Bret Weber Spots Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 Accessories in the Channel, Suggesting a Launch Nears
A CM5 version of the IO Board carrier, a new case, and a passive heatsink point to a Compute Module 5 releasing sooner rather than later.
Bret Weber has unearthed some evidence that the much-anticipated Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 family, which makes the system-on-chip from the Raspberry 5 available in a system-on-module (SOM) format, is arriving sooner rather than later — as compatible accessories begin to appear in the channel.
The launch of the Raspberry Pi 5 back in September last year brought a major performance upgrade to the platform, with the new Broadcom BCM2712 system-on-chip delivering four Arm Cortex-A76 cores running at up to 2.4GHz, a next-generation Videocore-VII processor, and support for up to 8GB of LPDDR4x memory. Depending on the workload, you can enjoy up to a tripling of real-world performance — and an order of magnitude improvement in certain cryptographic operations. It's a worthwhile upgrade, in other words, but one presently only available to those who can fit a full-size Raspberry Pi in their projects.
That Raspberry Pi is working on bringing the benefits of the Broadcom BCM2712 to its Compute Module family is no secret: the company has already published advanced notification of a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 range, but without firming up a launch date or pricing. Now, though, it's looking like an announcement could be right around the corner — as accessories for the as-yet unavailable CM5 appear in the channel.
First spotted by Bret Weber, Raspberry Pi resellers have begun listing a range of Compute Module 5 accessories for sale: the Raspberry Pi CM5 IO Board, an updated version of the breakout board designed for the CM4 and featuring the same twin high-density board-to-board connectors; a metal housing for the CM5 IO Board, with bundled fan and cut-out for external Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antenna; and a Raspberry Pi CM5 Heatsink for passive cooling.
The devices have been listed for sale with an availability date of the 20th of November — but it's not yet known whether that's a firm launch date or a placeholder. Their presence in the product listings, though, suggests that the channel is gearing up for the CM5's launch, which could be as little as a month away.
More information is available on Weber's website.
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