The Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5) has been spotted in the wild. This unannounced compact-optimized version of the Pi 5 is apparently on show at the electronica 2024 show in Munich, which runs until tomorrow afternoon. Twitter / X user Fernando shared a photo of the CM5 plus a glimpse of its IO Board, quickly retweeted by eminent Pi-aficionado Jeff Geerling.
A Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 seems to be on public display at @electronicaFair 24 in Germany today… 👀 https://t.co/pM4QxlAlRcNovember 12, 2024
With this high-profile public showing of the CM5, it is probably fair to expect an imminent official launch, though Raspberry Pi has published no word on timing, availability, or other details. Reading through the source thread, we note that the compact new-generation Pi was on show at the Avnet booth, the owners of Pi distributors like Farnell, Newark, and element14. Eben Upton also made a special appearance at the Avnet booth on Wednesday.
We reviewed the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) in 2022, and the availability of the CM5 seems past due. Those familiar with the relationship between the full-sized Raspberry Pis and their CM brethren will not be surprised to see the new CM5 clearly packs the same Broadcom BCM2712 as the established Raspberry Pi 5, but what other key similarities are there, and how does it differ from the CM4? Hopefully, our table using info gleaned from electronica 2024 photos of the CM5 and IO Board will clear a few questions up.
| Raspberry Pi | Compute Module 4 | Compute Module 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | BCM2711 processor with 1.5GHz quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 CPU. VideoCore VI graphics, supporting OpenGL ES 3.x with 4Kp60 hardware decode of H.265 (HEVC) video. 1080p60 hardware decode, and 1080p30 hardware encode of H.264 (AVC) video | BCM2712 processor with Arm Cortex-A76 64-bit quad-core CPU running at 2.4 GHz, plus 800 MHz VideoCore VII GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2 |
| Memory | 1GB, 2GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM | Markings suggest 1GB, 2GB, 4GB or 8GB, and even 16GB configurations |
| Storage | Optional 8GB, 16GB or 32GB eMMC Flash storage | Markings suggest 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB eMMC storage options |
| GPIO | 40 GPIO pins, with up to 6 × UART, 6 × I2C and 5 × SPI | 40 GPIO pins |
| Ports | Single-lane PCI Express 2.0 interface.Gigabit Ethernet PHY with IEEE 1588 support, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, Dual HDMI interfaces, at resolutions up to 4K, Dual MIPI DSI display, and dual MIPI CSI-2 camera interfaces,Optional 2.4GHz and 5GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.0 | RP1 southbridge, same as Pi 5,Same power circuitry as Pi 5 (so it seems from the image),CM5 IO board has Two full size HDMI ports, Ethernet, 2x USB 3 Type-A ports, an M.2 slot for NVMe / PCIe devices, but no PCIe slot like the CM4 IO board |
We also note that the CM5 IO board has a fan connector for the Raspberry Pi 5 fans.
Overall, it is good to see the balance of new processing power and features coming to the CM5 and new IO Board. It means any prior projects you may have worked upon, and designed around the CM4, should work with the CM5. If your project benefits from faster performance or greater computing resources, like extra memory and storage, you will also be in for a compact-sized treat.
For pricing, availability, and any other details about the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 and new Compute Module 5 IO Board, you’ll have to wait, for now. With the CM5 making a showing like this, it can’t be too long before an official announcement and reviews arrive.