The Raspberry Pi 5 announcement of October 2023 brought to an end speculation and rumors about the new arrival. In this post, we've compiled the key information about the latest model – and what it means for you. The good news? The Pi 5 is a handy and capable little device, perfect for home computing projects and DIY builds with a low (cost) barrier to entry. Here’s what you need to know.

Raspberry Pi 5 release date

The Raspberry Pi 5 started shipping on October 23rd, 2023. The official announcement for the Pi 5 device purely mentioned the month, but the last week of October saw the arrival into the wild of the new Raspberry Pi. Pre-order listings enabled priority access for some users, while exact deliveries of new models is subject to retailers.

It’s been over four years since the release of the Raspberry Pi 4, the longest time between models ever – the usual gap being 1-2 years. The delay is in no small part due to global economic and chip availability factors, as well as the global COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed the development of the new model.

Raspberry Pi 5 specs

Raspberry Pi has a consistent history of adding considerable improvements to every new iteration of its system. The simplicity of the components allows the company to make major enhancements while keeping costs low. Because of the upstanding consistent upgrades behind the foundation, we expected considerable improvements in the next iteration of its system silicon-up.

The new arrival features an in-house designed 64-bit quad-core Arm Cortex A76, 2.4 GHz quad-core processor – a clear step up from the 1.5 GHz that featured on the 2019 Raspberry Pi 4. This shows consistent strides forward (shown across models in the table below), and means the new ‘5’ has 2x the processing power.

However, the new processor isn’t only faster, it uses less power. That means it can run more efficiently in terms of $ per watt, and be cooler too. In interviews, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton stated that the new Raspberry Pi 5B should show a clear improvement in CPU, RAM, and connectivity – and we’ve got all three

The Pi 5’s CPU, is supported by a VIDEOCORE VII GPU for improved graphics performance, and two four-lane 1.5 Gbps MIPI transceivers. This potentially allows the Pi 5 to power 2x 4K60 display outputs (with HDR support), and up to two cameras; that’s some punchy work from a diminutive bit of tech.

In terms of memory, the new iteration offers up to 8GB of LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM. This isn’t the step to the LPDDR5 SDRAM we anticipated, but it is faster and more power efficient than its predecessor's 8GB LPDDR4 SDRAM. That’s not all: the Pi 5 is available in 4 GB and 8 GB SKUs, offering flexibility as required for specific use cases (and budgets – see the ‘Price’ section just below). Also crucial is the new on-board power button, and the in-house developed RP1 southbridge. This powers the single-lane PCIe port for PCIe and NVMe devices. While this will allow “high-bandwidth peripherals” to connect to the Pi 5, the Raspberry Pi Foundation notes you’ll need an adapter to make use of it.

Raspberry Pi 5 Price

It was expected that the Raspberry Pi 5 price would suffer a little bump up in price. This was proven true and is normal considering the enhancements in performance and specs in comparison to the firm’s previous models. The exact recommended prices for the Pi 5, as stated by the Raspberry Pi Foundation itself, are:

• Raspberry Pi 5 (4 GB variant) – $60
• Raspberry Pi 5 (8 GB variant) – $80

In comparison, the Pi 4 is priced at $55 for the 4 GB variant and $75 for the 8 GB variant. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has made various efforts to maintain a standard initial price for every one of its new devices released in the B category. Since the reveal of the Raspberry Pi 1B, we've seen a starting price of $35. But considering the improvements on the new iteration, the slight hike in cost makes sense. There are of course accessories listed for the Raspberry Pi 5 too, should you be thinking about additional costs. And that pricing is:

• The Raspberry Pi Case for Raspberry Pi 5 ($10)
• Raspberry Pi Active Cooler (45)

What is a Raspberry Pi used for?

You can use Raspberry Pi devices for a range of computing projects and fun operations. We’ve listed a few of our own ideas for the best uses for the Raspberry Pi 5, for anyone interested in DIY computing and using the boards for more than running a few lines of Linux code.

Is the Raspberry Pi 5 be better than the Raspberry Pi 4?

The short answer is yes. As mentioned above, the Raspberry Pi 4 is cheaper given it’s not as well kitted out as the new Pi 5. But if you want the most powerful of these little home project computers, then the new iteration will be the one to go for. It won’t be too much more expensive – between $5 and $25 depending on which variant of the new model you want – but it will absolutely be worth paying more for if you can. Find out more about the comparison in our Raspberry Pi 5 vs Raspberry Pi 4 piece.

Where can I get a Raspberry Pi 5?

If you’re looking to pick up the new model, head over to our where to buy Pi 5 page for links and all of the info you need. You can also find the latest info on pre-ordering if you’re reading this ahead of the launch – w/c the last week of October!

Raspberry Pi release history

If we follow the multitude of reveals the company has undergone since 2012, when the first Raspberry Pi was released, it never has shown any systematic release timeframe as one might see in other markets, such as tablets and smartphones. Instead, Raspberry generally reveals upgrades every one to two years apart.

The Website Raspberrytips.com published a chart with a compilation of release dates for previous Raspberry iterations. This information revealed a difference of a year or two between each new model, although it has been three years since the Pi 4B was released. The new arrival will be the exception to the rule.

Kevin’s view

What’s great about the Raspberry Pi is that it brings accessible and affordable computing into the home and opens up consumer electronics to those who can’t or won’t spend hundreds on components. The Pi 5 represents a step change in the legacy of the Raspberry Pi foundation, so far looking every bit as useful as you could want for the money. We’ll be following its story with great interest.

About the Author

Camilo Delgado

Camilo is a contributor for PC Guide. He's been into tech since he was a teen, surfing through the web and local stores trying to find the cheapest way to play the latest Half-Life on his old Windows