The Raspberry Pi 3 comes 12 months after the launch of its predecessor, and boasts some considerable upgrades based on the specs released on the device’s official website. For one, a 1.2GHz, 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU replaces the ARMv7-based 900MHz CPU that was present in the second edition.
That extra muscle should help the Raspberry Pi to remain viable as users cook up more novel ways to implement this hardware. It’s clear that this update is intended to broaden the horizons of the hardware — and that’s particularly evident in the extra networking capabilities that are being introduced.
The new model comes with 802.11n Wireless LAN compatibility, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy support. This should make the hardware even more popular as the foundation for IoT projects, or any other usage where it’s important that the device can communicate wirelessly with other entities.
Previously, developers looking to perform such functionality with a Raspberry Pi would have to attach supplementary components to do so. These were required for all manner of projects, and would obviously add extra cost and complexity.
The Raspberry Pi 3 certainly looks to be a distinct improvement over its already popular predecessor — and, even so, it manages to retain the same low price that’s traditionally made hardware like this so attractive. The device is available now from a host of resellers around the world, and is priced at $35 or the regional equivalent.