For those of you have been following Raspberry Pi launches for a while, you’ve probably noticed that the brand generally creates a system-on-module variant to correspond to each new upgrade – for example, the first Raspberry Pi was followed in 2014 by the original Compute Module. Then, Compute Modules 3 and 3+ came out in 2017 and 2019 after the release of Raspberry Pi 3 and 3+.

Now, almost a year and a half after the launch of Raspberry 4, the Compute Module 4 is now available!

If you use Raspberry Pi for a commercial or industrial application, you may need a smaller board or a custom form factor, or on-board eMMC production – if so, the Compute Module 4 is just what you need. It gives you all the power of Raspberry Pi 4 in a compact form designed for deeply embedded applications, making it easy to go from prototype to commercial scale production.

Notable Highlights of the Compute Module 4 Specs

With the same powerful processor as the Raspberry Pi 4 (a 64-bit BCM2711 quad-core), the Compute Module 4 offers more interfacing possibilities, better multimedia, and faster processing speeds than the earlier version. Also, for the first time there’s a wireless option and a choice of RAM densities.

Here are just some of the notable features of the new Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4:

• Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz

• H.265 (HEVC) (up to 4Kp60 decode), H.264 (up to 1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)

• OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics

• Options for 1GB, 2GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on variant)

• Options for 0GB ("Lite"), 8GB, 16GB or 32GB eMMC Flash memory (depending on variant)

• Option for fully certified radio module: 2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac wireless; Bluetooth 5.0, BLE; On-board electronic switch to select either external or PCB trace antenna

• Gigabit Ethernet PHY with IEEE 1588 support

• 28 GPIO pins, with up to 6 × UART, 6 × I2C and 5 × SPI

   

  

A Smaller Footprint 

The new Compute Module 4 is designed with an innovative and compacter form factor, representing a departure from the earlier modules. Previously, the older Compute Modules, had I/O signals on an edge connector with a JEDEC DDR2 SODIMM mechanical standard. Now, the I/O signals are on two perpendicular connectors – there’s one for high-speed interfaces and one for low-speed interfaces and power.

With this new design, the overall footprint of the module on the carrier board is noticeably reduced. This allows you to have smaller form factors for the projects you will build with it.

An Updated IO Board

Along with the new Compute Module 4, Raspberry Pi is also launching an updated IO board. Here are some of the important specs for the new IO board:

• External power connector (+12V, +5V)

• 2 x full-size HDMI 2.0 connectors

• 2 x USB 2.0 connectors, with header for two additional connectors

• Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 with PoE support

• Micro USB socket for updating Compute Module 4

• MicroSD card socket for Compute Module 4 Lite (without eMMC) variants

• PCIe Gen 2 x1 socket

• Standard fan connector

• 2 x MIPI DSI display FPC connectors (22-pin 0.5 mm pitch cable)

• 2 x MIPI CSI-2 camera FPC connectors (22-pin 0.5 mm pitch cable)

• Standard Raspberry Pi HAT connectors

• Real-time clock with battery socket and ability to wake Compute Module 4

• Various jumpers to disable specific features, e.g. wireless connectivity, EEPROM writing

The IO board is the perfect addition if you need your Raspberry Pi to support more input voltages. It also has all the major connectors in a single plane. You can even attach your own PCI Express devices!

A Dedicated Antenna Kit 

Depending on what you’re building, you may need an external antenna, for example if your product is encased in metal.

For projects that require it, Raspberry Pi has also launched the Compute Module 4 Antenna Kit which will give you a frequency range of 2400-2500/5100-5800 MHz and a bandwidth of 100–700MHz. With a whip antenna, bulkhead screw fixture, and U.FL connector, you’ll be able to get the signal you need.

Ready to Try the Compute Module 4?

As one of the official Raspberry Pi Approved Resellers, our team here at Vilros is excited to offer you the opportunity to 

This item is popular and selling quickly. If you’re one of the first to try it out, let us know about your experience using the Compute Module 4.

And don’t forget to check out more of the latest updates from Raspberry Pi and Arduino as we bring you more news and project inspiration here on our Vilros blog!