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Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB vs Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

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

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB scores 7.9/10 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 5 4GB leads on performance and storage.

They score the same on software support and value.

The biggest difference is performance, where the Raspberry Pi 5 4GB scores 8/10 to the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GB's 5/10.

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 5 4GB

Raspberry Pi 5 4GB

7.9/10verdict: buy

The Raspberry Pi 5 4GB is for homelabbers and developers who want a small Linux board with official OS support and a standard 40-pin GPIO header. It suits people moving up from a Pi 4 who want more CPU performance for services, projects or display output. Buyers should be ready to sort out a proper 5A power supply and think about cooling.

Typically about £105.60 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 5 4GB
Software support30%10/1010/10
Performance25%5/108/10
Storage15%4/106/10
I/O and networking15%8/107/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall7.0/107.9/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi 4 Model B 1GBRaspberry Pi 5 4GB
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 BCM2712, quad-core Arm Cortex A76 processor @ 2.4GHz, 512KB L2 per core and 2MB shared L3 cache
Memory1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on model); the 1GB variant is one optionLPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM, offered in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB variants
Storage optionsMicro-SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage; no M.2 or NVMe interface listedmicroSD card slot with SDR104 support; M.2 storage needs a separate adapter over PCIe 2.0 x1
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)Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0/BLE, Gigabit Ethernet; PoE+ needs a separate HAT
GPIORaspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards); 28x user GPIOStandard 40-pin header
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 portDual 4Kp60 HDMI output with HDR support; VideoCore VII GPU; micro-HDMI connector
Power input5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A)5V/5A DC via USB-C with Power Delivery support

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 5 4GB

  • + Official Raspberry Pi OS images built for the Pi 5
  • + Quad Cortex A76 cores at 2.4GHz; owners report big gains
  • + Standard 40-pin header, two USB 3.0 ports, dual 4K HDMI
  • − Owners report high temperatures, throttling and shutdowns
  • − Needs a 5A supply; some 3A and laptop chargers fail
  • − M.2 storage needs a separate adapter; Ethernet is Gigabit only

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need 2.5GbE or faster wired networking on the board
  • Anyone who wants native M.2 NVMe without buying an adapter
  • Buyers who cannot supply a 5A USB-C power supply or plan for cooling
Read the full Raspberry Pi 5 4GB review ›

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