Choose the Raspberry Pi 5 4GB or 8GB RAM version using the option selector above.

The Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful single-board computer designed for desktop computing, programming, electronics projects, robotics, home automation, servers, media applications, education and embedded development. Built around the Broadcom BCM2712 quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor, Raspberry Pi 5 adds significantly more computing and I/O capability than earlier Raspberry Pi generations while retaining the familiar 40-pin GPIO header used by Raspberry Pi makers and developers.

This listing is available with either 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM. Both versions use the same processor, graphics hardware, wireless connectivity, USB ports, GPIO interface and other core Raspberry Pi 5 features. Select the amount of memory that best fits your application.

Raspberry Pi 5 4GB vs 8GB: Which Should I Choose?

Choose the Raspberry Pi 5 4GB for general electronics projects, programming, education, GPIO projects, light desktop use, network services and many embedded applications.

Choose the Raspberry Pi 5 8GB if you expect to run multiple applications at once, use Raspberry Pi OS as a desktop computer, run containers or virtualized workloads, host larger servers, work with larger datasets or build applications that can benefit from additional memory.

The processor and other major hardware features are the same between the 4GB and 8GB models in this listing. The primary difference is the amount of installed RAM.

What Can You Use a Raspberry Pi 5 For?

Raspberry Pi 5 can be used as a compact Linux computer or as the controller for a wide variety of electronics and embedded projects. Popular Raspberry Pi 5 applications include:

• Linux desktop computers
• Programming and software development
• Python development
• Electronics prototyping
• GPIO-controlled hardware projects
• Robotics and automation
• Home automation systems
• Network and web servers
• Home lab projects
• Digital signage and display controllers
• Camera and computer vision projects
• Data logging and monitoring
• STEM and electronics education
• PCIe and NVMe storage projects with the appropriate adapter or HAT

Raspberry Pi 5 Specifications

• Processor: Broadcom BCM2712 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU with Cryptographic Extension, 512KB per-core L2 cache and 2MB shared L3 cache
• Memory: 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM, selectable above
• Graphics: VideoCore VII GPU
• Graphics APIs: OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2
• Display Output: Dual 4Kp60 HDMI display output with HDR support
• Video Decoding: Hardware 4Kp60 HEVC decoder
• Wi-Fi: Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
• Storage: microSD card slot with high-speed SDR104 mode support
• USB 3.0: 2 ports supporting simultaneous 5Gbps operation
• USB 2.0: 2 ports
• Ethernet: Gigabit Ethernet
• PoE: PoE+ support with a compatible separately purchased PoE+ HAT
• Camera/Display Interfaces: 2 × 4-lane MIPI camera/display transceivers
• PCI Express: PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for high-speed peripherals; an appropriate M.2 HAT or adapter is required for devices such as NVMe SSDs
• GPIO: Raspberry Pi standard 40-pin GPIO header
• Power: 5V/5A DC through USB-C with Power Delivery support
• Real-Time Clock: Built-in RTC with support for an external RTC battery
• Fan Connector: Dedicated connector for supported Raspberry Pi 5 cooling solutions
• Power Button: Built-in physical power button

Raspberry Pi 5 Power Supply Requirements

For full performance and the greatest available USB peripheral power, Raspberry Pi recommends a high-quality 5V 5A USB-C power supply. The Official Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply is specifically designed for Raspberry Pi 5 and supports the required 5V/5A operating mode.

Some lower-power USB-C supplies may operate Raspberry Pi 5, but available power for connected USB peripherals can be restricted and an inadequate supply can cause power warnings or unreliable operation. For new Raspberry Pi 5 installations, we recommend using a suitable 5V/5A supply.

Does Raspberry Pi 5 Need Active Cooling?

Active cooling is recommended for sustained high-performance applications, but it is not mandatory for every Raspberry Pi 5 project.

Raspberry Pi 5 can operate without an active cooler during lighter workloads. Under prolonged CPU-intensive workloads, however, processor temperature can increase enough for the system to reduce clock speed to control temperature. Active cooling helps Raspberry Pi 5 maintain higher performance during extended workloads.

For open-board installations, the Raspberry Pi 5 Active Cooler provides a dedicated heatsink and temperature-controlled blower fan. For an enclosed installation, the Raspberry Pi 5 Case includes an integrated cooling fan.

Raspberry Pi 5 Operating System Compatibility

The current Raspberry Pi OS release is based on Debian Trixie and supports Raspberry Pi 5. Raspberry Pi OS based on Debian Bookworm is also supported as a legacy release. Raspberry Pi OS versions older than Bookworm are not supported on Raspberry Pi 5.

For a new installation, use Raspberry Pi Imager and select a current Raspberry Pi OS image that supports Raspberry Pi 5.

Raspberry Pi 5 Frequently Asked Questions