Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB)

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In the next iteration of the Model B line, Raspberry Pi has given us the very powerful Model B 4 with the goal of the credit card sized development platform becoming a full desktop experience. The 4GB DDR4 RAM version of this board has the ability to run two 4k monitors at once via two micro HDMI ports and features the long-asked-for, true Gigabit Ethernet. This creates a much higher-performing multimedia experience with the new Pi! In addition to two USB2 ports, the Raspberry Pi 4 also has two USB 3 ports making data transfers that much quicker over USB.

The Raspberry Pi Model B line is a desktop computer in a package the size of a credit card. All you need to do is plug in a monitor, keyboard, mouse and load the latest Raspbian image onto a MicroSD Card and you have a full desktop computer solution. Projects like Tensorflow, PiHole, Minecraft, and Kodi make it an excellent tool for a multitude of uses.

The RPi4 retains a lot of the features of the RPi3 B+ including the pin-out for the 40 pin header. Wireless is still available on the 4 in the form of dual-band 2.4/5.0 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0. A new feature on the 4 is the inclusion of a USB Type-C connector for power delivery replacing the Mini-B connector.

The Raspberry Pi 4 does have the ability to consume more power than the Pi 3 B+, so a proper power supply will be needed. Power over Ethernet (PoE) is available with the use of the PoE HAT (see related products). Those looking to use third party power supplies and cables or to run more intensive programs on the Pi; a proper source of power and heat dissipation measures are recommended.

Note: All Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - 4GB boards that have shipped after 4/1/2020 are version 1.2.

  • Broadcom BCM2711, quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz
  • 4GB LPDDR4-2400 SDRAM
  • 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
  • True Gigabit Ethernet
  • 2 × USB 3.0 Ports, 2 x USB 2.0 Ports
  • Fully backwards compatible 40-pin GPIO header
  • 2 × micro HDMI ports supporting up to 4K 60fps video resolution
  • 2-lane MIPI DSI/CSI ports for camera and display
  • 4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
  • Micro SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage
  • Requires 5.1V, 3A power via USB Type C or GPIO
  • PoE (Power over Ethernet) enabled (requires PoE HAT)

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB) Product Help and Resources

SparkFun Auto pHAT Hookup Guide

April 16, 2020

The pHAT to get your projects moving. This guide will help you get started using the Auto pHAT.

How to Use Remote Desktop on the Raspberry Pi with VNC

July 9, 2018

Use RealVNC to connect to your Raspberry Pi to control the graphical desktop remotely across the network.

Headless Raspberry Pi Setup

April 23, 2018

Configure a Raspberry Pi without a keyboard, mouse, or monitor.

Setting up a Raspberry Pi 3 as an Access Point

April 23, 2018

This guide will show you how to configure a Raspberry Pi as an access point and connect it to your local Ethernet network to share Internet to other WiFi devices.

Python GUI Guide: Introduction to Tkinter

August 13, 2018

Tkinter is the standard graphical user interface package that comes with Python. This tutorial will show you how to create basic windowed applications as well as complete full-screen dashboard examples complete with live graph updates from matplotlib.

Computer Vision and Projection Mapping in Python

February 6, 2019

Use computer vision to detect faces and project images on top of them.

Raspberry Pi Safe Reboot and Shutdown Button

April 20, 2020

Safely reboot or shutdown your Raspberry Pi to avoid corrupting the microSD card using the built-in general purpose button on the Qwiic pHAT v2.0!

How to Run a Raspberry Pi Program on Startup

September 18, 2018

In this tutorial, we look at various methods for running a script or program automatically whenever your Raspberry Pi (or other Linux computer) boots up.

Raspberry gPIo

October 29, 2015

How to use either Python or C++ to drive the I/O lines on a Raspberry Pi.

How to Make a Magic Mirror with Raspberry Pi

June 17, 2020

Need a great project for your Raspberry Pi 4 kit? Use it to create a command center to display the weather, clock, your calendar, or even a news feed!

Raspberry Pi SPI and I2C Tutorial

October 29, 2015

Learn how to use serial I2C and SPI buses on your Raspberry Pi using the wiringPi I/O library for C/C++ and spidev/smbus for Python.

Qwiic pHAT for Raspberry Pi Hookup Guide

May 23, 2019

Get started interfacing your Qwiic enabled boards with your Raspberry Pi. The Qwiic pHAT connects the I2C bus (GND, 3.3V, SDA, and SCL) on your Raspberry Pi to an array of Qwiic connectors.

Raspberry Pi 4 Kit Hookup Guide

March 14, 2020

Guide for hooking up your Raspberry Pi 4 Model B basic, desktop, or hardware starter kit together.

