The Raspberry Pi Foundation, maker of a favorite prototype production platform for inventors and “internet of things” developers, announced today the launch of its most recent product: the Raspberry Pi 4 on sale starting at $35. 

The newest incarnation of the Raspberry Pi brings with it a faster central processing unit, graphics processing unit, the ability to connect dual 4K monitors, gigabit Ethernet support, up to 4 gigabytes of random access memory, support for 802.11ac wireless and Bluetooth 5.0.

The platform is an extremely small form-factor computer with PClike power that can fit into a very small case. The Raspberry Pi 4 is about the same size as every other previously released model, but it also crams more features onto its circuit board than preceding models.

The original Raspberry Pi launched in 2012 and has been a mainstay for developing embedded systems, IoT platforms and custom connected computing devices. Since then, each incarnation has remained extremely cheap, maintaining a starting price of $35 for most devices. Peripherals such a cases, cables (for power and data), external displays and similar additions cost extra.

It is possible to build the Raspberry Pi 4 out into a full-fledged desktop PC with a complete “Desktop Kit” priced at $120. The kit includes the platform with 4GB RAM, a case, a power supply, the official mouse and keyboard, two high-definition video cables, a copy of the owners manual and a pre-installed 16GB microSD storage card.

Also shipping with the new Raspberry Pi is a brand-new operating system designed specifically for the platform called Raspbian. Based on the upcoming release of Debian 10 “Buster,” the new Raspbian will add numerous behind-the-scenes improvements to the software as well as modernize the user interface. The update also includes updated applications such as the Chromium 74 web browser.

New accessories designed to go with the Raspberry Pi 4 include a case designed by Kinneir Dufort and manufactured by T-Zero priced at $5, a new power supply using USB-C cables suitable for 5V/3A priced at $8 (with plugs for numerous outlet formats) and low-cost micro HD cables for those dual monitors priced at $5 each.

As a platform, the Raspberry Pi is so popular that by 2019 the foundation had sold more than 25 million devices in the seven years since its initial launch.

According to the foundation, this newest version of the platform will be sold alongside previous models. Industrial developers and companies want to keep using previous models and as long as that demand remains, the company will continue to build them. The Raspberry Pi 1B+ will continue to sell for$25, and the 2B, 3B and 3B+ will continue to sell for $35.

To celebrate this launch, the Raspberry Pi Foundation Press released an updated, second edition of the Official Raspberry Pi Beginners Guide. With 252 pages of information, the book covers setting up the platform for the first time, learning to code in Python and Scratch, and how to control electronics such as light emitting diodes, buttons and sensors. The book includes numerous examples of how the platform can be used as part of connected networks, internet of things applications, embedded devices such as entertainment centers, home security systems, automotive and industrial setups.

Further purchase information and specifications is available on the Raspberry Pi 4 model B product page.

Photo: Raspberry Pi Foundation