There is a new revision of the Raspberry Pi model B available – the Raspberry Pi Model B+. With the new Model B+ we finally get more IO’s, additional USB ports, lower power usage and better audio.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation is fast to point out that this is not a version 2 of the Raspberry Pi, but rather a refined version of the existing Raspberry Pi model B. This does however not mean that there is not a number of exciting new features in this refined version.
New Features
The refined version of Raspberry Pi has the following new features compared to the old version B:
- Extra USB ports – You can now Connect more to your Raspberry Pi using the 4 USB ports
- An 40pin extended GPIO to enhance connection to peripherals
- Stream and watch Hi-definition video output at 1080P
- Lower power usage – The Model B+ only consumes 600mA, compared to 750mA on the original.
- Better audio – a new low-noise audio circuit is added, so you no longer need an external sound card
- Micro SD – the new Model B+ uses micro SD card instead of the regular SD card
The new model also has a slightly different form factor which can cause problems if you want to switch it out for an old one in an existing project or product. However if you are building a project or product based on the old Raspberry Pi’s form factor you will be happy to hear that production of the old Model B version will continue.
Where can I get it?
The Raspberry Pi Model B+ will be sold for 35$ – just like the original Model B version. You can buy it right here for the base version or using this link for a version that comes with a pre-flash SD card ready to use.
Also be sure to pick some Micro SD cards since the new version will not work with regular SD cards. You can get them here.
If you are just getting started with the Raspberry Pi you may be interesting in this complete package that comes with a Raspberry Pi Model B+, a pre-loaded SD card with Noobs, a case and a power supply.
More information
If you want to know more about this new version of the Raspberry Pi take a moment to watch the release video from the Raspberry Pi Foundation – or read through the blog post on their website by following this link.
