The Raspberry Pi 4 has been launched in South Africa and is awaiting Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s approval.

The microcomputers were developed by the Raspberry Pi foundation in the UK to promote teaching of basic computer science but are also used in robotics and similar applications.

The first of the fourth generation Raspberry Pi that will be available is the Pi 4 Model B, which is seen as an upgrade of the existing models. The new model offers personal computer-like performance, while retaining the interfacing capabilities and ‘hackability’ of the original line. The device is suited for teaching basic computing and can also be used as a general-purpose classroom computer, states the foundation.

The computer will be distributed by RS Components in South Africa and is set to be available for sale from September 2019.

The new operating system is based on the upcoming Debian 10 Buster release and promises a modern user interface and updated Chromium 74 Web browser. Other updates include the adoption of the Mesa V3D graphics driver, which offers Open Graphics Library-accelerated Web browsing and the ability to run three-dimensional applications in a window.

The foundation has also released new accessories for the Pi 4 Model B, including a new case, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C power supply, a microUSB-to-USB Type-C adapter, and micro High-Definition Multimedia Interface cables. Upgrades include gigabit ethernet, support for up to 4 GB of low power double data rate random access memory, dual-band wireless fidelity, as well as 4K60 hardware high-efficiency video coding decode support.

Specifications

• Broadcom BCM2711, Quad core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5 GHz
• 1 GB, 2 GB or 4 GB LPDDR4-2400 SDRAM (depending on model)
• 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 2 USB 3.0 ports; 2 USB 2.0 ports.
• Raspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards)
• 2 × micro-HDMI ports (up to 4kp60 supported)
• 2-lane MIPI DSI display port
• 2-lane MIPI CSI camera port
• 4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
• H.265 (4kp60 decode), H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)
• OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics
• Micro-SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage
• 5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A*)
• 5V DC via GPIO header (minimum 3A*)
• Power over Ethernet- (PoE-) enabled (requires separate PoE HAT)
• Operating temperature: 0 – 50 °C ambient