Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

cstanton — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:43:23 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by cstanton on 6/26/2019 4:43:23 PM

If you have a question that is not answered in this FAQ, please ask it below in the comments. If your question is specific to your order or status of delivery, please reach out to us in Feedback & Support.

When will the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B be available for purchase?
The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is available to order from today onwards. We expect that, due to the huge popularity of the product around the globe, the new board will sell out very quickly and you should still place an order to be among the first to receive the product when it is back in stock! We do get new stock in daily, so it will be first come, first served.

Hang on, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B isn't available in my region, when will this change?

Some areas or regions will be delayed due to the need for certification to be processed before it's available or for stock to arrive. Our help centres will have more information!

How much does the new model cost?

This depends on which version of the new model of Raspberry Pi you order. RRP of the 1GB RAM1GB RAM version is $35 USD, the 2GB RAM2GB RAM version is $45 USD and the 4GB RAM4GB RAM version is $55 (all excluding sales tax, shipping & handling fees).

Is there a max limit on how many I can buy?
As many as you can afford! We’ll make as many as you need if we do not have them in stock when you place your order.

Are there any accessories that I can purchase for the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?
Yes, there are several accessories to enable users to get started with their Raspberry Pi 4 Model B:

5.1V 3A Raspberry Pi Power Supply5.1V 3A Raspberry Pi Power Supply

Official Raspberry Pi CaseOfficial Raspberry Pi Case

Raspberry Pi PoE HATRaspberry Pi PoE HAT

Where can I buy the new Pi?
The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is available to order from the 24th of June from our online stores or via the 'Buy Now' button at element14.com/RaspberryPi.

Alternatively, please try one of our preferred resellers at:

View Preferred Resellers

In which countries can the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B be purchased?
For some countries, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is available through the global re-seller network. Please visit the following to check for availability:

Click Here

Where can I find more information about the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?
More information on the new model, including videos and a wide range of additional content, can be found at Raspberry Pi

In the Quick Start Guide there is mention of a 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, is this real?

No, the official statement from the Raspberry Pi Foundation "This is a typo. The BCM2711 processor is in theory capable of addressing 16GB of SDRAM, but at present there is no available memory package larger than 4GB that works correctly with its SDRAM controller and PHY"

What about projects using the old board? Can I easily swap to the Pi 4 Model B?

While the new Raspberry Pi has the same form factor and General Purpose Input/Output as previous models, so should practically allow for a drop-in replacement, there are some notable changes.

You will have to consider the new layout of the connectors on the board along with the change in power requirements.

Extra attention should be paid to the need for cooling for the board if you're running it under strain to gain the maximum speed out of it without thermal throttling.

There have also been changes to the processor on the board which means it will identify differently. Also, there is a new graphical processor on the board which supports slightly different instruction sets.

This means there will be slight software changes as well to how the hardware identifies itself. You can read the following document for more information: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - Technical Specifications

What Raspberry Pi model is right for me?
The new Pi 4 Model B board is ideal for customers wishing to develop powerful IoT applications. Like its predecessor it is IoT ready straight out of the box, with improved networking connectivity and thermal dissipation. It can also ensure high throughput of data information and can be considered suitable for providing Network Attached Storage (NAS) over its USB 3.0 ports to Gigabit and 802.11n/ac supporting Wireless LAN.

The compute module 3 suits those customers who are looking for a small form factor to create their own bespoke embedded hardware, “design in” solutions and is based upon the powerful Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.

Will the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ still be available?
Yes, the Pi 3 Model B+ will still be the right board for many customers' needs, hence the Pi 3 Model B+ will continue to be available for sale along with select other previous models that are suitable for certain use-cases.

Will the Raspberry Pi Touchscreen Display work with the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?
Yes, the Touchscreen DisplayTouchscreen Display will work with the new board. For installation follow the connection instructions for the Touchscreen Display.

If the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is not in stock, how long will it be before it becomes available?

All orders and pre-orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Placing your order now ensures that as soon as we get more in stock it will be shipped to you as soon as it's available.

Are there wireless LAN and/or Bluetooth available on earlier models of the Raspberry Pi?
This functionality is not built-in to the previous models before the Pi 3 B+ (Pi2, B+, etc.), but you can gain access to Wireless LAN and Bluetooth by using an appropriate USB dongle (we recommend the WiPi dongle for Wireless LAN).

