The Compute Module 5 features a Broadcom BCM2712 SoC with up to 16GB LPPDR4 ECC memory and up to 64GB eMMC flash. (Image credit: Raspberry Pi)
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has officially launched its new Compute Module 5 (CM5), which shares the same silicon as the Raspberry Pi 5 but without most of the ports or the familiar 40-pin IO. Those omissions are purposeful, however, as the CM5 is designed for embedded and industrial applications and can even be used as a drop-in for platforms that employ previous Compute Modules.
The Compute Module 5 comes equipped with a Broadcom BCM2712 SoC outfitted with a quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 processor, a VideoCore VII GPU, up to 16GB of LPDDR4 ECC RAM and up to 64GB of eMMC flash for storage. The board also features Gigabit Ethernet PHY and options for a certified radio module that supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 BLE. The CM5 also comes equipped with a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports, 2x high-speed board-to-board connectors, a USB 2.0 port and a pair of USB 3.0 ports, which support simultaneous 5Gbps operation.
The Raspberry Pi Development Kit for Compute Module 5 provides extra add-ons for the module, including an expansion board, case, cables and more. (Image credit: Raspberry Pi)
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has also released a Development Kit aimed at developers for the CM5 that adds extra functionality and cooling. The kit contains an IO board that's equipped with a MicroSD slot and an M.2 M-Key for expansion, a pair of full-sized HDMI 2.1 ports and Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 with PoE+ and HAT+ support.
The IO board also comes equipped with a pair of USB 3.0 ports and the familiar 40-pin GPIO header. The kit also contains a simple heatsink to wick away heat, an IO case with cutouts for cameras and connecting DSI displays and a built-in controllable fan to keep thermals in check. The kit comes complete with all necessary cables as well, including 2x HDMI to HDMI cables, USB-A to USB-C cable, power supply and antenna.
The Compute Module 5 comes on the heels of other notable releases and announcements from the Foundation, including the upcoming Raspberry Pi AI Kit and AI Camera. According to the Foundation, the Raspberry Pi AI kit will come with the Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ with a Hailo AI acceleration module for use with Raspberry Pi 5. The M.2 HAT+ comes equipped with a Hailo-8L AI accelerator capable of pushing up to 13 TOPS of performance. It also packs a PCIe Gen3 interface, a 16mm stacking GPIO header, and a PCIe FPC cable, and it comes with the module preinstalled on the M. HAT+.
The Foundation also released its much-anticipated AI Camera that takes advantage of Sony's intelligent IMX500 vision sensor to provide low-latency, high-performance AI capabilities for any number of applications. The camera comes equipped with a Raspberry Pi RP2040 for neural network and firmware management, while the IMX500 handles inferencing for those neural network models. The camera provides a resolution of 4056×3040 at 10fps and 2028×1520 at 30fps and features a 78-degree field of view with manually adjustable focus.
These are just a handful of the latest offerings from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which are designed for everything from embedded and industrial applications to AI acceleration and neural network processing. Most were unveiled at this year's Embedded World, but some, such as the HAT+, were announced earlier this year (2024). The Foundation has come a long way since the release of the original Raspberry Pi launched 12 years ago in 2012, so it will be interesting to see what Raspberry Pi develops in the next decade.
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