Python Programming Tutorial: Getting Started with the Raspberry Pi

June 27, 2018

This guide will show you how to write programs on your Raspberry Pi using Python to control hardware.

SparkFun Top pHAT Hookup Guide

April 16, 2020

The pHAT to sit above your other HATs. Does that make it the "king" of the pHATs? This guide will help you get started using the Top pHAT with the Raspberry Pi.

Qwiic Kit for Raspberry Pi V2 Hookup Guide

December 29, 2022

Get started with the SGP40, BME280, VCNL4040, and microOLED via I2C using the Qwiic system and Python on a Raspberry Pi! Measure VOC Index, light, temperature, humidity, and pressure from the environment. Then display them on the microOLED, serial terminal, or the cloud with Cayenne!

Core Skill: Programming

If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about communication and code.

3 Programming

Skill Level: Competent - The toolchain for programming is a bit more complex and will examples may not be explicitly provided for you. You will be required to have a fundamental knowledge of programming and be required to provide your own code. You may need to modify existing libraries or code to work with your specific hardware. Sensor and hardware interfaces will be SPI or I2C.
See all skill levels


Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping

If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.

2 Electrical Prototyping

Skill Level: Rookie - You may be required to know a bit more about the component, such as orientation, or how to hook it up, in addition to power requirements. You will need to understand polarized components.
See all skill levels


Comments

Looking for answers to technical questions?

We welcome your comments and suggestions below. However, if you are looking for solutions to technical questions please see our Technical Assistance page.

  • Member #464470 / about 5 years ago / 3

    I am assuming this is the initial board version and has the non-compliant USB-C implementation such that you should not use an e-marked USB-C cable?

    • santaimpersonator / about 5 years ago / 1

      That is correct, a there is a hardware issue on the board (*as mentioned in most of the articles online, the Raspberry Pi Foundation says it will be fixed on future boards). This is why we offer the official Raspberry Pi Wall Adapter Power Supply, which is known to work with the Pi 4.

  • mlavigne / about 5 years ago / 1

    Are you going to offer a micro-to-standard-HDMI adapter any time soon? I was hoping to buy the Pi + peripherals all in one go...

    • santaimpersonator / about 5 years ago / 1

      I believe that we are still working with a supplier to get those cables in. Unfortunately, I do not have an exact timeline for when it might pop up in our catalog.

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5

Based on 20 ratings:

Currently viewing all customer reviews.

Sparkfun keeps the fun alive

My new Pi's from Sparkfun are running my whole house automation shockingly well. Home Assistant (HA) is an open-source solution built to run as a docker image, making it easy to get running and keep it up-to-date with the latest features.

The HA solution eliminates the need for ANY external vendor cloud services (Philips Hue, smartthings, xiaomi ...) allowing me to run entirely air-gapped if desired. Sorry to sound like an advertisement/fan-boy but has really been a game-changer for me.

The first Pi is running HassOS, a customized Pi distro of BuildRoot, which is designed and hardened for embedded systems. The packaged installer image called HassIO (HassOS + HA) makes this simple to get running. I started out with just one Pi for the whole system... but started breaking things apart to improve performance and scalability.

A second pi is set up as a docker host to run node-red and mqtt for message routing and triggers. And a third is running grafana and sqlite - offloading the automation servers from the logging and reporting duties. Sure... I could run the whole thing in a NUC, but why bother when Pi's are so cheap?

Custom sensor using 8266 (Thing boards,...) pushing mqtt message makes any custom sensors and actuators easy.

This is getting fun people. Too fun actually...budget your time wisely - once you get started it's hard to stop.

A great little SBC

I bought the 4G version so I could have a better general-purpose computer. It is my only computer and it is working out much better than the rPi 3 I was using because it has more RAM. I have mine in an Adafruit heat sink case (no fans), and it has not frozen up on me yet. I can run 10+ tabs in Chromium now, in addition to other tasks.

Nice SBC / get the complete kit / still looking for a good case.

I got the Pimoroni Aluminum Heatsink Case (PRT-15894) and a set of extension headers that were recommended, just in case. I wanted to connect a 40pin ICD connector to the GPIO header but found two problems: 1) the IDC connector does not fit in the GPIO slot in the case and 2) the extension headers are so long that the connector does not seat on the headers. No big deal (really!) but I feel that: 1) the hole in the heatsink case could have been made to accept an IDC connector and 2) the recommended extension header could have had pins just like the GPIO header, no? Also, I forgot about the new power and monitor connectors, so best to get the kit with all that included. Great computer!

