Looks like the new Raspberry Pi Model A+ is ready to be released by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. As expected it is very similar to the Model B+ with the network socket removed. In this regard it follows the same design principle as the Model A/B boards.
The most noticeable difference is the board size has been reduced making this the smallest Pi yet.
The Model B+ introduced a more efficient 5V regulator which gave it a 20-30% reduction in power consumption. If this improvement is seen on the A+ then it is going to be ideal for portable applications where power consumption is important.
Here are the specifications :
- 700MHz Broadcom BCM2835 CPU
- 256MB RAM
- 40pin extended GPIO
- 1 x USB 2.0 port
- 4 pole Stereo output and Composite video port
- Full size HDMI socket
- CSI camera port (Raspberry Pi camera module)
- DSI display port (Raspberry Pi touch screen display)
- Micro SD port
- Micro USB power connector
- 4 mounting holes
- Size : 65mm x 56mm
- Weight : 23g
The board has a smaller footprint but is fully HAT compatible. The audio/video jack is a 4-pole 3.5mm socket as seen on the B+ and carries stereo audio and composite video.
As with all the other Pi releases this device will not suit everyone. I suspect the biggest debates will centre around the following questions :
- Why isn’t the board smaller?
- Why hasn’t it got more memory?
- Why hasn’t it got more USB ports?
There are good explanations for all the design decisions and they have resulted in a new device that is smaller, lighter, more efficient and cheaper than it’s predecessor.
Many people are also going to ask if it fits in an Altoids tin. It seems the answer is now finally “Yes”!
The target retail price is $20 which is $5 lower than the original Model A. In the UK this is currently translating to prices as low as £16.84 including VAT and delivery.
I can’t wait to get my hands on one (or three)!
A few selected community members had early access to the new board and here are their first thoughts.
Here is Alex Eames’ A+ Video :
His blog post can be found over at RasPi.TV.
Here is RaspberryPiGuy’s video :
2 Comments
This is still a lot chunkier than the Hardkernel Odroid W, which came out last July.
It is only 60 x 35 mm and has 512 MB RAM, a battery interface, a real-time clock and a lot more usable pins, while staying 100% compatible with the Pi.
Pity that Broadcom killed it in the egg by refusing to sell them more SoCs…
Also, power draw is not proportional to PCB size, it will certainly have been optimized but not by half 🙂
The Odroid-W is aimed at a slightly different market and the Pi doesn’t aim to be the smallest or even the most powerful single board computer out there. There is zero evidence that Broadcom “killed it”. That is just a theory spread by a few bloggers. Ultimately Broadcom can sell their devices to whoever they like just like any other company. It is more likely that they simply couldn’t order the devices in sufficient quantities. It is selling less units per year than the Pi sells in week. The Odroid-W is a nice device and ultimately people should use the best device for the job which isn’t always the Pi.
By proportional I meant the proportional improvement to the power consumption due to the improved 5V regulator introduced on the B+. That gave it a 20-30% improvement. This should give the A+ a similar improvement over the consumption on the A.