Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711) vs Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (Broadcom BCM2837B0). Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Desktop / Server Desktop / Server
• Family
  Broadcom BCM Broadcom BCM
• Generation
  4 3
• CPU group
  Broadcom BCM2711 Broadcom BCM2837B0

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  1.50 GHz 1.40 GHz
• CPU Cores
  4 4
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No turbo No turbo
• CPU Threads
  4 4
• Turbo (4 Cores)
  No turbo No turbo
• Hyperthreading
  No No
• Overclocking
  Yes Yes
• Core architecture
  normal normal
• A core
  4x Cortex-A72 4x Cortex-A53

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Broadcom VideoCore VI Broadcom VideoCore 5
• GPU frequency
  0.50 GHz 0.40 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo
• Execution units
  4 2
• Shader
  64 24
• Max. GPU Memory
  2 GB 1 GB
• Max. displays
  2 2
• Generation
  6 5
• Technology
  28 nm 40 nm
• Release date
  06/2019 02/2016

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode No
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode No
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP9
  Decode No
• VP8
  Decode Decode
• AV1
  No No
• AVC
  Decode Decode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (Broadcom BCM2837B0) and Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711). The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR2
• Max. Memory
  8192 GB 1024 GB
• ECC
  No No
• Memory channels
  1 1

• AES-NI
  No No

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711) and Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (Broadcom BCM2837B0) to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  7.5 W 7 W
• TDP down
  3 W 4 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711) and Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (Broadcom BCM2837B0), including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  None None
• L2-Cache
  1.00 MB 0.50 MB
• Architecture
  Cortex-A72 Cortex-A15
• Technology
  28 nm 40 nm
• Socket
  N/A N/A
• Release date
  06/2019 02/2016