Verdict//
PROS AND CONS:
+ Very cheap
+ Amazingly versatile
+ Great fun to use
- Gets hot when running
LAST WORD
A definite step up for single-
board computing and, if you
want to start programming
with this issue’s cover
feature, a great companion
to your Mac.
RATING: 4/5
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
If you want to learn to program but don’t want to risk messing up your Mac, the Raspberry Pi is a cheap
and easy answer. Let’s take a look at the latest raspberry in the Pi family, the Raspberry Pi 4.
Raspberry Pi Foundation
http://www.raspberrypi.org
From £34, $35, 31 €
Compatibility: Not
applicable
R
aspberry Pi is the glorious gadget that
gave back-bedroom programming back to
the world. Not since the Eighties with the
Spectrum and the BBC has it been as easy to get
started as a coder. It’s a single-board computer, that
is, its processor, graphics, and in/out ports are all on
a single motherboard, and it’s so cheap it’s almost
disposable. But what does this fourth release of the
Raspberry Pi bring to the legend?
The Pi 4 enjoys a 64-bit quad-core processor,
specifically, a Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) running at 1.5GHz.
This speed increase makes complicated processes
easier to implement. New graphics capabilities bring
support for dual monitors, with two mini HDMI-out
ports. It can even handle 4K video. USB 3.0 has arrived
too; the new board has two high-speed USB ports, and
two regular 2.0 outlets. The SD card reader is faster, and
for networking, it has true Gigabit Ethernet as well as
Wi-Fi ac. The Pi 4 board itself is available with 1GB, 2GB
and 4GB on board memory, and obviously, you can buy
various bundles with peripherals such as a case, mouse,
keyboard and cables thrown in.
The new hardware gives a massive performance
improvement over the Raspberry Pi 3, both in
benchmark tests and real-world performance.
Switch from the older board to the new one and you
really do feel the difference, with everything being
smoother, quicker, and more responsive. And these
improvements haven’t taken a toll on the price,
which is exactly the same as before. In fact, our only
criticism is the Raspberry Pi 4 gets very hot if you
push it to its limits. IO
Good things come in small
packages and Pi 4 Model B
had plenty to offer.
AppleUserMAGAZINE