Can the Pi 4 Model B be overclocked?
Overclocking any model of the Raspberry Pi 4 B is not recommended, and not supported by raspi-config, so be aware that you may void your warranty by attempting to do so.

Does the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B benefit from ARMv8 or ARMv7 architecture?

The Raspberry Pi 4 B uses the latest BCM2711 processor, containing a quad core 64 bit A72 processor running at 1.5GHz. The processor instruction set is compatible with the ARMv8-A architecture, which includes backwards compatibility with the previous ARMv7-A architecture. The current 32bit Raspbian distribution will only support the ARMv7-A instruction set and other distributions will be able to take further advantage of the ARMv8-A instructions and 64 bit support.

Is there a size limit on the microSD Card with the new board?
No, so long as you do not use the exFAT filesystem with NOOBS you should be fine. Any problems with SDCard use and the Raspberry Pi 4 should be reported to the Raspberry Pi Foundation/Trading so they can supply an update.

What power supply do I need? Can I run it from my Laptop via USB or my phone charger?
We recommend you use the new official 5.1V, 3A Raspberry Pi power supply5.1V, 3A Raspberry Pi power supply available from element14. This power supply will enable users to power their Pi and other accessories from one power source, thus maximizing the benefits of the Pi 3 B+’s improved power management capabilities. While older models of the Raspberry Pi were able to run from a 500mA USB port, this is not recommended at all for optimal operating conditions.

A good quality 2.5A, 5V power supply can be used but the USB peripherals connected to the Raspberry Pi 4 need to consume less than 500mA in power in total.

Where can I find schematics for the new model?
You can find a reduced set of schematics available from Raspberry Pi. We do not supply schematics.

My Raspberry Pi 4 is showing a Thermometer in the Top Right, what should I do?

Your Raspberry Pi 4 should be used in a well-ventilated environment, and if used inside a case, the case should not be covered. If you are using it in an enclosed environment, consider using a heatsink and active cooling such as a fan with your enclosure to ensure the Raspberry Pi 4 can run at a temperature that does not activate thermal throttling. Your Raspberry Pi 4 will still run safely without this, however it may run slower.

My Raspberry Pi 4 is showing a Thunderbolt icon in the Top Right, what should I do?

This typically means that the power supply you are using is not providing enough voltage to power your Raspberry Pi 4. You should consider replacing your power supply with a 5.1v, 3A power supply as supplied by element14.

GETTING STARTED

What software will be made available and where can I download it?
New software is available for download on the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s website. Please visit: http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ for the latest Pi software.

How do I ensure that the built-in wireless LAN and Bluetooth connectivity works with the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?
IMPORTANT: To ensure the built-in wireless LAN and Bluetooth connectivity operates, you will need to update the operating system on the card to the latest version. Ensure you are connected to the internet via wired ethernet and on first boot please click on the ‘Terminal’ icon and type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade -y

What versions of Bluetooth and wireless LAN are supported?
The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B supports BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy 5) and Wireless LAN IEEE standards 802.11 b/g/n/ac at 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz.

Will the microSD card and Operating System from my previous model of Raspberry Pi work with the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?
No, if you are using Raspbian you will have to update it first. On your existing Raspberry Pi you can run the following commands from the terminal while connected to the internet:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

sudo rpi-update

Alternatively, you can download the latest SD Card image from raspberrypi.org/downloads.

Will the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B support more than just the Raspbian operating system?

Yes, the Raspberry Pi already supports 7 official operating systems including:

Raspbian
OpenELEC
OSMC
Arch Linux
RISC OS
Pidora

Though there may be a delay as these operating systems are rebuilt to support the new hardware components, such as the wireless LAN chip and the on-board Ethernet and USB hub.

Want to know more?

Meet The New Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - element14 Presents

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - Technical Specifications

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Benchmarking the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

Which accessories are compatible with the New Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Default GPIO Pinout with PoE Header

Do You Know Your Pi from Pie? Raspberry Pi Quiz!

Eben Upton talks about the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

Want to buy the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B?

Product Name	Manufacturer
RASPBERRY PI 4 MODEL B, 1GB	Raspberry Pi	Buy NowBuy Now
RASPBERRY PI 4 MODEL B, 2GB	Raspberry Pi	Buy NowBuy Now
RASPBERRY PI 4 MODEL B, 4GB	Raspberry Pi	Buy NowBuy Now

Tags: raspberry pi 4 model b faq, frequently asked questions, raspberry pi 4 model b frequently asked questions, faq