The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B was released in June 2019 with a 1.5 GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 processor, on-board 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, full gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and dual-monitor support via a pair of micro HDMI ports for up to 4K resolution.
Raspberry Pi 400 was released in November 2020. It is a Raspberry Pi 4 built into a compact keyboard. Because it is a Raspberry Pi 4, the Raspberry Pi 400 has almost the exact specifications as the Raspberry Pi 4, with 4 GB of memory.
As such, it also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There are some differences, however. In short, the Raspberry Pi 400 is quite a powerful keyboard computer with Wi-Fi and USB.
Raspberry Pi 400 & Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Specs
Since the Raspberry Pi 400 is based on the Raspberry Pi 4, most computer features are the same.
| Raspberry Pi 400 | Raspberry Pi 4 Model B | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Release Date | November 2020 | June 2019 |
| SoC Type (Processor) | Broadcom BCM2711C0 | Broadcom BCM2711B0 |
| Core Type | Quad Core Cortex-A72 64-bit (ARM v8) | Quad Core Cortex-A72 64-bit (ARM v8) |
| CPU Clock | 1.8 GHz | 1.5 GHz |
| GPU | VideoCore VI | VideoCore VI |
| Audio Output | HDMI | HDMI or 3.5mm Audio & Video Jack |
| Memory/OS storage | microSD or USB Boot | microSD or USB Boot |
| RAM | LPDDR4: 4GB | LPDDR4: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB |
| Ethenet | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB Port | 2 x USB 3.0 + 1 x USB 2.0 | 2 x USB 3.0 + 2 x USB 2.0 |
| HDMI | 2 x microHDMI support Dual Display (up to 1 x 4Kp60 or 2 x 4Kp30) | 2 x microHDMI support Dual Display (up to 1 x 4Kp60 or 2 x 4Kp30) |
| WiFi | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz+5GHz) | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz+5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + BLE | 5.0 + BLE |
| GPIO | 40-pin Header | 40-pin Header |
| Thermal Performance | Built-in Heatsink | NA |
| Power Input | 5V via USB Type C (up to 3A) | 5V via USB Type C (up to 3A) 5V via GPIO header (up to 3A) |
| DSI Port | NA | 1mm pitch 15-pin Port |
| CSI Port | NA | 1mm pitch 15-pin Port |
| Kensington Lock | Ready | NA |
You might notice in the Pi 400’s specs a new, higher default clock speed than you get with the year-old Pi 4 Model B. It’s clocked at 1.8 GHz out of the box, while the Pi 4 Model B is at 1.5 GHz.
But you can overclock a Pi 4 to that level quickly, given adequate cooling.
However, the Pi 400, with its overclocked CPU, can a little better handle more CPU-intensive tasks like opening multiple internet tabs, streaming videos, and multitasking.
Other differences are that the Raspberry Pi 400 only offers HDMI for audio output, whereas the Pi 4 also has a 3.5mm audio and video jack. There’s also one fewer USB 2.0 port on the Raspberry Pi 400.
Price
There are two packages for the Raspberry Pi 400: the basic and the complete kit, for $70 and $100, respectively.
The basic kit includes only Raspberry Pi 400 in itself. The extra $30 (complete kit) gets you:
- Raspberry Pi 400
- USB mouse
- USB-C power supply
- SD card with Raspberry Pi OS pre-installed
- micro HDMI cable for the display
- Raspberry Pi Beginner’s Guide.
On the other hand, the Raspberry Pi 4 4GB RAM costs $55.
Is the Raspberry Pi 400 for you?
The Raspberry Pi 400 is a well-designed, easy-to-use cheap computer to surf the Internet with. Its nice looks will attract users who, up to now, might have been intimidated by the bare Raspberry Pi boards. It is a great general purpose computer-in-a-keyboard.
You can use the Pi 400 like you would use a regular Raspberry Pi 4. Which is best for you depends on what you’re going to do. So, is the Raspberry Pi 400 for you?
The answer is simple: If you want a Raspberry Pi to use as a traditional computer, you want the Raspberry Pi 400.
But Raspberry Pi 400 isn’t a device for hardware hackers. As Raspberry Pi notes in the user manual:
There are no user-serviceable parts inside Raspberry Pi 400, and opening the unit is likely to damage the product and will invalidate the warranty.
Overall, the Raspberry Pi 4 and Pi 400 perform the same. You can use the Pi 400 or the Pi 4 to do the same things because they’re essentially the same except for the keyboard that doubles as an enclosure. Which one to use is up to you.
What is the point of the article if “Which one to use is up to you”?
Hi Macy,
Thank you for your comment. The point of the article is to give the user an idea of what to expect from both devices. Based on that information, to decide which would work better for its needs and preferences.
I was wondering if 400 (which is available at shop) would be as good as 4 (which is out of stock for couple of months) and your article provided me with enough information in easy to consume way.
Thanks.
thanks for these details
I’m happy to help! 🙂
but how about if you compare pi 4 with 8mb of ram and pi 400 with 4mb of ram, are the performance still the same ?!?
Thank you for your post I was debating buying a pi 4 they’re either out of stock or five times the price on Amazon. The 400 although double the price is available and that’s not too bad
Can I use the raspberry pi 400 for text detection on a USB webcam.