http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 35Raspberry Pi projects
charger, so do that. If you’re opposed to that, we’re told
that cheaper USB-C cables (ones lacking the smart
charge chip) work fine. Cheaper chargers should work
too, but they may not be so reliable.
In terms of display output, the Pi 4 has a huge
advantage in that it can comfortably support dual
screens through its pair of built-in micro HDMI ports.
That is, as long as you don’t mind dual 4K screens being
forced to run at 30Hz. 1080p, or a combination of one
1080p panel and one 4K, can hit the full 60Hz refresh
rate. Dual screens really do give this a leg up on the
previous generation, positioning it as a truly modern
desktop, but while its enhanced GPU – a Broadcom
VideoCore VI running at 500MHz – might be powerful
enough to handle two screens, don’t anticipate relying
on that single-chip solution for heavyweight pixel-
pushing tasks. Photo editing is perhaps achievable, but
video editing is plausible only in certain circumstances,
specifically when you’re working with the flavours of
H.265 or H.264 that are natively supported by the GPU.
Unlike previous Pis, there’s not yet support for USB
booting, and running a desktop operating system from a
microSD card – a format that is, beside its lack of speed
or space, liable to literally set itself on fire if tested too
hard with this kind of work – isn’t the best idea. USB
boot is actually some way down the firmware roadmap,
sitting somewhere behind network boot, but we can get
a little clever: by putting just Linux’s boot partition on
the SD card, and shuffling everything else out to a USB-
connected SSD, we’ll avoid unnecessary wear and
reliance on that microSD.Desktops and distros
Which desktop OS should you choose? The Pi 4
improves on its predecessors by carrying an ARMv8
(also known as arm64 or AArch64), 64-bit processor,
and any distro that can work with that is worth at least a
cursory look. ARMv7 builds should work fine, too. Let’s
look at the main candidates.Raspbian http://www.raspberrypi.org
The obvious option is Raspbian – it’s the frontline Linux
distro of the Pi, and the only distro officially supportedby the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It’s based on the
Debian distribution, the same that underlies Ubuntu, so
it has a whole host of available packages and works well
with the specific hardware of the Raspberry Pi 4. The
latest version, based on Debian Buster, was released in
September 2019, and new versions tend to follow a
biannual release.Ubuntu https://ubuntu.com/download/raspberry-pi
The big boy of Linux, and the most friendly, is supported
on the Pi 4. The Ubuntu firmware issue that forced you
to choose between access to all the RAM on the 4GB
version and having working USB ports has been solved.
The 64-bit build (the first to take advantage of the
AArch64v8 architecture) will run on the Pi 3 too. And
there’s also a 32-bit build, which runs on Pi 2 and above.
Note that these builds are based on Ubuntu Server, so
there’s no GUI by default. See the Packages section at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/RaspberryPi to see
how to add one. You can also install Ubuntu Core (aimed
at secure IoT-type applications) on the Pi 2 or 3.Ubuntu MATE http://ubuntu-mate.org
A special flavour of Ubuntu that uses the MATE desktop
environment, Ubuntu MATE has long been a popular
alternate Raspberry Pi desktop build –indeed, if you’re
running a Pi 3, it’s the one we recommend (a 64-bit
build is available for this model). Right now, though,
there’s been no new version specifically for the Pi 4.
When it does come, we imagine it’ll run fantastically,
with its low-demand desktop idling at around 490MB.Manjaro ARM https://manjaro.org/download/#ARM
Moving away from Debian, Manjaro is based on Arch
Linux, a lightweight distro dedicated to a “keep it simple
stupid” philosophy (and available on the Pi through the
community-created Arch Linux ARM project). Manjaro
takes the pain out of installing and configuring Arch
from scratch, with versions available sporting both the
Xfce and LXQt desktop environments, both of which
are familiar and lightweight enough to give a decent
desktop experience on the Pi 4, even if you opt for
the 2GB edition.The Xfce edition of
Manjaro provides
a more traditional
desktop, as well as
all the goodness of
Arch Linux.3332March 0 h2rSenshSnigtom March 2020LXF260 35
Raspberry Pi projects
charger,sodothat.Ifyou’reopposedtothat,we’retold
thatcheaperUSB-Ccables(oneslackingthesmart
chargechip)workfine.Cheaperchargersshouldwork
too,buttheymaynotbesoreliable.
