Raspberry Pi 5 vs Raspberry Pi 4: Which Should You Buy?
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Quick verdict
| You are … | Buy this (affiliate) |
|---|---|
| Building a low‑power home server, media hub, or edge compute node and want the newest CPU with PCIe expansion? | [Raspberry Pi 5] (affiliate) – $80 |
| Starting out with entry‑level self‑hosting, need the cheapest board that already works everywhere? | [Raspberry Pi 4] (affiliate) – $55 |
Both boards are solid SBCs backed by a massive community, but the right choice hinges on how much headroom you anticipate needing today and tomorrow.
Spec‑by‑spec comparison
| Feature | Raspberry Pi 5 | Raspberry Pi 4 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Broadcom BCM2712 (4× A76 2.4 GHz) | Broadcom BCM2711 (4× A72 1.8 GHz) |
| RAM options | 4 GB or 8 GB LPDDR4X | 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, or 8 GB LPDDR4 |
| Network | 1 × Gigabit Ethernet | 1 × Gigabit Ethernet |
| Transcode support | No HW x86 transcode | No |
| Bays / Expansion | PCIe 2.0 × 1 via adapter | USB‑boot only, no PCIe |
| Price (US) | $80 | $55 |
| Best for | Low‑power services | Entry self‑hosting |
| Pros | Cheap, huge community | Proven, cheap |
| Cons | Needs accessories | Slower than Pi 5 |
Why the CPU matters
The jump from an A72 core (1.8 GHz) to an A76 core (2.4 GHz) isn’t just a clock‑speed bump; it’s a generational architecture upgrade. In real‑world home‑lab workloads—Docker containers, lightweight databases, and occasional Python scripts—the Pi 5 delivers noticeably snappier response times. If you’ve already maxed out a Pi 4 on CPU‑bound tasks, the newer board will feel like moving from a commuter bike to an electric scooter.
Expansion: PCIe vs USB‑boot
Pi 5’s single lane of PCIe 2.0 opens doors that were previously closed for hobbyists. With a cheap adapter you can attach NVMe storage or a dedicated network card, giving you true SSD speeds and the ability to add a second Ethernet port if needed. Pi 4 relies on USB‑boot; while perfectly serviceable for most SD‑card based projects, it cannot host native PCIe devices. If future‑proofing is in your roadmap—think AI inference accelerators or high‑throughput storage—the Pi 5’s expansion slot is a decisive advantage.
Community and accessories
Both boards sit at the heart of the Raspberry Pi ecosystem: thousands of tutorials, ready‑made Docker images, and plug‑and‑play HATs. The Pi 4 has been around longer, so you’ll find more “out‑of‑