB of RAM; however, it also features options for 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB of optional eMMC onboard storage. There is also an option for wireless 2.4/5 GHz wireless connectivity.[15] Because of the 32 variations for the Compute Module 4, the MSRP ranges from $30 to $95 depending on the configuration.[16]

IO and Connectivity

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Unlike the original Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, the Compute Module 4 uses a pair of 100-pin connectors on the bottom of the board for IO instead of traditional ports. These connectors are not meant to be accessed directly by the end user; instead, they are meant to interface with a daughter board to provide IO functionality. While the pins on the Compute Module 4 can be used for the same interfaces as other Pi 4 models, the Compute Module 4 exposes the PCIe 2.0 bus that was previously used for USB 3.0. The freeing of the PCIe bus allows designers to use it for other use cases, such as native NVMe storage or faster networking.[17] Models of Compute Module 4 that have an eMMC chip do not have the capability to connect to external eMMC or microSD storage.[18]

Raspberry Pi 400

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Raspberry Pi 400 keyboard computer

The Raspberry Pi 400 is the final Raspberry Pi product to be based on the Raspberry Pi 4 platform. Released 2 November 2020, the Pi 400 is a Raspberry Pi 4 with 4 GB of RAM in a keyboard form factor. It also has an upgraded power supply and a large integrated heat sink, allowing the ARM Cortex-A72 processor to be clocked at 1.8 GHz.[19][20]

Intended to be used as a desktop PC, the Raspberry Pi 400 can either be bought alone for $70, or as part of a desktop kit which includes the Pi 400 itself, a power supply, a mouse, a 16 GB microSD card with Raspberry Pi OS preinstalled, and a guide book for $100.[21]

Peripherals

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Compute Module 4 IO Board

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The Compute Module 4 IO Board is an official daughter board designed to give Compute Module 4 users easier access to its various interfaces. While the board does feature many of the same ports as the original Pi 4 Model B, the Compute Module 4 IO Board also adds and changes various connectivity options.[22]

PCI-e 2.0

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The CM4 IO Board is a carrier board exposing the PCI-e 2.0 bus of the Compute Module 4, rather than having the bus directly connect to a USB 3.0 controller. The bus is exposed through a standard 1x PCI-e connector, allowing for the connection of standard PCI-e peripherals such as networking cards, high-speed storage devices, and even allows the possibility of external GPU support.[23]

USB-C Power Issues

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During the launch of the original Raspberry Pi 4, people soon discovered that some USB-C power cables would not work with the board. The reason for this was found to be the Pi 4's USB-C power connector being non-compliant with the official specification. The issue stems from the Raspberry Pi 4's use of a shared CC pull-down resistor, rather than each CC line being given its own resistor; the result of this change is that chargers using an e-marker chip will not be able to detect the Pi, thus supplying no voltage.[24]

The USB-C implementation was fixed with the release of the 1.2 revision of Raspberry Pi 4, which allowed for high-speed USB-C cables to work with the board.[25][26]

References

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  1. ^ "Raspberry Pi 4 Product Brief" (PDF). Raspberry Pi Holdings. February 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Buy a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Raspberry Pi 4 Review". PCMAG. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  4. ^ Upton, Eben (28 September 2023). "Introducing: Raspberry Pi 5!". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Raspberry Pi Documentation – Processors". www.raspberrypi.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  6. ^ Geerling, Jeff (27 September 2021). "Raspberry Pi 4 model Bs arriving with newer 'C0' stepping". Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Eben Upton Announces Official Raspberry Pi 4 VideoCore VI Open Source Vulkan Graphics Driver Effort". Hackster.io. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  8. ^ Evenden, Ian (1 August 2022). "Raspberry Pi 4 Now Vulkan 1.2 Compliant". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  9. ^ Upton, Eben (28 May 2020). "8GB Raspberry Pi 4 on sale now at $75". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Raspberry Pi 4 Specs, Release Date, and First Look". Electromaker. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  11. ^ Stanton (2 July 2019). "Raspberry Pi 4 Model B – Technical Specifications". Element14. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Raspberry Pi 3B+ Reduced Schematics" (PDF). Raspberry Pi Datasheets. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  13. ^ Garbett, Samuel L. (10 October 2022). "Raspberry Pi 3 vs. 4: What's the Difference?". MUO. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Raspberry Pi 3 vs 4: Which One Should You Get?". It's FOSS. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  15. ^ Upton, Eben (19 October 2020). "Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 on sale now from $25". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  16. ^ "CM4 Product Brief" (PDF). Raspberry Pi Datasheets. April 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  17. ^ Geerling, Jeff (28 May 2021). "Two Tiny Dual-Gigabit Raspberry Pi CM4 Routers". jeffgeerling.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4" (PDF). Raspberry Pi Datasheets. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Designing Raspberry Pi 400". Raspberry Pi. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  20. ^ Upton, Eben (9 November 2021). "Bullseye bonus: 1.8GHz Raspberry Pi 4". Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  21. ^ Upton, Eben (2 November 2020). "Raspberry Pi 400: the $70 desktop PC". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board Product Brief" (PDF). Raspberry Pi Datasheets. October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  23. ^ "External graphics cards work on the Raspberry Pi | Jeff Geerling". www.jeffgeerling.com. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  24. ^ Pecina, Eduardo (12 July 2019). "Raspberry Pi 4 USB-C Power Problems: How to Power Your New Board". Maker Pro. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  25. ^ Broekhuijsen, Niels (17 September 2022). "Raspberry Pi 4 Revision Fixes USB-C Compatibility Problem". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  26. ^ Aufranc, Jean-Luc (24 February 2020). "Raspberry Pi 4 Rev 1.2 Fixes USB-C Power Issues, Improves SD Card Resilience". CNX Software. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
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