TL;DR
Get the latest gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Device-tree files in Raspberry Pi’s Linux kernel tree identify a Raspberry Pi Zero 3 W and a Raspberry Pi 4 Model A. The files point to BCM2711 processors in both and suggest different designs, but Raspberry Pi has not announced either product, and several details remain uncertain.
Device-tree files for two unannounced Raspberry Pi boards—a Raspberry Pi Zero 3 W and a Raspberry Pi 4 Model A—have appeared in the company’s Linux kernel tree, according to reports by bret.dk and Phoronix. The entries point to Broadcom BCM2711 processors in both designs, but they are not a product announcement: Raspberry Pi has not confirmed the boards, their specifications, prices or release timing.
The Zero 3 W entry names the BCM2711 system-on-chip, the quad-core Cortex-A72 processor used in the Raspberry Pi 4 family. That would be a substantial architectural change from the Zero 2 W, which uses a quad-core 1GHz Cortex-A53-based RP3A0. The device tree does not specify the new board’s clock speeds, however, so it cannot establish how fast the chip would run in the smaller form factor.
The file also describes one HDMI output, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, a single activity LED, and a 40-pin GPIO layout with ID EEPROM pins. It defines a power button on GPIO 46 and includes SPI flash-related GPIO names, which the bret.dk report interprets as signs of a bootloader arrangement similar to the Pi 4’s. These entries describe software configuration; they do not, by themselves, confirm that every feature will appear on a retail board.
The Pi 4 Model A entry indicates a BCM2711-based board without Ethernet, with one HDMI output and microSD storage. It lacks configured analogue audio and composite video features. The file’s antenna control lines and overlay parameters suggest possible external antenna switching, similar to the Compute Module 4, though that interpretation is not confirmed by Raspberry Pi. USB details are not specified in the available device-tree information.
A Faster Zero and a Smaller Pi 4
If these entries correspond to products that reach market, they could broaden Raspberry Pi’s choices at two familiar points in its range: a compact Zero-format board with a newer processor and a more stripped-down Pi 4 Model A. A BCM2711-based Zero could offer a different balance of size and computing capability from the Zero 2 W, while a Model A could provide Pi 4-family hardware for projects that do not need built-in Ethernet or multiple display outputs.
The practical value depends on details the files do not settle. The Zero’s operating speed, cooling, memory, price and power use would shape whether its processor can be used effectively in a small board. For the Model A, the final USB layout, wireless antenna options and price would determine how useful the omissions are to buyers. At this stage, the files are evidence of development activity, not confirmed performance or availability.
Products Worth Considering
DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Gimbal Camera Pro Kit, 18-Piece Bundle
Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SH) 4K Gaming Monitor
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (12th Generation, 2024), 16 GB, 7-inch Display, Jade
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Two Boards Fit
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W launched about five years before the report, according to bret.dk. It retained the Zero line’s compact, low-cost approach while using a quad-core Cortex-A53-based processor. A successor built around BCM2711 would represent a shift to the Cortex-A72 generation associated with the Raspberry Pi 4, though the kernel entry gives no clock-speed information and does not establish the finished board’s performance.
Model A boards have historically pared back features found on Model B versions, often omitting Ethernet and reducing the number of ports. Raspberry Pi’s previous board in that line was the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+, released in 2018; the report also notes a Raspberry Pi 3 Model A from 2017. The newly spotted Pi 4 Model A configuration appears consistent with a smaller feature set, including one HDMI output and no Ethernet, but a final physical layout and price have not been announced.
Device trees describe hardware to the Linux operating system, so they can expose details being prepared in software before a product is introduced. They can also contain development leftovers, shared configurations or options that are changed before release. The report cautions that the two files share copied configuration details, including a duplicated line name in the Zero entry. That makes it especially important to treat less direct clues—such as PCIe connections or storage choices—as tentative.
““there’s no official announcement just yet””
— bret.dk report
Key Hardware Details Remain Unverified
Raspberry Pi has not confirmed either board. There is no official specification, announcement, price, release date or explanation of whether the device-tree entries describe final hardware. The BCM2711 identification is present in the files, but the Zero’s clock speed, memory configuration, thermal performance and power draw are not established by the information reported.
Some apparent features are more speculative than others. The Zero file’s eMMC-related configuration could be a development option or leftover rather than a shipping storage feature; bret.dk expects microSD may remain the practical choice. PCIe enablement, associated signal names and a four-lane camera configuration also do not prove that users will get exposed PCIe connectivity or a particular camera interface. For the Model A, the possible external antenna support is an interpretation of control lines and overlay names, and the USB port count and standards remain unknown.
Official Details Must Follow
The next reliable milestone would be a Raspberry Pi announcement or published product documentation confirming whether either board is planned and setting out its actual hardware. Further changes to the Linux kernel tree may clarify which configurations are retained, but software files alone cannot settle retail specifications. Until Raspberry Pi provides confirmation, release timing, prices and several of the reported features remain open.
Key Questions
Has Raspberry Pi announced the Zero 3 W or Pi 4 Model A?
No. The reports describe device-tree entries found in Raspberry Pi’s Linux kernel tree. Raspberry Pi has not officially announced either board in the source material.
What processor do the device trees identify?
Both entries name the Broadcom BCM2711, a quad-core Cortex-A72 chip used in the Raspberry Pi 4 family. The files do not confirm clock speeds or finished-board performance.
What features are indicated for the Zero 3 W?
The entry indicates one HDMI output, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, a 40-pin GPIO layout and a single activity LED. A power-button definition and SPI flash-related lines appear in the file, but they do not confirm the final retail design.
Will the Pi 4 Model A have an external antenna or USB 3?
The antenna control lines suggest possible external antenna switching, but this is an interpretation rather than a confirmed specification. The device-tree information reported does not identify the board’s USB ports or standards.
When will either board go on sale, and how much will it cost?
No launch date or price has been announced. Both remain unconfirmed developments based on software-tree entries.
Source: bret.dk
