A pull request in the Raspberry Pi Linux repository has revealed traces of two new models: the Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4 Model A, indicating that the company may be preparing updates to its budget computer lineup.
Among merged pull requests in the raspberrypi/linux repository is one titled "Add device tree for Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A," suggesting new hardware is on the way. The Pi Zero 2 W launched five years ago with 512 MB of memory.
The Pi Zero 3 W could use the Broadcom BCM271 system-on-chip, the same SoC found in the Raspberry Pi 4. If so, that would represent a significant performance gain, though it is unclear whether the 1.5 GHz clock speed of the Pi 4 will be retained. Heat is a concern: the Pi 4 gained a reputation for running hot under load without active cooling, and a smaller board like the Zero has even less room to dissipate heat.
There is no word on memory capacity. The current cost of RAM and the need to keep the price close to that of the Zero 2 W, still available for around $18, make a large amount of memory unlikely. The code also mentions eMMC storage, but that seems unlikely to reach the finished product, probably due to cost.
Alongside the Pi Zero 3 W, the code includes a Raspberry Pi 4 Model A, which looks like a cost-cutting measure amid rising hardware prices. Model A boards typically have less memory and no Ethernet port, and the Pi 4A appears to have a single HDMI output rather than two.
Raspberry Pi said it had nothing to add when asked about the hardware.
Enthusiasts will welcome an upgraded Pi Zero after more than five years, assuming the price is right and it doesn't run too hot. A cut-down Pi 4 carries the whiff of inevitability in an era of rising component costs.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Pi Zero line offers ultra-low-cost computing for hobbyists, education, and embedded projects; a successor could significantly improve performance while keeping the small form factor.
- The Pi 4 Model A would provide a cheaper entry point into the Pi 4 ecosystem, but at the cost of reduced memory and connectivity.
- The five-year gap between Zero models signals that component costs and thermal challenges may be shaping Raspberry Pi's product roadmap more than before.
Background
Raspberry Pi is a UK-based company that produces low-cost single-board computers popular with hobbyists, educators, and industrial users. The Pi Zero line is its most affordable and compact series, while the Pi 4 is a higher-performance model. The Pi Zero 2 W launched in 2021 with a quad-core 64-bit processor and 512 MB of RAM.
What to Watch
- Whether Raspberry Pi announces the new models officially, and at what price points.
- Details on clock speeds and cooling solutions for the Zero 3 W, given the Pi 4's thermal issues.
- Any changes to the Pi 4A's spec before release, such as memory size or HDMI support.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedGitHub code hints at new Raspberry Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A models.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Among the merged pull requests is one titled "Add device tree for Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A," suggesting new hardware is on the way”
- SupportedThe pull request suggests a successor to the Pi Zero 2 W.www.theregister.com - Articles: “suggesting new hardware is on the way, including a successor to the very long-in-the-tooth Pi Zero 2 W.”
- SupportedThe pull request suggests a cut-down Pi 4.www.theregister.com - Articles: “At the same time, a cut-down Pi 4 carries the whiff of inevitability in an era of rising component costs.”
- SupportedA pull request in the Raspberry Pi Linux repository indicates two new models may be coming.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Among the merged pull requests is one titled "Add device tree for Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A," suggesting new hardware is on the way”
- Partly supportedThe company may be preparing updates to its budget computer lineup.www.theregister.com - Articles: “suggesting new hardware is on the way, including a successor to the very long-in-the-tooth Pi Zero 2 W.”
- SupportedThe merged pull request is titled “Add device tree for Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A.”www.theregister.com - Articles: “Among the merged pull requests is one titled "Add device tree for Pi Zero 3 W and Pi 4A,"”
- SupportedThe Pi Zero 2 W launched five years ago.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The board launched five years ago.”
- SupportedThe Pi Zero 2 W has 512 MB of memory.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Its 512 MB of memory was hardly generous”
- SupportedThe Pi Zero 3 W could use the Broadcom BCM271, the same SoC used in the Raspberry Pi 4.www.theregister.com - Articles: “the new board could use the Broadcom BCM271, up from the RP3A0 in the current Zero. If so, that would be a significant performance gain, though it's unclear whether the 1.5GHz clock speed of the Pi 4, which uses the same SoC, will be retained.”
- SupportedHeat is a concern because the Pi 4 runs hot under load without active cooling and a Zero-sized board has less room to shed heat.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Heat is a concern as the Pi 4 gained a reputation for running hot under load without active cooling, and it throttles performance when temperatures climb. A board as small as the Zero will have even less room to shed heat.”
- SupportedThe Pi 4A appears to have a single HDMI output rather than two.www.theregister.com - Articles: “the 4A appears to have a single HDMI output rather than twp.”
- SupportedRaspberry Pi said it had nothing to add when asked about the hardware.www.theregister.com - Articles: “We asked Raspberry Pi if anything was in the pipeline, but the company said it had nothing to add.”
