The Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Compute Module line of devices are basically tiny computers that look like sticks of laptop memory. But they feature a processor, memory, and storage, all stuffed into a tiny package.
What they lack are USB and HDMI ports. You’re not supposed to use a Compute Module as a desktop PC. Instead, it’s designed to allow professional and amateur device makers to create their own products powered by the same hardware used in a Raspberry Pi computer. For example, NEC plans to launch a series of smart TVs that use the Compute Module 3.
The first Compute Module was released in 2014, and now the Raspberry Pi Foundation has launched a new version that’s based on the Raspberry Pi 3.
That means it has the same 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 64-bit processor and the same 1GB of RAM. It also has 4GB of eMMC flash storage.
There’s also a new Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 Lite, which has an SD card interface instead of built-in storage, allowing users to connect to eMMC or SD card storage. The Lite model is also a bit cheaper.
Raspberry Pi’s Compute Module 3 costs $30, while the Compute Module 3 Lite is $25. The foundation will continue to offer the original Compute Module at a new, lower price of $25 for customers that would rather use the first-generation hardware.
Developers looking to get started with the Compute Module can also pick up a new Compute Module IO Board V3 breakout board, which brings GPIO pins, USB ports, and other interfaces. You can insert the Compute Module 3 into the new board like a stick of RAM. It also accepts first-generation Compute Modules.
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 is now available from Element14 and RS Components.
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Hey Brad, the spammers are getting through the system again :
Gotta love the whole Raspberry Pi community…..Pi-munnity. I do wonder when they’ll have one with really high-end processor. The Odroid just doesn’t cut it, not as popular as the Pi.
Would be great if they did a limited run, and see how the reception is.
I really like my Odroid C2 over RPi3… after having used both as desktops and TV media players. Raspbian is looking more and more like a walled garden, where odroid is using the standard armv8 ubuntu repositories. I like having twice the ram, 30% better performance/latency and gigabit ethernet. RPi3 does idle at lower power, but I don’t mind paying the extra dollar per year for electricity.
What if they made a limited batch of Raspberry Pi’s with cutting-edge specs?
Something like:
10nm
2.5GHz ARM Cortex A73 – 4 Core
0.9GHz Mali G71-MP8
1.8GHz DDR4-8GB
What do you think the community would do with such a board?
I would ditch the gpu, add custom network fabric and add 4GB emmc. Stack hundreds of them into a rack and call it Project Moonshot.
Realistically, the next RPi probably will not beat Odroid C2 in any area. If there is one thing I could change about the C2, it would be higher iops emmc memory.
I believe a single a72/a73 core is the same cost as a quad a53.
http://www.fudzilla.com/images…
Hmmm, interesting.
I wouldn’t get rid of the graphics, it still has its uses for certain graphical applications, or as a second processor for other uses.
I didn’t mean this as a price-to-perfomace thing.
A 28nm 1.7GHz ARM Cortex A53 4core will out gun anything.
Or even a efficiency thing, where a 10nm 1GHz ARM Cortex A35 2core will win.
I meant a small batch targeting efficient performance instead.
Obviously it won’t be something like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, as its not open-source friendly.
I think with the interest, popularity and the community of The Pi, there’s bound to be some really unique and interesting projects popping up.
This is the first time I think they missed it. The plug in edge? Not designed to be portable with those copper fingers.
The $9 CHIP is way more interesting and comes with something that most people need.
a WiFi chip.