How can technology enthusiasts quickly turn new creative ideas into practical applications without breaking their budget for the necessary hardware and software? Raspberry Pi, used by millions of people for years, does just that. The Raspberry Pi 5 computing platform was launched in late 2023. It offers significant innovations over the previous version, including a more powerful processor, more memory, an improved GPU and an internal real-time clock. These improvements have once again expanded the user base for the versatile single-board computer. Find out exactly how the Raspberry Pi 5 stacks up against the Raspberry Pi 4 here.
Affordable computing for everyone
The original goal of the Raspberry Pi Foundation has been more than achieved. It was to make computing accessible and affordable to everyone, from large and small businesses to hobbyists and programmers. The small, powerful and affordable Raspberry Pi computing platform offers the functionality of a full computer. This includes a processor, memory and connections for peripherals. It is based on the Arm architecture and supports the Linux operating system.The Raspberry Pi provides students, inventors, hobbyists, makers, and technology enthusiasts with Internet access. It encourages young people and first-time students to learn programming and electronics design on their own.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are using the Raspberry Pi computing platform as a proven foundation for their smart products. Raspberry Pi models 3 and 4 are in professional use in industrial companies around the world. They are popular with engineers and programmers. In industry, Raspberry Pi is valued for its wide range of applications, small form factor and low power consumption in low power applications.
The Pico boards are ideal for low-power and real-time applications. Together with the growing RP2 family of Raspberry Pi silicon products, they bring Raspberry Pi’s signature values of high performance, low cost and ease of use to the microcontroller space.
High quality accessories ensure you get the most out of Raspberry Pi products. Raspberry Pi publications provide support and inspiration for both makers and professionals. Extensive technical documentation is available for all Raspberry Pi products. There is also a worldwide network of trusted resellers, distributors and design partners. Raspberry Pi is also supported by a global community of educators, enthusiasts and professional developers.
Raspberry Pi 5 – compact and powerful
With the introduction of Raspberry Pi 5, the concept of small computing has become even more appealing to many users. Compared to its predecessor, the Raspberry Pi 4, the single-board computer, which is available with 2, 4 or 8 GB of RAM, has many innovative new features. We recommend that new users upgrade straight away. This is because the Raspberry Pi 5 offers more performance with less power consumption than its predecessor – at a minimal increase in cost. This should be of particular interest to home users.
Compare Raspberry Pi 5 and Raspberry Pi 4
Raspberry Pi 5B | Raspberry Pi 4B |
---|---|
[01] 2.4GHz ARM Cortex-A76 quad-core CPU | 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A72 quad-core CPU |
[02] VideoCore VII GPU | VideoCore VI GPU |
[03] 2x microHDMI (2x 4k @60fps) | 2x microHDMI (1x 4k @60fps oder 2x 4k @30fps) |
[04] 4 GB oder 8 GB LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM | 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB oder 8 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM |
[05] 2x USB 3.0 with up to 5Gb/s | 2x USB 3.0 |
[06] 2x MIPI (2x DSI/CSI) | 2x MIPI (1x DSI / 1x CSI) |
[07] USB Type-C @ 5V/5A | USB Type-C @ 5V/3A |
Additional: | |
[08] PCIe 2.0 x1 interface (e.g. for SSD M.2 storage) | — |
[09] Power button | — |
[10] RRTC battery connector | — |
[11] Extra UART connector | — |
[12] Extra fan connector | — |

Based on a 64-bit ARM Cortex-A76 quad-core CPU running at 2.4GHz, the Raspberry Pi 5 is two to three times more powerful than its predecessor, making it much faster to boot up. Raspberry Pi 5 also has an improved graphics processor. This is the basis for faster web browsing than the Raspberry Pi 4, while minimising power consumption. The new GPU also makes 4K video play back smoother and more fluidly than before.
The small single-board computer with Raspberry Pi’s own state of charge (SoC) can be used as a small server for applications such as a web server, database or file server, game server, cloud replacement or Docker container station. Another application is using the Raspberry Pi as a controller for robotics projects.
Almost limitless home automation applications
The home automation applications for Raspberry Pi are almost limitless. They range from automating tasks to improving indoor climate and entertaining the family. The key word here is “smart home”. For example, the small computer can be used to make a home smarter and more entertaining.
To detect movement in a building, the computer platform can be turned into a surveillance camera. It can alert the appropriate people when someone is inside the building. Another possibility is to develop a weather station. With the Raspberry Pi at its heart, it monitors temperature, humidity, air pressure and other parameters. This data is recorded in real time.
Another possible use for the Raspberry Pi is to create a smart thermostat that automatically regulates the temperature in your home. This would use temperature sensors to monitor the room temperature and send commands to the small computer to control the heating or air conditioning. All at minimal cost.
Low power applications
In addition to its high performance, the Raspberry Pi 5 has a low power consumption of just 3W in sleep mode and 9W at full load. This makes Raspberry Pi 5 suitable for a wide range of low-power applications where low cost and high performance are key.For users who want to use their Raspberry Pi 5 under continuous heavy load without a case, the Active Cooler is available as an alternative cooling solution. It combines a large metal heat sink with a variable speed fan that is powered and controlled via the fan connector.
