“So far I am very impressed with the pi4, I am currently using it at work for emails on outlook 365 on the chromium browser, the first email I opened had a pdf attached I clicked on it and it opened up no trouble on the second screen I am using Google maps/earth this works just fine. YouTube and iplayer work well too. It does get rather hot so I added a heatsink then added a small PC fan, this fan is 12v but I connected it to the 5v gpio pins which means it still runs but just a bit slower meaning it is nice and quiet.”
“So finding the unit very hot ..awaiting my flirc case to arrive and meantime using a small fan off an old graphic card to cool . also beware when using a non c USB cable for power .. I wanted to use a shorter one but does not work. Seems non c type USB compliant. Reports says it will be fixed on later models .. Hmm firmware update maybe for current users???? But a good upgrade from my 3b.”
“The Pi 4 is a remarkable evolution of the Raspberry Pi. Feels much faster than earlier models, most people could use it as a desktop PC. Don't worry about the much hyped USB C issue, the only chargers / cables that don't work are expensive ones!”
“This version of the RPi is very noticeably faster than the RPi 3B+. Using the graphical user interface is now much more pleasant. It also has USB 3.0 connectivity, which allows high-speed external devices, such as a HDD, to be connected.
The down side is that the board layout has change enough to require a new type of case, new HDMI cable and new power supply with a higher rating and a USB-C connector. The board runs very hot and a cooling fan is really a necessity.
Having said that, there are cases that suit the new layout and include a fan and now I have one, the Pi runs beautifully.
The good news is that GPIO pins are still the same as are the camera and display connectors.
A welcome improvement to the Raspberry Pi range.”
“When something gets successful, and problems get highlighted to the nth degree. Just to remind everyone this is a computer on a chip. With Gigabit network and two high quality (4K UHDMI) video feeds 4GB of ram and faster I/O. The I/O performance on the older RPis have always been "an issue" where some are concerned, but this version hits the mark spot on.
For historical comparison, I have been recently decommissioning Sun Ultra 80 machines (High end graphics workstation the size of a LARGE computer tower sold between 1999 and 2002) this week - 4GB RAM, 4 CPU 450Mhz, Gigabit network (optional) - when new, add zeros to the price tag and the RPi's whole machine is smaller than ONE of the CPU boards inside the machine. Add the option of a 256Gb micro SD card, and the RPi has more storage, performance, video (even if the two monitors do run slower - 30HZ vs 60HZ if only one HDMI connected at 4K resolution and games don't run as smooth, so I am told).
I also have the recommended power supply (which turns out to be a good idea), as the "suggested" circuit for USB-C turns out to be "mandatory" - so no you can't use your power supply from your USB-C powered laptop (until a revision is released - eventually).
My only problem has been with the official 7" display - getting power - the short USB power cable is no longer suitable and the enclosed case needs to be updated ( at least the rear cover that aligns with the ports ), but I am sure they are being worked on as I write.
I am very happy paying £54 for a machine that 20 years ago would have been £5000.”
