The new model builds on 2019’s Raspberry Pi 4, upgrading the processor slightly to a 1.8 GHz quad-core Cortex-A72 (up from 1.5 GHz). The company says this should make the new model run faster and cooler than its predecessor, it packs 4 GB of RAM, a horizontal 40-pin GPIO header, and a MicroSD card slot for storage and to run the operating system.
Connection-wise, the new Raspberry Pi 400 sports dual-band Wi-Fi at 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 and Low Energy (BLE), two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port. The two micro HDMI ports allow the device to output to two monitors at once, at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
The biggest change is the form factor, the 400 is packed into a regular keyboard. The whole unit measures just 286 × 122 × 23 mm (11.3 x 4.8 x 0.9 in).
Traditionally, Raspberry Pi devices have been for those who want to tinker with programming or running networks of IoT devices, but the company says the Raspberry Pi 4 is increasingly being used for work and study. Squeezing the new machine into a ready-to-use package seems like a good move for that crowd.
The Raspberry Pi 400 is available now, starting at US$70 for just the computer itself or $100 for the full kit, which includes the computer, a USB mouse, a USB-C power supply, a micro HDMI to HDMI cable, an SD card with the operating system pre-installed, and a Beginner’s Guide book.