The single board computer Raspberry Pi 4 Model B recently introduced by the Raspberry Foundation is designed to match the performance of traditional entry-level desktop computers. The new Mini-PC features a Broadcom BCM2711 SoC with four 1.5 GHz cores and 1, 2 or 4 GB of DDR4 memory.
External devices can be connected via four USB ports, two of which support USB 3.0, and Gigabit LAN. There is also a jack connector for audio and composite video. Power is supplied via a USB-C interface. Monitors can be connected via two micro HDMI ports. According to the developers, two monitors with 4K resolution can be controlled in parallel by the compact computer. The video playback performance of the H.265 codec is 4K and 60fps, H.264 videos are also played in full HD resolution at 60fps.
Performance sufficient for Windows
The performance of the so far fastest Raspberry Pi 4 is sufficient for a normal Windows 10 installation for the first time. Hobbyists have already installed it on the Raspberry Pi 3, but due to the low performance it was not possible to use it productively in everyday life. In combination with a micro SD card, which still has to be purchased separately, the Raspberry Pi can easily handle 4 normal office applications. Graphically demanding tasks also present too great a challenge for the latest model in the Mini-PC series.
Backward compatibility of the 40-pin GPIO connector
Those who already have a previous model can enjoy the fully downward-compatible 40-pin GPIO connector, which allows the partially expensive accessories to continue to be used.
Unfortunately, the power supply, which must provide the maximum 8 watts of power, can no longer be taken over from the predecessor models, since now 3 amps are needed and USB-C is used for the power supply instead of the micro USB port. Also the housings of the predecessor can no longer be used, although the dimensions of the board are unchanged, since further connections have been added. However, hobbyists can also arrow the necessary holes into old cases with little effort.
The equipment is complemented by Bluetooth 5.0 and WLAN with 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz (802.11b/g/n/ac standards).
Despite the significantly higher performance, the new Raspberry Pi 4 also remains pleasantly inexpensive. The beginner model with 1 GByte RAM is available for 35,95 Euro, 2 GByte RAM cost 45,95 Euro and the most powerful model with 4 GByte RAM is available for 56,95 Euro.
