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raspberry

Everyone's favorite micro-figurer is getting an update today. The Raspberry Pi Foundation chose Pi Day to unveil the latest upgrade to the hugely pop single-board computer, the new Raspberry Pi iii Model B+. This model includes several useful improvements over the onetime Model B, but information technology keeps the aforementioned $35 toll signal.

The Raspberry Pi is designed to be cheap and efficient, so information technology'due south never been a processing powerhouse. All versions of the calculator use low-power ARM chips, simply the Model B+ (See on Amazon) gets an upgraded Broadcom-designed ARM chip. Information technology has 4 Cortex A53 CPU cores clocked at 1.4GHz instead of 1.2GHz, and a new head spreader keeps the chip libation.

The faster bit should actually use a little less ability thanks to improved efficiency, and it can remain at total operating frequency for longer. It throttles down to 1.2GHz simply when operating temperatures accomplish lxx degrees Celsius or college. The clock speed drops down further after temperatures hit 80 degrees, but that shouldn't happen under normal circumstances.

A faster ARM chip is overnice, but the connectivity improvements will likely be the main selling point of this upgrade. The Model B+ gets back up for dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi cheers to a Cypress CYW43455 chip. There's also a new PCB antenna similar to the one introduced on the cheaper Raspberry Pi Cypher. The Model B+ has better 2.four and 5GHz performance. Whereas the Model B could reach 35.half dozen Mbps over ii.4GHz, the Model B+ increases it to 46.3 Mbps. On 5GHz, it can hit 102 Mbps.

Wired connectivity is getting a nice boost as well. The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ has support for Gigabit Ethernet, although the bodily throughput is limited past the USB two.0 double-decker. It tin can notwithstanding attain speeds of 315 Mbps, more than than three times faster than the 95 Mbps possible with the former Model B. Y'all also become Power over Ethernet (PoE) via HAT addition boards that connect to a new 4-pin connector. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is planning to launch a PoE Lid shortly that generates the necessary 5V power from the 48V PoE supply.

The Raspberry Pi iii Model B+ all the same has a total-sized HDMI port, iv USB ports, and an audio jack. You tin load an operating organization via the included microSD carte slot. The new lath is still compatible with all existing Raspberry Pi 3 accessories, and information technology'due south notwithstanding just $35. Retailers are already getting stock. The Foundation isn't planning to discontinue the older models, but it's because a new "entry-level" A-serial board with some features from the Model B+.