Intermsofdisplayoutput,thePi 4 hasahuge
advantageinthatitcancomfortablysupportdual
screensthroughitspairofbuilt-inmicroHDMIports.
Thatis,aslongasyoudon’tminddual4Kscreensbeing
forcedtorunat30Hz.1080p,oracombinationofone
1080ppanelandone4K,canhitthefull60Hzrefresh
rate.Dualscreensreallydogivethisaleguponthe
previousgeneration,positioningitasatrulymodern
desktop,butwhileitsenhancedGPU–aBroadcom
VideoCoreVIrunningat500MHz–mightbepowerful
enoughtohandletwoscreens,don’tanticipaterelying
onthatsingle-chipsolutionforheavyweightpixel-
pushingtasks.Photoeditingisperhapsachievable,but
videoeditingisplausibleonlyincertaincircumstances,
specificallywhenyou’reworkingwiththeflavoursof
H.265orH.264thatarenativelysupportedbytheGPU.
UnlikepreviousPis,there’snotyetsupportforUSB
booting,andrunningadesktopoperatingsystemfroma
microSDcard–aformatthatis,besideitslackofspeed
orspace,liabletoliterallysetitselfonfireiftestedtoo
hardwiththiskindofwork–isn’tthebestidea.USB
bootisactuallysomewaydownthefirmwareroadmap,
sittingsomewherebehindnetworkboot,butwecanget
alittleclever:byputtingjustLinux’sbootpartitionon
theSDcard,andshufflingeverythingelseouttoaUSB-
connectedSSD,we’llavoidunnecessarywearand
relianceonthatmicroSD.
Desktopsanddistros
WhichdesktopOSshouldyouchoose?ThePi 4
improvesonitspredecessorsbycarryinganARMv8
(alsoknownasarm64orAArch64),64-bitprocessor,
andanydistrothatcanworkwiththatisworthatleasta
cursorylook.ARMv7buildsshouldworkfine,too.Let’s
lookatthemaincandidates.
Raspbian http://www.raspberrypi.org
The obvious option is Raspbian – it’s the frontline Linux
distro of the Pi, and the only distro officially supported
by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It’s based on the
Debian distribution, the same that underlies Ubuntu, so
it has a whole host of available packages and works well
with the specific hardware of the Raspberry Pi 4. The
latest version, based on Debian Buster, was released in
September 2019, and new versions tend to follow a
biannualrelease.Ubuntu https://ubuntu.com/download/raspberry-pi
The big boy of Linux, and the most friendly, is supported
on the Pi 4. The Ubuntu firmware issue that forced you
to choose between access to all the RAM on the 4GB
version and having working USB ports has been solved.
The 64-bit build (the first to take advantage of the
AArch64v8 architecture) will run on the Pi 3 too. And
there’s also a 32-bit build, which runs on Pi 2 and above.
Note that these builds are based on Ubuntu Server, so
there’s no GUI by default. See the Packages section at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/RaspberryPi to see
how to add one. You can also install Ubuntu Core (aimed
atsecureIoT-typeapplications)onthePi 2 or3.Ubuntu MATE http://ubuntu-mate.org
A special flavour of Ubuntu that uses the MATE desktop
environment, Ubuntu MATE has long been a popular
alternate Raspberry Pi desktop build –indeed, if you’re
running a Pi 3, it’s the one we recommend (a 64-bit
build is available for this model). Right now, though,
there’s been no new version specifically for the Pi 4.
When it does come, we imagine it’ll run fantastically,
withitslow-demanddesktopidlingataround490MB.Manjaro ARM https://manjaro.org/download/#ARM
Moving away from Debian, Manjaro is based on Arch
Linux, a lightweight distro dedicated to a “keep it simple
stupid” philosophy (and available on the Pi through the
community-created Arch Linux ARM project). Manjaro
takes the pain out of installing and configuring Arch
from scratch, with versions available sporting both the
Xfce and LXQt desktop environments, both of which
are familiar and lightweight enough to give a decent
desktop experience on the Pi 4, even if you opt for
the 2GB edition.The Xfce edition of
Manjaro provides
a more traditional
desktop, as well as
all the goodness of
Arch Linux.