Raspberry Pi model B+ v/s Raspberry Pi model B: What's New

The Raspberry Pi foundation recently launched the last evolution of the original Raspberry Pi called 'The new Rasberry Pi Model B+'. Here's an overview of what's new and how will these updates help.

1. Say hello to bigger and better projects, as the RPi B+ bring to you 14 new GPIO pins making it a total of 40 GPIO pins. The pinout for the first 26 pins remains the same as the Model B.

2. Connect more! Another majorly significant improvisation is the addition of 2 more USB ports, the new RPi now supports 4 USB 2.0 ports and better hotplug and overcurrent behaviour. Which means other than just connecting a mouse and a keyboard, you can now connect your wifi dongle or bluetooth or what not!

3. The SD card of the model B, is now replaced by the Micro SD. So forget about the SD card peeping out, causing discomfort and damages.

4. Linear regulators of the old model have been replaced resulting in the board's power efficiency being improved by something in between 0.5W and 1W. Which means, a much more efficient board.

5. The new board combines the previously separate audio and video ports, giving it a cleaner and better look. Additionally the board's audio circuit has got a new dedicated low-noise power supply, which means better audio.

6. As mentioned above, the audio and visual ports are now integrated into one 3.5 mm AV port, plus now you'll find the USB connectors aligned to the board edge and new 4 mounting holes are placed over corners of the board, all this contributes to a very very neat form factor.

All in all we really liked this new pretty RPi!

For you to better understand these updates, here's a specs comparison of Raspberry Pi Model B+ and Raspberry Pi Model B. Further below, find a graphical presentation of the changes in the RPi Model B+.

	Raspberry Pi Model B+	Raspberry Pi Model B
	Similar
Dimensions	85mm x 56mm	85mm x 56mm
Chip	Broadcom BCM2835 SoC full HD multimedia applications processor	Broadcom BCM2835 SoC full HD multimedia applications processor
CPU	700 MHz Low Power ARM1176JZ-F Applications Processor	700 MHz Low Power ARM1176JZ-F Applications Processor
GPU	Dual Core VideoCore IV® Multimedia Co-Processor	Dual Core VideoCore IV® Multimedia Co-Processor
Power Source	1x Micro-USB	1x Micro-USB
Ethernet	1x 10/100mb Ethernet RJ45 Jack	1x 10/100mb Ethernet RJ45 Jack
Supported Resolutions	640×350 to 1920×1200, including 1080p, PAL & NTSC standards	640×350 to 1920×1200, including 1080p, PAL & NTSC standards
Other Connectivity	1x CSI-2 for Raspberry Pi camera modules 1x DSI for Raspberry Pi displays	1x CSI-2 for Raspberry Pi camera modules 1x DSI for Raspberry Pi displays
Operating Systems	Raspbian, RaspBMC, Arch Linux, Risc OS, OpenELEC, Pidora	Raspbian, RaspBMC, Arch Linux, Risc OS, OpenELEC, Pidora
RAM	512 MB SDRAM @ 400 MHz	512 MB SDRAM @ 400 MHz
	New
Storage	MicroSD	SDCard
USB 2.0	4x USB Ports	2x USB Ports
Video Connections	HDMI, Composite RCA (shared with audio jack)	HDMI, Composite RCA
Audio	Multi-Channel HD Audio over HDMI, Stereo from 3.5 mm jack	Multi-Channel HD Audio over HDMI, Stereo from 3.5 mm jack
Power Draw / voltage	600mA up to 1.8A @ 5V	750mA up to 1.2A @ 5V
GPIO	40	26
Mounts	4 in the corners	2

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The author is a Senior Correspondent with EFY.