What’s new in CM3+ model
and what features are the most interesting
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ (CM3+) contains the guts of a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ (the BCM2837 processor and 1GB RAM) as well as a 32GB eMMC Flash device (which is the equivalent of the SD card in the Pi).
The main specifications of the model are:
- SoC: Broadcom BCM2837B0, Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit quad core
- Frequency: 1.2GHz
- RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM
- Flash Memory: 8Gb / 16Gb / 32GB eMMC
- Multimedia: H.264, MPEG-4 decode (1080p30), H.264 encode (1080p30), OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0 graphics
- Pins: 35u hard (gold plated)
New Features of Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+
Firstly, the overall performance, RAM and Flash capacity have been increased, while electrical compatibility, the form factor and price have stayed the same. It’s the main peculiarity of the entire Compute Module product line, rigorously kept by Raspberry Pi Foundation from model to model.
Secondly, CM3+, in particular, incorporates the improved thermal design and has got Broadcom BCM2837B0 processor inherited form Raspberry Pi 3B+. Nevertheless, with the exception of a small increase in z-height, CM3+ is a drop-in replacement for CM3. The maximum processor speed is slightly lower than Raspberry Pi 3B+ and as fast as 1.2GHz, compared to 1.4GHz.
Meeting the needs of our big community of Raspberry Pi users, the Foundation widened the range of CM models by adding different Flash memory capacity. CM1 and CM3 both came with 4GB of Flash, while the CM3+ also offers the following versions:
- CM3+/Lite: No eMMC, but has got the SD card interface and pins to get wired to some eMMC
- CM3+/8GB: 8GB Flash memory
- CM3+/16GB: 32GB Flash memory
As CM3+ is a new product, it will need a recent version of the Raspberry Pi firmware (and the operating system such as Raspbian) to operate correctly.
Concerning the physical parameters, the board’s size is rather small – 67.6mm × 31mm and it can fit into a standard DDR2 SODIMM connector. The main feature is that the board has got many more GPIOs and interfaces than a standard Raspberry Pi. So, the designing the Module into a custom system has become much more straightforward.
Also, Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ offers its own Development Kit, which contains:
- Lite x 1
- 1 x 32GB CM3+ module x 1
- Compute Module IO board
- Camera and display adapters
- Jumper wires
- Programming cable x 1
The pricing policy makes the product quite affordable. The Lite version costs $25, the model with 8GB Flash is $30, 16Gb – $35 and 32Gb – $40.
