Farnell, the Development Distributor, today announced the launch of a new variant of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer with 8GB of on-board memory, offering double the capacity of the existing high-end model. The additional memory improves the performance of data-intensive applications, making the 8GB version an attractive solution for general desktop computer users, hobbyists and makers, and professional developers alike.
Offering the perfect balance of processing, storage and cost, the new 8GB board is ideal for applications which require real-time processing of large amounts of data with minimal latency, such as edge gateways, machine vision and facial recognition. For imaging applications, its functionality can be further enhanced by the addition of the recently released Raspberry Pi 12MP High Quality Camera with interchangeable lenses, ideal for both professional computer vision applications and photography enthusiasts.
Desktop PC users will appreciate having the greater capacity of the 8GB board to support web browsing, ultra-high-definition video streaming, cloud gaming, and image processing without time delay or latency.
Raspberry Pi’s market-proven hardware speeds up development and prototyping of complex applications, greatly reducing costs for professionals and start-ups. Developers can now focus less on hardware and spend more time focusing on value-added software elements.
The 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer retains the key performance and connectivity features customers expect including:
- Efficiency: The 28nm BCM2711 system-on-chip delivers a significant increase in energy efficiency over previous models.
- Processor: A quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit processor clocked at 1.5GHz enable the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer to run up to three times faster than its predecessor.
- Video and Sound: Two micro HDMI ports support dual-display output at resolutions up to 4K.
- Connectivity:
- Two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, enabling faster transfer rates to mass-storage devices (up to 5 Gbps).
- True Gigabit Ethernet connectivity delivering network data rates of up to 1Gbps.
- Dual-band wireless networking at 2.4GHz and 5GHz, delivering real-world data rates in excess of 100 Mbps. Modular compliance certification allows the board to be designed into end products with significantly reduced compliance testing, improving both cost and time to market.
- Memory: 2GB, 4GB and now 8GB LPDDR4 memory options.
Other key features include:
- Multimedia: H.265 decode (4kp60), H.264 decode (1080p60) and H.264 encode (1080p30); OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics; hardware image sensor pipeline.
- GPIO: User definable GPIO on standard 40-pin header with full backward compatibility and additional multiplexed UART, I2C and SPI peripherals.
- SD card support: Micro SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage.
- Power over Ethernet: PoE support using separate HAT accessory.
Sarah Fawcett, Global Programme Manager for Single Board Computers at Farnell said: “The Raspberry Pi is the highest selling single board computer of all time and has been well received by our customers around the globe. The additional memory and faster data processing capability of the 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer provides design-oriented customers with an easy-to-use hardware solution that can scale up or down to support the memory requirements of a wide range of applications. The enhanced memory option, coupled with a broad range of add-on accessories, makes the Raspberry Pi one of the most flexible and cost-effective single board computers for consumer, education, professional and commercial use.”
Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi Trading Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Farnell to bring the new 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 to market. This is a product that we’ve been looking forward to releasing since the launch of Raspberry Pi 4 in June 2019, and now, enabled by our close relationship with our memory partners at Micron, it has finally become a reality. This product, and our forthcoming 64-bit Debian-based operating system will open up a wide range of new high-end applications for the Raspberry Pi platform.”
Farnell is the largest manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi and has sold more than 15 million units to date.
Farnell stocks all versions of the Raspberry Pi single board computer, alongside a diverse ecosystem of accessories that enable users to build devices for home, professional, education or commercial use. Accessories include a case, power supplies, micro HDMI cables and the new-to-market Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera. Customers can benefit from 24/5 technical support, alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.
The new 8GB version of the Raspberry Pi Model B Computer is available from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.