Introducing the new Raspberry Pi 3 with a faster 64-bit processor and Wi-Fi

The Raspberry Pi Foundation launched the Raspberry Pi 3, an upgraded model for the same $35 price with a faster processor and Wi-Fi, just roughly over a year after the Pi 2 was unveiled.

Over the last four years, the Raspberry Pi has grown to become the world’s most successful and accessible computer platform that just about anyone can program. It has become widespread to schools across the globe, and has even been used by a NASA astronaut who took one along to the International Space Station.

The new Pi 3 is equipped with a Broadcom BCM2837 SoC with a 64-bit processor and a 1.2GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU that the company says is approximately 10 times faster than the processor in the original model. The 33 percent clock speed increase over the Pi 2’s 900MHz delivers a 50 to 60 percent rise in performance in 32-bit mode.

Amongst its features, the Pi 3 has 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1, significantly expanding the applications it can be used for. Bluetooth makes it ideal for Internet of Things applications, allowing the unit to pick up data from sensors without needing a direct connection. While its form factor remains almost the same, the Pi 3 has LEDs now on the other side of the microSD card socket to provide room for the antenna. Also, the microSD card slot is no longer a spring-loaded tray, making for a more reliable device in the future.

As like before, the Raspberry Pi 3 board runs from a 5V micro-USB power adapter and the company recommends using a 2.5A adapter to connect USB devices that require exceptional power. It is fully backwards compatible with the Pi 1 and Pi 2, including for all existing accessories (except from anything that may complicate the LEDs in the new position). The company is currently exploring whether or not it would be beneficial to move to 64-bit mode for the performance improvements.

“The two main things that people do with their Pi are use it as a PC replacement or use it as an embedded computer,” company founder, Eben Upton, said. “The Pi 3 is doubling down on both those things rather than going looking for new things to do.”

The Pi 3 is now available at Element 14 and Pi Supply. The Pi 1 Model B+, Pi 2 Model B, and original Pi will remain on sale for $25, $35, and $20.

Source: ExtremeTech