The Broadcom BCM2712 is a significant advancement in the realm of System-on-Chip (SoC) designs, particularly within the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. Introduced as the heart of the Raspberry Pi 5, this processor brings notable improvements over its predecessors, catering to the growing demands of developers, hobbyists, and professionals alike. In this comprehensive analysis, we'll delve into the BCM2712's architecture, performance benchmarks, comparisons with other processors, and address frequently asked questions to provide a holistic understanding of its capabilities.
Architectural Overview
The BCM2712 is built on a 16nm process, featuring a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 CPU clocked at 2.4 GHz. This marks a substantial upgrade from the Cortex-A72 cores found in the previous BCM2711 SoC used in the Raspberry Pi 4. The Cortex-A76 architecture offers enhanced performance and energy efficiency, aligning with modern computing requirements.
1. Key Specifications:
• CPU: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 at 2.4 GHz
• GPU: VideoCore VII, supporting OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2
• Memory Support: Up to 16GB LPDDR4-4267 SDRAM with ECC
• Manufacturing Process: 16nm
• Thermal Design Power (TDP): 12W
These specifications position the BCM2712 as a robust solution for applications requiring reliable performance and advanced graphics capabilities.
2. CPU Cores and Base Frequency
The Raspberry Pi 5 B (Broadcom BCM2712) has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel. The clock frequency of the Raspberry Pi 5 B (Broadcom BCM2712) is 1.00 GHz (2.40 GHz). The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
3. NPU AI performance
The performance values of the processor's AI unit. The isolated NPU performance is specified here, the total AI performance (NPU+CPU+iGPU) can be higher. Processors with support for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors.
4. Integrated graphics (iGPU)
The Raspberry Pi 5 B (Broadcom BCM2712) has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short. Specifically, the Raspberry Pi 5 B (Broadcom BCM2712) uses the Broadcom VideoCore VII, which has 128 texture shaders and 8 execution units. The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
5. Hardware codec support
A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
6. Memory & PCIe
The processor can use up to 8 GB memory in 1 (Single Channel) memory channels. The maximum memory bandwidth is 17.1 GB/s. The memory type as well as the amount of memory can greatly affect the speed of the system.
7. Thermal Management
The thermal design power (TDP for short) of the processor is 12 W. The TDP specifies the necessary cooling solution that is required to cool the processor sufficiently. The TDP usually gives a rough idea of the actual power consumption of the CPU.
Performance Benchmarks
To evaluate the BCM2712's performance, several benchmarking tools were employed, including Geekbench 5 and PassMark.
1. Geekbench 5 Scores:
• Single-Core: 574 points
• Multi-Core: 1,635 points
These scores reflect the processor's ability to handle both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks efficiently.
2. PassMark Performance:
While specific PassMark scores for the BCM2712 are not publicly available, its architectural improvements suggest a significant performance boost over its predecessors.
Comparative Analysis
To contextualize the BCM2712's performance, let's compare it with other processors commonly used in single-board computers and similar devices.
| Specification | Broadcom BCM2712 | Rockchip RK3399 | Intel Celeron J4125 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Architecture | Quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 | Dual-core Cortex-A72 + Quad-core Cortex-A53 | Quad-core x86 (Gemini Lake) |
| Clock Speed | Up to 2.4 GHz | Up to 2.0 GHz | Up to 2.7 GHz |
| GPU | VideoCore VII | Mali-T860 MP4 | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Memory Support | Up to 16GB LPDDR4-4267 with ECC | Up to 4GB LPDDR4 | Up to 8GB DDR4 |
| Manufacturing Process | 16nm | 28nm | 14nm |
| TDP | 12W | 5W | 10W |
| Geekbench 5 Single-Core | 574 | 400 | 450 |
| Geekbench 5 Multi-Core | 1,635 | 1,200 | 1,500 |
Note: The above benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on specific implementations and testing conditions.
From the comparison, the BCM2712 demonstrates superior performance in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks, attributed to its advanced Cortex-A76 architecture and higher clock speeds. The inclusion of ECC memory support further enhances its reliability for critical applications.
Use Cases and Applications
The BCM2712's enhanced capabilities open up a broader range of applications:
• Desktop Computing: Improved CPU and GPU performance make it suitable for lightweight desktop environments.
• Edge Computing: Its processing power and energy efficiency are ideal for edge devices requiring real-time data processing.
• Media Centers: The advanced GPU supports high-definition video playback and streaming services.
• IoT Gateways: Robust connectivity options and processing capabilities make it suitable for managing IoT devices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What improvements does the BCM2712 offer over the BCM2711?
The BCM2712 features a more advanced CPU architecture (Cortex-A76 vs. Cortex-A72), higher clock speeds (2.4 GHz vs. 1.5 GHz), and support for larger, faster memory with ECC. These enhancements result in better performance and reliability.
2. Is the BCM2712 compatible with previous Raspberry Pi accessories?
While the BCM2712 maintains the Raspberry Pi's form factor, some accessories may require updates or may not be compatible due to changes in the SoC's architecture and interfaces. It's advisable to verify compatibility before use.
3. Can the BCM2712 handle 4K video playback?
Yes, the VideoCore VII GPU in the BCM2712 supports 4Kp60 HEVC decoding, enabling smooth 4K video playback.
4. What operating systems are supported on the BCM2712?
The BCM2712 supports various operating systems, including Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions optimized for ARM architectures.
5. How does the BCM2712's power consumption compare to its predecessors?
Despite its enhanced performance, the BCM2712 maintains a reasonable TDP of 12W, thanks to the 16nm manufacturing process, which offers improved energy efficiency over older models.
Conclusion
The Raspberry Pi 5 B processor (Broadcom BCM2712) is used exclusively in the fifth version of the ever-popular Raspberry Pi mini-computer. The Raspberry Pi 5 B came onto the market in the third quarter of 2023 and is very popular, so that there were always sold out warehouses and long delivery times. The processor is manufactured with a structure width of 16 nanometers and is based on a monolithic chip design. It is equipped with a 2.00 megabyte level 2 cache and the level 3 cache is also 2.00 megabytes in size. Linux and the ARM version of Windows are supported as operating systems. There is even its own distribution, the Raspberry Pi OS, which is based on Debian Linux.
The Broadcom BCM2712 is based on a normal processor core architecture with 4 identical processor cores. These are four Cortex-A76 cores that have a standard clock frequency of 1.00 gigahertz. The maximum turbo clock of the four processor cores is 2.40 gigahertz. Hyperthreading technology is not supported by the processor, so the processor has four physical and 4 logical cores available.
The in-house Broadcom VideoCore VII is used as the internal graphics unit. These were also published in the third quarter of 2023 and are also manufactured using the 16-nanometer process. The internal graphics unit, which is equipped with 8 execution units and 128 shader units, achieves an FP32 computing power of only 120 GigaFLOPS, which should make it clear that you can only run the simplest graphics applications here. Actually, it is only intended to set up the Raspberry Pi for the first time or to run a status monitor. The RAM of the Raspberry Pi 5 B is always soldered. It is equipped with 2, 4 or 8 gigabytes of LPDDR4X-4266 RAM.
The Broadcom BCM2712 represents a significant leap forward in the design and capabilities of SoCs within the Raspberry Pi lineup. Its advanced CPU and GPU architectures, coupled with support for high-speed, error-correcting memory, position it as a versatile solution for a wide array of applications, from educational tools to industrial automation.
Written by Icey Ye from AIChipLink.
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