Introducing the Raspberry Pi 5: Up to 3x Performance and PCI Express Support

The highly anticipated Raspberry Pi 5 has been announced, boasting significant performance improvements and new features. Priced at $60 for the 4GB variant and $80 for the 8GB variant, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers a no-compromises user experience. It features a 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU, a VideoCore VII GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2, dual 4Kp60 HDMI display output, a 4Kp60 HEVC decoder, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 5.0. Additionally, it includes two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet with PoE+ support, and a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for fast peripherals.

In a home lab context, the Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful and affordable option for enthusiasts to create their own server. The improved performance makes it ideal for running virtual machines, hosting websites, and running containers. With its PCIe 2.0 interface, enthusiasts can connect fast peripherals such as NVMe SSDs, expanding storage capabilities for server applications. The dual 4Kp60 HDMI output and the 4Kp60 HEVC decoder are useful for media server applications, allowing for smooth streaming of high-resolution content. The inclusion of Gigabit Ethernet with PoE+ support further enhances its server capabilities, simplifying power management for networked devices.

For server use enthusiasts, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers a reliable and cost-effective platform for various applications. The improved CPU and GPU performance allow for faster processing and rendering, making it suitable for tasks such as data analysis and media transcoding. The inclusion of a PCIe 2.0 interface opens up possibilities for connecting high-speed peripherals, such as network cards or storage devices, to enhance server performance and expand storage capacity. The dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 support provide flexibility for wireless connectivity options in server setups. Overall, the Raspberry Pi 5’s upgraded specifications make it a compelling choice for enthusiasts looking to build and customize their own server for various server use cases.

The Raspberry Pi 5 is available to pre-order today, and is expected to by the end of October 2023.