You won't have to find some totally legit sources in order to download more RAM for your Raspberry Pi 4 anytime soon, as a new version of the Pi 4 B has been announced. With the unit's first anniversary just around the corner, a premium model has been introduced, featuring a whopping 8GB of RAM. That's double the amount of the previous "high-end" $55 4GB model, all packed neatly into that familiar size for $75, available starting today. The extra RAM doesn't change much of the Pi 4's board, though this version does sport a new power switcher that's closer to the USB-C input, otherwise leaving the rest of the internals the same as before.

To supply the slightly higher peak currents required by the new memory package, James has shuffled the power supply components on the board, removing a switch-mode power supply from the right-hand side of the board next to the USB 2.0 sockets and adding a new switcher next to the USB-C power connnector. While this was a necessary change, it ended up costing us a three-month slip, as COVID-19 disrupted the supply of inductors from the Far East.

To coincide with this new release, the Raspbian OS, now simply renamed to the Raspberry Pi OS, offers a 64-bit version currently in beta and available to download through their official site.

Source

 

[Silent_Gunner]

Pulling the good 'ole bait-and-switch, eh?

Thing is, unless they upgrade the CPU/GPU (if these things even have anything that can be classified as a dedicated GPU), this thing still ain't coming close to my ODroid-XU4 in terms of performance, and that's with OC'ing the RPi4 up as much as it can go.. Sure, it's a little easier to use and comes with some nice QoL features without the need for adapters, but if I was given a choice between the two for emulation, once they're all set up? XU4 all the way.

I can see RPi being left in the dust if they don't get their performance game up soon. Hell, the ODroid-XU4 isn't even close to being top-tier in the SBC market with stuff like the UDOO BOLT boards!

 

[yoyoyo69]

The plan all along was to lock people in cheap, using the community to develop and promote, then slight enhancements each generation, increasing profitability which each iteration.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

The plan all along was to lock people in cheap, using the community to develop and promote, then slight enhancements each generation, increasing profitability which each iteration.

 

[tech3475]

Pulling the good 'ole bait-and-switch, eh?

Thing is, unless they upgrade the CPU/GPU (if these things even have anything that can be classified as a dedicated GPU), this thing still ain't coming close to my ODroid-XU4 in terms of performance, and that's with OC'ing the RPi4 up as much as it can go.. Sure, it's a little easier to use and comes with some nice QoL features without the need for adapters, but if I was given a choice between the two for emulation, once they're all set up? XU4 all the way.

I can see RPi being left in the dust if they don't get their performance game up soon. Hell, the ODroid-XU4 isn't even close to being top-tier in the SBC market with stuff like the UDOO BOLT boards!

Best comparison I can think of is that the RPi is like the ZX Spectrum of the mini board PCs.

You don't necessarily buy it because it's the 'best'.

 

[Plasmaster09]

Best comparison I can think of is that the RPi is like the ZX Spectrum of the mini board PCs.

You don't necessarily buy it because it's the 'best'.

You buy it because it's cheap and has a crapload of different uses.

 

[The Catboy]

I am definitely buying one, not gonna lie.

 

[fvig2001]

Does anyone actually really need that much RAM? I mean, do people like do GIMP projects on Pis or make video edits on their Pis?

 

[godreborn]

I actually still have my raspberry pi 4 (first model) packaged up. I haven't messed with it at all. I should probably just sell it. it comes with everything.

 

[MiiJack]

Now it should be able to run Google Chrome.

 

[FAST6191]

Here I find myself feeling lucky I managed to get one of the 512 MB RAM models all those years ago rather than the initial 256 of the model B.

Also when embedded devices start having more RAM than your upgraded laptop...

That said 8 gigs of RAM a reasonably potent CPU with some IO and crazy low power draw is enough to start doing some more interesting things on the personal home server/small business server side of things. Don't know how much use it will be to the average emulator-media box-minicomputer under the TV users over 4 gigs but hey.

Edit

Now it should be able to run Google Chrome.

Is Chrome not a matter of "have space, will fill it"?

 

[leon315]

guys, never bought one, what's use for this Rasperry?

 

[kristianity77]

Yeah this is a waste of time. What can you realistically do on a pi with 8gb of ram that you can't do on the one with 4gb? You're constrained in terms of performance by literally every other piece of the hardware in the pi before you're limited by memory capacity!

 

[godreborn]

guys, never bought one, what's use for this Rasperry?

I think they're good emulator machines for one. they even have (at least for raspberry pi 3s) video game console shells.

 

[bodefuceta]

I wonder why someone would need that much RAM on a Pi. I don't think I ever exceded 200MB usage on mine.

 

[tech3475]

guys, never bought one, what's use for this Rasperry?

Depends on your needs, some use them as media centres, some emulation machines, some embedded computers, some generic desktops, some servers, etc.

Currently I use my old Pi3 as a server for my 3D Printer, which allows me remote access, added a camera and sped it up using Klipper.

I wonder why someone would need that much RAM on a Pi. I don't think I ever exceded 200MB usage on mine.

Here's some examples from the email I received promoting it:

This new headline Raspberry Pi will cater for the most memory-intensive applications such as image and video editing, multi-tasking, containers such as Docker, large database caches, huge compiles of C++ code and anything else you decide to throw at it!

 

[Harsky]

Sadly the only thing that's preventing me from ditching my RPI 3b is the fact that I still like using Retroflag's NES case.

Wish they could do a follow up to the Pi Zero and give a bump in spec while keeping the small form.

 

[DBlaze]

Is the overheating issue still a thing on RPi 4 though?

 

[MadMakuFuuma]

Here's some examples from the email I received promoting it:

This new headline Raspberry Pi will cater for the most memory-intensive applications such as image and video editing, multi-tasking, containers such as Docker, large database caches, huge compiles of C++ code and anything else you decide to throw at it!

the ram is shared with gpu? i dont have a pi, and im curious if 8gb= more ram shared to gpu

 

[tech3475]

the ram is shared with gpu? i dont have a pi, and im curious if 8gb= more ram shared to gpu

It could be but it depends on usage:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/memory.md