The Raspberry Pi 5 is the latest version of one of the world's most popular computers. It was just announced on Thursday and will be released on October 23rd. The new model comes in two versions, a 4GB and an 8GB model, priced at $60 and $80 respectively. Compared to the previous Raspberry Pi 4 models, these prices are only $5 more.

Raspberry Pi 5 is faster and improved

One of the main improvements of the Raspberry Pi 5 is its faster processing power. It features a new Broadcom system on a chip (SOC) with a quad-core CPU running at 2.4GHz and a quad-core GPU. The previous model had a CPU running at 1.8GHz and a GPU with lower clock speed. The new SOC allows for overclocking up to 3GHz, providing even better performance.

The GPU of the Raspberry Pi 5 is a video core seven GPU with a stock speed of 800MHz, compared to 500MHz on the previous model. Although overclocking the GPU did not result in significant graphics improvements, the overall performance of the device is noticeably faster for various tasks.

Another notable improvement is the inclusion of the RP1 chip, designed by Raspberry Pi, which controls the IO for the USB3 ports, USB2 ports, and Ethernet port. This allows for higher throughput, resulting in faster read and write speeds for USB devices. The Ethernet port remains a gigabit port, providing similar speeds to the previous model. The Wi-Fi card, however, has a faster interconnect to the CPU, resulting in double or more than double the speed of the Raspberry Pi 4 under good conditions.

The Raspberry Pi 5 does not come with a fan, but it is recommended to use one to prevent overheating. Without a fan, the device can reach temperatures up to 80 degrees Celsius, which is the throttle point. The official fan, specifically designed for this layout, is available for around $6. It can be easily mounted on the device using the dedicated mounting holes and four-pin header.

Overall, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers significant improvements in processing power, graphics performance, and IO throughput compared to its predecessor. It is a highly anticipated computing device that provides faster and improved capabilities for various applications.

New Raspberry Pi features power button

One of the standout features of the new Raspberry Pi 5 is the addition of a power button, which is a first for the Raspberry Pi line. This power button allows users to easily turn the device on and off without having to unplug it from the power source. However, it is important to note that the power button is not a hard cutoff switch, but rather a soft momentary button that initiates shutdown when pressed.

The addition of a power button may not seem like a significant feature, but it offers several benefits. Firstly, it eliminates the need to unplug the device to turn it off, which can be inconvenient and potentially lead to the corruption of the SD card. With the power button, users can safely shut down the Raspberry Pi without the risk of data loss or corruption.

Additionally, the power button allows for easier and quicker boot-up times. When the Raspberry Pi is plugged into the power source, it automatically boots up, eliminating the need to manually turn it on. This can be particularly useful in situations where the device needs to be constantly powered on and off, such as in a server setup.

Furthermore, the power button is programmable, meaning that users can customize its functionality to suit their needs. Currently, pressing the power button brings up the shutdown menu on the screen. However, it is possible to program it to perform other actions, such as initiating a specific command or launching a particular application. This programmability adds an extra layer of versatility to the Raspberry Pi 5 and allows users to tailor its functionality to their specific requirements.