Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4GB RAM, Original)

A significant step up in Raspberry Pi performance

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B with 4GB of RAM brought a meaningful jump in capability over earlier Pi boards. Its Broadcom BCM2711 SoC runs a quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit processor at 1.5GHz, fitted with a built-in metal heatsink to help manage the extra heat that comes with the higher clock speed, and paired here with 4GB of LPDDR4 SDRAM.

Wireless connectivity is dual-band 802.11 b/g/n/ac, covering both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, and true Gigabit Ethernet is built in this time, rather than the USB 2.0-limited Ethernet found on the Pi 3 Model B+, which noticeably improves network throughput for file transfer or server-style workloads.

Ports, video and power

The board offers 2 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports, giving a mix of fast storage connectivity and backward compatibility for older peripherals. Video output is via 2 micro HDMI ports, each capable of up to 4Kp60, so two 4K displays can be driven simultaneously, which is unusual for a board this size. Hardware multimedia support includes H.264 decode at 1080p60 and encode at 1080p30, plus H.265 decode at 4Kp60.

Power comes either from 5V at 3A through the GPIO header or from a USB Type-C connector, and the board is rated for 0C to 50C operation. Storage is via a micro-SD card slot.

Availability and who it suits

The extra RAM and true Gigabit Ethernet make this configuration a good fit for light NAS setups, media centres, retro gaming builds or general desktop-style Linux use.

Questions buyers ask

What processor does it use?

The Broadcom BCM2711, a quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC at 1.5GHz.

Is the Ethernet a real Gigabit connection?

Yes, unlike the Pi 3 Model B+, the Ethernet on the Pi 4 is not limited by a USB 2.0 bottleneck.

How many displays can it drive?

Two, through its 2 micro HDMI ports, each supporting up to 4Kp60.

What USB ports does it have?

2 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports.