The Pi 5 is the better buy for most new projects in 2026 — but the right answer still depends on what you're building. Here's everything you need to decide.
Quick specs comparison
| Feature | Pi 4 Model B | Pi 5 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Cortex-A72, 1.5 GHz | Cortex-A76, 2.4 GHz |
| RAM options | 2 / 4 / 8 GB LPDDR4 | 4 / 8 / 16 GB LPDDR4X |
| GPU | VideoCore VI (Vulkan 1.0) | VideoCore VII (Vulkan 1.2) |
| Storage interface | MicroSD + USB SSD | MicroSD + PCIe 2.0 NVMe |
| Real-time clock | No | Yes |
| Power button | No | Yes |
| Power draw (load) | ~6–8 W | Up to 27 W |
| USB ports | 2x USB 3.0 + 2x USB 2.0 | 2x USB 3.0 + 2x USB 2.0 |
| Released | 2019 | 2023 |
How big is the performance gap?
Bigger than most people expect. The Cortex-A76 in the Pi 5 is a full generational leap over the A72 in the Pi 4 — and the storage gap is even more dramatic once you add an NVMe SSD via M.2 HAT.
Single-core CPU
Multi-core CPU
Storage speed
The Pi 5's biggest new features
PCIe + NVMe storage
This is the single biggest unlock in the Pi 5. With an M.2 HAT, you can boot directly from an NVMe SSD — real-world sequential reads around 400–450 MB/s at stock, up to ~800 MB/s with PCIe Gen 3 overclock. If you're running anything database-heavy — Home Assistant with long-term stats, Nextcloud, a self-hosted media server — the difference is transformative. The Pi 4 has no PCIe lane at all.
Real-time clock (RTC)
The Pi 5 keeps accurate time without internet, thanks to an onboard RTC with a battery connector. Essential for logging systems, scheduled jobs, or any project where timestamps need to survive a power outage.
Dedicated RP1 I/O chip
The Pi 5 offloads I/O to a dedicated RP1 chip, freeing up CPU resources. The result is more consistent performance under mixed workloads compared to the Pi 4, which handles all I/O through the main SoC.
Power button
Small feature, big quality-of-life improvement. You can now properly shut down and restart without pulling the power cable.
Where the Pi 4 still holds up
The Pi 4 draws ~6–8 W under load. For battery-powered or solar projects, this lower consumption is a real advantage. The secondhand Pi 4 market is also healthy right now — used 4 GB boards go for $30–$40, 8 GB models for $50–$60.
The Pi 4 has also been around since 2019, which means an enormous library of tutorials, forum threads, and YouTube walkthroughs. For beginners, that breadth of community coverage is genuinely reassuring. Most GPIO HATs are also compatible with both boards.
Which should you buy?
- Starting a new project in 2026
- Building a home server or NAS
- Running Home Assistant with history
- Doing ML inference or local AI
- Compiling code or CPU-heavy tasks
- Wanting NVMe SSD storage
- Running retro gaming (N64, Dreamcast+)
- On a tight budget
- Running a low-power IoT sensor
- Already running Pi 4 with no issues
- Buying secondhand to save cost
- In a battery or solar-powered setup
Cooling & accessories: what to know
The Pi 5 runs noticeably warmer under load. An active cooler with fan and heatsink is strongly recommended — the official Raspberry Pi Active Cooler is a solid investment. The Pi 4 runs cooler by default, though a passive heatsink is still worthwhile for sustained workloads.
Most GPIO HATs work on both boards. Cases, camera cables, and power supplies may need updating when moving to the Pi 5 — it requires a 5V/5A USB-C supply. Always verify Pi 5 compatibility before purchasing accessories.
Our recommendation
Pi 5 8 GB is the sweet spot for most new builds — enough RAM for virtually any project, NVMe-ready via M.2 HAT, and future-proofed with PCIe and RTC. If you already have a Pi 4 running smoothly, there's no urgent reason to upgrade unless you're hitting a performance wall or want NVMe storage. For beginners on a tight budget, the Pi 4 4 GB remains a capable board with a massive community behind it.
We carry the full Raspberry Pi lineup at AAAWave — Pi 5 (4 GB & 8 GB), Pi 4 Model B, M.2 HATs for NVMe storage, active coolers, and official power supplies. Everything ships fast.
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