The anticipation has met reality with unveiling of the Raspberry Pi 5, dedicated to empowering the maker community. This powerful compact computer isn’t merely a piece of hardware; it’s a canvas awaiting makers’ creativity, offering a robust tool for many projects.
A powerhouse unveiled
The Raspberry Pi 5 has features designed to bring your creative ideas to life. With enhanced processing power, memory, and many connectivity options, it’s poised to be a significant ally in your creative journey. The heart of this innovation is the RP1, a brand-new I/O controller designed by the in-house team in Cambridge, UK. The new 16-nanometer AP with a quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 processor running at 2.4GHz allows the Raspberry Pi to operate up to twice as fast as the Raspberry Pi 4, yet consuming less power for equivalent workloads.
Makers at the forefront
In a gesture of goodwill, the first batch of Raspberry Pi 5 units is ring-fenced exclusively for individual makers, acknowledging the endless hours dedicated to building, testing, and improving projects. This initiative reflects a profound commitment to fostering a supportive ecosystem for the maker community, ensuring they have the resources to continue innovating.
The Raspberry Pi 5, available for pre-order now and shipping from the end of October, is priced at US$60/£60 for the 4GB model and US$80/£80 for the 8GB model. The units ring-fenced for individual sales till the year-end ensure that hobbyists have a fair chance to get their hands on this new kit before it’s made available to engineering firms and other bulk buyers.
Pioneering a supportive ecosystem
The launch of the Raspberry Pi 5 is a stride towards building a more supportive and inclusive ecosystem for makers. With the inclusion of new features like a PC-style power button, real-time clock (RTC), and the farewell to the composite video and audio jack, it’s a promise of continued support and a tool that empowers creators to explore the boundless potential of technology.
Raspberry Pi 5 specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| CPU | 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU |
| GPU | VideoCore VII GPU, supporting OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2 |
| Display | Dual 4Kp60 HDMI display output, 4Kp60 HEVC decoder |
| Connectivity | Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 / Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) |
| Ports | 2 × USB 3.0 ports, supporting simultaneous 5Gbps operation, 2 × USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, with PoE+ support (requires separate PoE+ HAT, coming soon) |
| Camera/Display | 2 × 4-lane MIPI camera/display transceivers |
| Peripherals | PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for fast peripherals |
| GPIO | Raspberry Pi standard 40-pin GPIO header |
| Additional features | Real-time clock, Power button |
