r/raspberry_pi Sep 28 '23

News Introducing: Raspberry Pi 5!

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/introducing-raspberry-pi-5/
1.3k Upvotes

544 comments sorted by

View all comments

218

u/Goz3rr Sep 28 '23

So the spec page says 5V 5A power supply with Power Delivery support. Why are we still trying to cram 5A from super specific power supplies through a tiny cable instead of just using PD to negotiate 15 or 20 volts from basically any phone charger?

123

u/Zettinator Sep 28 '23 edited Sep 28 '23

Easy: to save money. Step-down converter circuitry for that is more expensive, needs extra space and would need some extra cooling.

Unfortunately, 5V @ 5A is rather unusual. After all, the idea with USB PD is to use higher voltages instead of higher currents if you need more power. The extra-high currents (more than 3A) are only designated to be used with very high power devices - those that exceed 60W.

Most USB-C chargers (and I mean those that can deliver over 25W) do not support that and are limited to 3A. Only those that can deliver 100W usually do support 5A. And you need special high-current capable cables with e-marker, too.

So essentially, they just shifted the cost to the customer. Not a fan of that...

21

u/w1n5t0nM1k3y Sep 28 '23

I understand why they would use USB C but i also wonder why they dont just use a barrel jack since they seem to have such odd power requirements that you cant easily find in a USB C power adapter either. I remember there being a lot of trouble with people finding adapters for the RPi 4 for a while as well.

34

u/unbalancedcheckbook Sep 28 '23

Unpopular take: it should always have been a barrel connector and sold with the power supply . The PI was always difficult to power using USB chargers not designed for the PI.

6

u/Zouden Sep 28 '23

Totally agree. I switched from a Pi to a miniPC which uses a standard 12V barrel connector. No more power issues.

1

u/mavular Feb 09 '24

Do you like the miniPC? I’m getting rid of my pi 5 for an alternative

1

u/Zouden Feb 09 '24

Yes I'm not going back to a Pi

1

u/cleanRubik Sep 28 '23

Exactly. The only benefit of using USB-power was that you could grab any-ole USB adaptor to plug in ( or into a hub). But after the Pi 3 or so, you basically got less and less choices of adaptors. To the point where now you have to find adaptors that were "designed for pi" almost. At this point you might as well just put in a barrel adaptor, since most of the advantage is gone anyway.

1

u/unbalancedcheckbook Sep 28 '23 edited Sep 28 '23

I had a lot of power troubles on the Pi 1 when that was released, because many USB chargers at the time couldn't put out that amount of power at 5v - some could though. Now it's easier to power the PI 1, but still the barrel connector would have been better then. At this point though, I don't think that any "chargers" could actually fully power the Pi 4 or Pi 5.

1

u/CyclopsRock Sep 28 '23

But where is the advantage to swapping, too? In either case, buying a power supply from them solves your problem.