The New Raspberry Pi 5

The Raspberry Pi Foundation presents the release of the new Raspberry Pi 5. This new version will be available at the end of October (2023), featuring the Quad-core ARM CORTEX-A76 processor and coming in 4GB and 8GB, maintaining the Raspberry Pi model 3 B+ form factor.

The Raspberry Pi 5 maintains its compatibility with the Raspberry Pi 4, offering substantial improvements in terms of performance and features. It can achieve over twice the speed of the Raspberry Pi 4. It features a new 40nm chip designed to optimize the "low-speed" interfaces of the BCM2712, handling Ethernet, USB, MIPI ports, and the GPIO connector.

In addition to the new BCM2712 SoC, with a faster CPU and an enhanced VideoCore VII GPU, the Raspberry Pi 5 brings various improvements. It provides double the performance for the microSD card, HDR support, 4-way MIPI interfaces, a PCIe 2.0 x1 FPC connector for compatible accessories, an integrated RTC, a power button, a separate UART connector, and support for USB PD for power.

Unlike previous generations, the Raspberry Pi 5 adopts a disaggregated chiplet architecture. Only high-speed digital functions and faster interfaces are integrated into the application processor (AP), while a separate I/O controller handles all other I/O functions. The RP1 offers a wide range of interfaces and a high-speed connection to the BCM2712, ensuring compatibility with previous Raspberry Pi devices.

The Renesas DA9091 "Gilmour" is the PMIC responsible for power management on the Raspberry Pi 5. It integrates eight separate switching power sources, providing the necessary voltages for the board, including a four-phase core source. Additionally, it offers a real-time clock (RTC) and a power button, adding valuable functionalities to the board.

The Raspberry Pi 4's chips are retained for connectivity. The Infineon CYW43455 chip is used for dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity. The Broadcom BCM54213 Gigabit Ethernet PHY provides Ethernet connectivity.

The external format of the Raspberry Pi 5 remains compact but with notable improvements. Some design elements have been updated to align with the new chipset's capabilities, including removing the composite video connector, adding MIPI interfaces, and bidirectional interfaces (transceivers), meaning each can connect to a CSI-2 camera or DSI display.

The space to the left of the board, which previously housed the display connector, now contains a smaller FPC connector that provides a single lane of PCI Express 2.0 connectivity for high-speed peripherals.

The Gigabit Ethernet connector has returned to its classic position in the lower right corner of the board after a brief stint in the upper right corner on the Raspberry Pi 4. It has brought along a four-pin PoE connector, simplifying the board layout but breaking compatibility with our existing PoE and PoE+ HATs.

Finally, two mounting holes have been added for a heat sink, as well as JST connectors for the RTC battery (two pins), Arm and UART debugging (three pins), and a fan with PWM control and tachometer feedback (four pins).

Overview

The Raspberry Pi 5 is a significant leap in terms of performance and features while maintaining its tradition of affordability. This new version promises to boost projects and applications of all kinds.

References

Raspberry Pi

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