Raspberry Pi comes with smaller and more economical Model A+

The foundation behind the tiny Raspberry Pi computer has announced Model A+. The A+ board is more compact than the A and B models. The mini computer would also consume less power and the board uses micro SD cards.

The soc, a 700MHz BCM2835 from Broadcom, and the 256MB of RAM have remained the same with the A+ compared to Model A. Also, only one USB connection is still available. However, the Raspberry Pi Foundation was able to make the board more compact; the minicomputer is 65mm long compared to 86mm on the old model. The board is also 42 percent thinner, according to the makers.

According to the makers, the new design also reduces power consumption. With a monitor connected to HDMI and a USB keyboard, the A+ would only consume 200mA compared to 370mA for the B+ board.

Compared to the old design, the A+ uses micro-SD cards. Fourteen extra gpio pins are also present to bring the total to forty pins. Existing hardware enhancements remain compatible with the board. The Raspberry Pi Model A+ costs 20 dollars, converted 15 euros.