For users who prefer to house their Raspberry Pi 5 in a case, reichelt offers an elegant, very robust Raspberry Pi case. The case is equipped with a fan with variable speed. The fan is controlled via a special connector on the Raspberry Pi 5 board.
Raspberry Pi 5 for real time applications
Raspberry Pi 5 is suitable for real-time applications in an industrial environment. It can be used to control and monitor manufacturing processes. It can also be used to collect and analyse data or enable seamless communication between devices and platforms in IoT solutions. For this purpose, it is equipped with an internal real-time clock (RTC) with a button cell charging circuit. The coin cell battery can power the clock in the event of a power failure.Industrial users, whose systems often include a number of older Raspberry Pi models, should continue to rely on the tried and tested models for planned expansions. After all, the Raspberry Pi models in use are already programmed and running perfectly. There is no need to adapt the software to a newer Raspberry Pi model.
The small computer can be switched on and off at the touch of a button using a power button on the board, a new feature on the Raspberry Pi 5. Additionally, it includes a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface (e.g., for SSD M.2 memory) and an extra UART port. These are further special features of the new low-budget PC.
Like its predecessor, the new single-board computer also offers 40 GPIO pins with Raspberry Pi standard pin assignment for connecting external hardware.
The Raspberry Pi 5 runs on Linux, more specifically Raspberry Pi OS (formerly Raspbian). This Linux operating system is based on Debian, currently version 12, which is used as the basis for many Linux derivatives. The operating system is stored on a MicroSD card or USB stick and can be booted from there.
New to the Raspberry Pi 5 is a PCIe 2.0 interface for connecting fast peripherals such as NVM SSD cards. Two USB 3.0 ports with up to 5GB/s and a USB Type-C port with 5V/5A complete the small computer’s performance features. As a major new feature, the Raspberry Pi 5 supports either two cameras or two displays compared to the Raspberry Pi 4. Alternatively, one camera and one display can be used simultaneously.
AI Kit for the Raspberry Pi 5
At the same time as the Raspberry Pi 5, some interesting accessories have also been launched. Advanced users can turn the Raspberry Pi 5 into a powerful, energy-efficient AI machine with the Raspberry Pi AI Kit, and use the mini-computer for AI experiments and demos involving neural networks and machine learning. This is not possible with Raspberry Pi 4.The out-of-the-box Raspberry Pi AI Kit includes a Hailo 8L AI accelerator in M.2 format and the Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+. With up to 13 TOPS of inference performance, the AI accelerator enables real-time deep learning inference tasks with low power consumption.
The M.2 HAT+ (HAT stands for Hardware Attached on Top and refers to an expansion board) allows M.2 peripherals, such as NVMe drives and AI accelerators, to connect to the Raspberry Pi 5’s PCIe 2.0 interface. Coming with drivers and configuration software, the M.2 HAT+ allows fast data transfers of up to 500MB/s to and from NVMe drives and other PCIe accessories. The interface provides a single PCI Express 2.0 channel exposed via a 16-pin 0.5mm connector.
Computer Vision Based AI Applications
The compact Raspberry Pi AI Camera Module is designed for developing computer vision-based AI applications with Raspberry Pi 5. It features the Sony IMX500 Intelligent Vision Sensor with on-board inference acceleration. This setup allows the processing requirements of many neural networks to be offloaded onto the camera module itself. This frees up the host Raspberry Pi’s computing resources for other tasks.Easy to get started
For technology enthusiasts eager to dive into the world of Raspberry Pi, the RASP PI-C 4GB Starter Kit is the perfect choice. It comes with 4GB of RAM and includes the powerful Raspberry Pi 5. This mini computer package contains everything needed to start projects immediately. It saves time by eliminating the need to research and order individual components. Alternatively, there is the Raspberry Pi All-in-Bundle with Raspberry Pi 5. The bundle is available with 2, 4 or 8 GB of RAM. It is based on the ARM Cortex-A76 quad-core processor with VideoCore VII dual-core graphics. The bundle also includes a high-quality, stylish case. A 2GB class 10 microSD card with pre-installed operating system is also included. Also included is a 4-piece Raspberry Pi cooling kit and a 1 metre micro HDMI to HDMI cable. The Raspberry Pi 5 USB-C power supply delivers 27W and DC 5.1V / 5A. This is more powerful than its predecessor’s power supply and allows to power more peripherals.Conclusion
With the availability of the Raspberry Pi 5, the small single-board computer has evolved. It has transitioned from a device for hobbyists and electronics enthusiasts to a powerful and attractively priced desktop alternative. This computer can be used for a wide range of projects, from energy-efficient low-power applications to demanding real-time applications. The main focus of the application is still on hardware-related software development and learning Linux.
Pictures: reichelt elektronik, Raspberry Pi