Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 4GB

Everyone’s favorite tiny computer is back—and it’s better than ever

THIS ISN’T SOMETHING that we’d normally review. It’s not a component, nor a game, nor is it a full-fledged multi-thousanddollar gaming rig. But it’s undeniable that the Raspberry Pi has only been improving in recent years, getting ever closer to becoming a proper desktop computer in its own right. The Pi 4 Model B is the newest iteration in the Raspberry Pi saga, taking the product from a basic programming education tool to a genuinely brilliant little PC.

All the software remains backward compatible, as does the shape of the little board itself; the Pi 4 can be easily dropped into any existing projects you might have if you’re a Pi fanatic. The hardware also represents a significant step up. The processor is a 1.5GHz quadcore Cortex-A72 from Broadcom, an upgrade from the 1.4GHz A53 chip in the Pi 3 B+, while graphics are handled by VideoCore VI, as opposed to VideoCore IV. This enables the Pi 4 to support 4K resolution at 60Hz, or at lower refresh rates across two monitors at once.

The biggest step up is the RAM: While the Pi 3 B+ offered 1GB of LPDDR2, the Pi 4 comes in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB models, all in low-power DDR4. We’ve got the 4GB version in for review, which costs $55, but if you’re looking for a more budget version, the 1GB will only set you back $35. This version of the Pi is more capable than previous models— not quite able to fully replace a desktop, but expanding significantly on the possibilities presented by previous models. The 40-pin GPIO header from the Raspberry Pi 3 returns, too, ready for expansion and building purposes.

If you want to get going straight away, there’s also a “desktop kit” available for $120. This comes packing a 4GB Pi 4 Model B with Raspbian Buster preinstalled on a 16GB microSD card, two

1m Micro HDMI to HDMI cables, a USB-C power supply, a hefty printed beginner’s guide, and a little plastic case for containing your Pi. It also comes with a wired keyboard and mouse in the quaint white and pink colors of the Pi. They’re well-branded enough that our editor mistook the Pi case itself for the mouse during testing, briefly perplexed as to why the cursor wasn’t moving.

PORT-ENTOUS

With full Gigabit Ethernet, onboard Bluetooth 5.0, and two ports supporting USB 3.0, the physical device itself is better than ever. Video is delivered via two Micro HDMI ports, and there’s a USB-C port for power supply. Unfortunately, a hardware design flaw means that some smart charge cables will identify the Pi 4 as an audio device, and fail to supply power. While this is likely to be fixed at some point, it’s something to bear in mind if you’re looking to purchase a Pi 4 soon (or buy the $8 power cable at the same time).

The teething problems don’t end there, either. Raspbian Buster, the OS for Pi devices, has been updated for Pi 4, and while the OS itself functions as expected, there are numerous pieces of software that currently refuse to work properly. Some Python libraries are incompatible with the new version of the OS, while programs such as the popular Retropie fail to run at all. These are problems that will be fixed in the not too distant future, though. Retropie’s developers have already stated that they are working on a new version of the software for Pi 4, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation itself

is committed to continual updating and improvement of the OS. As such, we won’t hold it against the Pi 4 for now. Any new product is likely to encounter some post-launch software issues, and we can expect them to be ironed out in time. With that in mind, we feel pretty happy giving the Pi 4 a kick-ass rating; it’s the best the Raspberry Pi has ever been, and we can’t wait to see what crazy things people do with it.

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 4GB

LIFE OF PI Huge hardware improvements; 4K and dualmonitor support; USB 3.0 ports.

BLOWING RASPBERRIES USB-C power supply issues; struggles with highres video playback.

$ 55, www.raspberrypi.org