Runs software defined radio software really well

I bought this device to connect to an SDR Play software defined radio. Ultimately my goal is to receive images from the GOES-R series of geostationary weather satellites. There are still a couple of pieces to the puzzle that need to fall into place before I try it but so far it shows a great deal of promise. I am pairing this Pi with an image from W3DJS, found here: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/w3djs-raspberry-pi-ham-radio-image-v2-0-released.680336/ that has every HAM related piece of software that runs on Linux known to exist. I also bought a heatsink case with cooling fans to keep it thermally happy. One of the first things I tried with this was to tune CubicSDR to a local FM station and had it running overnight. In the morning the music still sounded great and the Pi was barely warmer than ambiant. Both software and hardware worked well.

Powerful, great connectivity

This is a great upgrade from the 3B. Really nice bump in processing power and the number of UARTs (6) is great for connecting peripherals

Faster, Better, Hotter

I'm glad to finally be able to find and purchase the 4GB version of the new Pi4. The Pi4 4GB is definitely faster and more stable than the Pi3B+. I was unsure if it would be noticeable, but it is. It is also more stable. But, it's also way HOTTER! You simply cannot run it without a heat sink or fan. And, the little aluminum cubes with fins are not going to cut it. You either need a much larger heat sink, a fan, integrated fan, or a sink integrated into a metal case. For me, fans are simply not an option because of the environment in which I use the Pi; so I am using lots of bolt-on heat sink solutions. Many are available from SparkFun.

Very pleased.

Using with a HifiBerry DAC+ Pro for my music running Volumio. Noticeable improvement over Bluetooth input. Great out of the box and able to tweak through Volumio plug-ins. It was pretty much plug and play. Using a USB SSD for the music library and streaming Qobuz when I want to explore outside the familiar.

Does need heat management. I tried a heat sink case and on board sinks on the Pi. Without a fan it still gets warm, so I'm running a fan too.

Still messing around with the possibilities but very happy from day one.

Fun computer

I'm using this one to run my 7" touch screen and it's great.

PI4 Just outstanding!

Runs 64 bit version of Ubuntu Mate. Runs the latest 32bit version of Raspberry PI os from usb drive.

Definitely worth it!

Not quite enough for real time object detection

Don't get me wrong, the Pi 4 is seriously powerful for the price. I've had no issues doing normal computer things on it. Just so people in my shoes know: you'll need an external accelerator in order to do super high speed machine learning tasks >8fps.

Great option for a low power NAS project.

I picked the model 4 for is gigabit ethernet and USB 3.0 upgrades to make a low power NAS. I am impressed so far. I was able to install Open Media Vault without a hitch.

Raspberry Pi sliced any way is a great start

Solid little project device, 4gb is the sweet spot. This is the 5th device in our house of the Raspberry Pi flavor. Just added a cam to it so now I can video chat while I retropi. Fun little device.

Works great!

I love buying at Sparkfun!

It's working!

I bought it to view Great Courses Plus in full screen. It works great! I had to buy heat sinks, then got an Argon Fan Hat. The fan pcb includes a button and software to shut down the Pi safely. Its all plugged into a widescreen TV, so viewing Hubble images, etc., is much more interesting than on my computer monitor. I got a keyboard with bluetooth, so navigating a web page from across the room is simple. Just need to figure out how to safely discharge static when I walk over to push the button.

Quiet, energy efficient - works great

I am using this Raspberry Pi as a PiHole Adblocker for my home network and it’s amazing! No more ads, even in apps, for all the devices in my home. Internet runs faster and is more secure than ever before.

So great for fun projects

The combo of I/O, WiFi, USB, and extensive online support makes it super easy to start small projects and know that you can scale them up to almost anything. So fun.

Mind-boggling, for a guy like me.

I started in computing in 1972 at my High School, using a PDP-8/L. That ran 8K of memory with shared hosting of 4 teletypes. Cost back then was $20000. Now we have personal computers with 4GB memory, 16GB on a card, and running at a few GHz. Video out from youtube rather than typewriter output at 10 CPS. This is really the golden age of computing. The power students have is incredible.

Yes, it works well. Linux is a little rough after having gotten used to Mac OSX, but for $55? What we learned on sith the PDP-8 vs a Linux machine? Saying it is like night and day underrepresents the difference. It is more like going from the vacume of space to a step away from the source of all enlightenment in the universe.

Now, with projects like this, every student should have access to a computer.

Amazing.

Excellent legit Raspberry Pis at a good price

I bought 5 of these for a remote-monitoring project and they arrived well-packed and working great out of the box. Of course, with these boards you’ll need to bring your own microSD card, power supply, keyboard and/or mouse but these worked great for my needs!

Never received

I already submitted a Customer Service complaint that the unit is still being held in a Fed Ex warehouse. I paid for this on August 14th, it shipped August 16th, and has been sitting in Phoenix since August 20th. It's currently September 8th.

Then I receive an email asking me to review my product. Well here's my review: Never got it, going on 3 weeks late.

I ordered from someone else and actually got the product.