Yesterday, the Raspberry Pi Foundation officially released the new version of Raspberry Pi 3B+, with an upgraded processor that features a metal shell package beneficial for heat dissipation, and improved network capabilities. The overall performance and specifications of the new Raspberry Pi 3B+ surpass those of its predecessor, Raspberry Pi 3B.

Now let’s take a look at some new features of the latest member of the Raspberry Pi series, the Raspberry Pi 3B+.

Raspberry Pi 3B+ Specifications

• CPU: Broadcom BCM2837B0 Quad-core A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit @ 1.4GHz

• GPU: Broadcom Videocore-IV

• Memory: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM

• Network: Gigabit Ethernet (via USB2.0 channel, max throughput 300Mbps), Dual-band Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz, supports 802.11b/g/n/ac

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2, Low Energy Bluetooth (BLE)

• Storage: Micro-SD

• GPIO: 40-pin GPIO header

• Other Interfaces: HDMI, 3.5mm analog audio/video jack, 4x USB 2.0, Ethernet, Camera Serial Interface (CSI), Display Serial Interface (DSI)

• Dimensions: 82mm x 56mm x 19.5mm, 50g

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Raspberry Pi 3B+ Upgrade Highlights:

• Faster 1.4GHz CPU

Although it shares the same underlying design as its predecessor, the new Raspberry Pi 3B+’s BCM2837 system on chip (SoC) has improved packaging with a heatsink that helps boost its performance from 1.2GHz to 1.4GHz.

• Faster Network (Gigabit Ethernet via USB2.0 expansion)

With a single USB channel, the new USB Ethernet controller provides gigabit connections with a theoretical maximum throughput of 300Mb/s.

• Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi

Compared to its predecessor, the new dual-band radio module and antenna design inspired by Pi Zero W enhances connectivity for Pi 3B+.

You will need to upgrade Raspbian to the latest version to use the new wireless LAN chip. You can download the latest image file from the Raspberry Pi download page or connect via Ethernet, open the terminal, and type the following:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

• Supports Power over Ethernet (PoE)

An optional Power over Ethernet (PoE) HAT module is available separately to power the Pi 3B+.

• Power Management

Finally, a smart power management integrated circuit (PMIC) replaces discrete components and provides smoother power delivery.

Raspberry Pi 3B+ Performance Benchmark Tests

Seeing is believing. While the official claims that the performance of the 3B+ has been comprehensively improved, the actual performance can only be revealed through real benchmark tests.

• Python GPIO Test

Driving GPIO pins via Python may lead to CPU bottlenecks, as demonstrated by the simplest programs: recording the fastest frequency needed to turn GPIO on and off by connecting a frequency counter to the GPIO. Note that the versions of the GPIO driver and Python will affect these results.

Raspberry Pi – Benchmark Python GPIO (higher values are better)

• SysBench CPU

SysBench’s CPU test emphasizes comprehensive benchmarking of the central processing unit, highlighting performance gains for CPU-bound applications—especially those that can leverage multiple processing cores on Pi 2, Pi 3, and Pi 3B+.

Raspberry Pi Benchmark SysBench CPU (lower values are better)

• SysBench Memory Throughput

Not all applications are limited by available CPU performance; some depend on memory throughput—how fast data can be written to and read from RAM. The SysBench memory test executes repeated 1KB reads and writes, then reports throughput in megabytes per second (MB/s).

Raspberry Pi Benchmark SysBench Memory Throughput (higher values are better).

• Ethernet Throughput

The Ethernet port, which shares bandwidth with the USB 2.0 channel, has always been the last feature of Raspberry Pi designs that could be upgraded. This test copies an uncompressible 100MB file to each test Pi, showing that the gigabit Ethernet performance of the Pi 3B+ far exceeds that of the 3B.

Raspberry Pi Benchmark Ethernet Throughput (higher values are better)

• Power Consumption

Performance improvements are always welcome, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The performance enhancements of the 3B+ inevitably push the power consumption of the Raspberry Pi to new heights. This test measures desktop power consumption with an HDMI monitor, wireless keyboard, and (where applicable) Ethernet connection, showing that older Pi models may be better suited for battery-powered and embedded applications, while stable use of the 3B+ will require consideration of its power supply and heat dissipation.

Raspberry Pi – Benchmark Power Draw (lower test results are better, measured with HDMI, wireless USB keyboard dongle, and Ethernet connection on desktop)