The Raspberry Pi Compute Module is a tiny PC that’s about the size of a laptop memory stick. It has the same basic guts as a Raspberry Pi single-board computer, including a 700 MHz Broadcom BCM2835 ARM11 processor and 512MB of RAM. But it also has 4GB of flash storage attached the the board.
Announced in April, the Compute Module is now available for purchase… as part of a development kit that sells for around $200 and up.
That makes this little system a lot more expensive than an ordinary $35 Raspberry Pi model B or $25 Model A. But while those systems are aimed at everyone, the Raspberry Pi Compute Module development kit is aimed at folks looking to design their own computer (or cameras, or other devices).
The Kit includes the Compute Module, an IO board with GPIO, USB, HDMI, and other connectors, a power supply, and camera adapter.
At launch the Raspberry Pi Compute Module supports Raspbian Linux, and the kit is available from Element14 and RS Components.
I’m still not sure why this would be desirable over a simple Model B, especially for a $200 price tag. Is it just because it has a more expanded GPIO header?
You are being far too logical.
SOMEone has visions of fairy plums dancing in their head because of all the one-off, or 100-off Model A and Model B devices being sold for low-volume design solutions.
They (probably) have no justification for thinking that the development world has been waiting with bated breath for just such a device such that they can build an RPi custom device for only $20.00, and pocket the difference. Oh, and forget the $200,000 development costs.
I think that Eben Upton will find that this was an injudicious decision.
Precious resources have, and will be, diverted from (ultimately) much more profitable future product.
If the mind-set indicated by this move is not nipped in the bud, Upton and Co.’s future may not mirror their past.
200 is crazy. You can get that intel minnow board and do a lot more for less.
Yes I agree. 200 is too much. Actually there’s a better option on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/geekroo/como-booster-launch-your-raspberry-pi-compute-modu
Any idea whether there are upgrades planned for that module? That’d make the $200 price tag a bit easier to swallow. The CPU and 512MB a looking a bit dated now, even on a $35 dev board. But an upgrade to newer ARM architectures etc for $50 or so would make that a good deal.
No announced plans for upgrades.