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A new and faster Raspberry Pi 2 model has been made available for sale at the same price as the previous B+ version.
The $35 micro-computer features a 900MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, which the organisation claims makes it six times more powerful than other models. As a result of the new processor, it can also run a number of operating systems such as Snappy Ubuntu Core and Windows 10, the latter of which will be free. It also houses 1GB of Ram and is compatible with the first Raspberry Pi.
Despite the new model’s release, the Raspberry Pi 1 Model A+, B and B+ will continue to be available for sale as long as demand continues.
“There comes a point when there’s no substitute for more memory and CPU performance,” read a statement from Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton.
“Our challenge was to figure out how to get this without throwing away our investment in the platform or spoiling all those projects and tutorials which rely on the precise details of the Raspberry Pi hardware.
“Fortunately for us, Broadcom were willing to step up with a new SoC, BCM2836. This retains all the features of BCM2835, but replaces the single 700MHz ARM11 with a 900MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 complex: everything else remains the same, so there is no painful transition or reduction in stability.”
The Raspberry Pi was first launched in February 2012, and by August 2014 went on to sell more than three million units. You can read our recent interview with the non-profit foundation’s CEO Eben Upton on the credit-card sized computer’s rapid rise here.
