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Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB vs Raspberry Pi 400

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 400 scores 7.2/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB at 7.0/10.

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB leads on I/O and networking.

The Raspberry Pi 400 leads on performance and value.

They score the same on software support and storage.

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB is for beginners, tinkerers and homelabbers who want official Raspberry Pi OS support and an active community for light, low-memory jobs. It suits GPIO projects, small services and learning Linux, where the software ecosystem matters more than raw capacity. It is less suited to anyone who needs fast native storage or plans to run it hot without cooling.

Typically about £44.30 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Raspberry Pi 400

Raspberry Pi 400

7.2/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi 400 is for anyone who wants a complete, compact Raspberry Pi desktop with the keyboard built in and no assembly. It suits learners, classrooms and homelabbers who want a small terminal or light desktop machine running Raspberry Pi OS. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs easy GPIO access or fast internal storage.

Typically about £57.60 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightRaspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GBRaspberry Pi 400
Software support30%10/1010/10
Performance25%5/106/10
Storage15%4/104/10
I/O and networking15%8/107/10
Value15%6/107/10
Overall7.0/107.2/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GBRaspberry Pi 400
Processor (SoC)Broadcom BCM2711, quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC at 1.5-1.8GHz (sources conflict: 1.8GHz on the manufacturer page, 1.5GHz in the datasheet and Amazon listing)Broadcom BCM2711, quad-core Cortex-A72 64-bit, 1.8 GHz
Memory1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on model); the 1GB variant is one option4GB LPDDR4-3200
Storage optionsMicro-SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage; no M.2 or NVMe interface listedMicroSD card slot; no eMMC, SSD or M.2 slot
Networking2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE; Gigabit Ethernet (PoE requires a separate add-on PoE HAT)Gigabit Ethernet; dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.0 and BLE
GPIORaspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards); 28x user GPIO40-pin horizontal GPIO header on the rear of the case
Video outputs2 × micro-HDMI ports (up to 4kp60 supported); 2-lane MIPI DSI display port; 2-lane MIPI CSI camera port; 4-pole stereo audio and composite video port2 × micro HDMI ports, up to 4Kp60; H.265 4Kp60 decode, H.264 1080p60 decode, OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.0
Power input5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A)5V DC via USB Type-C power input

Strengths and weaknesses

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB

  • + Official Raspberry Pi OS and a large, supportive community
  • + Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and the standard 40-pin GPIO header
  • + Dual micro-HDMI outputs with up to 4kp60 support
  • − Micro-SD only, with no M.2 or NVMe interface listed
  • − Owners report heavy heat and throttling without better cooling
  • − 1GB is the smallest memory option in the range

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need native M.2 or NVMe storage rather than micro-SD
  • Anyone running several containers or VMs who needs more than 1GB of memory
  • People who want a board that stays cool without adding a heatsink or fan
Read the full Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB review ›

Raspberry Pi 400

  • + Keyboard and computer in one compact case
  • + Raspberry Pi OS preinstalled on the SD card
  • + Gigabit Ethernet and two USB 3.0 ports
  • − microSD only, with no M.2 or eMMC
  • − GPIO access is awkward and needs an adapter
  • − Keyboard feels cheap and spongy to some owners

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want M.2, SSD or eMMC storage on the board.
  • Makers who will use the GPIO header often and want easy access.
  • Anyone who wants a separate bare board to mount in their own case.
Read the full Raspberry Pi 400 review ›

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