The new model was announced today, alongside the 2018 international Pi Day celebrations. It’s the first release of a new Pi since the Pi 3, excluding the smaller Pi Zero W model launched last year. The Pi 3 Model B+ isn’t a complete overhaul of the product but includes several significant changes for Pi users.
First amongst these is the improved ARM Cortex-A53 processor. As with the Pi 3, it’s a 64-bit quad-core chip. However, the clock speed has been increased to 1.4GHz, which should noticeably improve performance over the 1.2GHz processor of the original Pi 3. The performance boost comes at a cost though – the Model B+ will draw “substantially” more power from the wall than its predecessor and may run hotter during use.
Aside from the processor changes, the rest of this year’s improvements focus on the Pi’s networking capabilities. Both its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips have been upgraded and now offer more modern wireless options. There’s dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and support for Bluetooth 4.2 and Bluetooth Low Energy. The latter additions will be particularly important for people who use a Pi as a basis for Internet of Things devices (IoT).
In addition to the main changes, the Pi 3 Model B+ also includes smaller design tweaks to improve its conformance with wireless standards. The wireless circuitry is now housed underneath a metal shield, embossed with a Raspberry Pi logo. This means the Pi qualifies as a single radio module under FCC regulations, which reduces the cost of conformance testing for IoT devices based on a Pi.
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According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, over 19 million Pis have now been sold worldwide. Of these, the Pi 3 accounts for over nine million units. The device has gained widespread adoption as a platform for makers, learners and microcomputer enthusiasts. The Model B+ expands on the original by addressing several of its shortcomings. The organisation said it’s “high time” it updates its most popular product.
“Just over two years ago, we released Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. This was our first 64-bit product, and our first product to feature integrated wireless connectivity,” said the Raspberry Pi Foundation. “Since then, we’ve sold over nine million Raspberry Pi 3 units (we’ve sold 19 million Raspberry Pis in total), which have been put to work in schools, homes, offices and factories all over the globe.”
With the Pi now instrumental to computer science education and IoT development, the Pi 3 Model B+ improvements serve to further consolidate the device’s advantages. Although there are competitor boards on the market, none have managed to attract as much attention as the original single-board ARM-based Linux PC. The new device is on sale today from official Raspberry Pi resellers, priced at the same $35 as the original Pi 3.
