Revision Codes & Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3E
Table of contents
One year ago
The original draft of this article dates back to June 2022, where this was news. News like new information.
Since I wrote some lines about this “new” Compute Module, I used this topic to improve my benchmark script and mainly wrote an own list of all the known revision codes.
Revision Codes
The Raspberry Pi Foundation and its documentation provides a list of revision codes1. This list is almost complete, but it lacks of some information.
Since the documentation is hosted on GitHub, someone could update the list and submit a pull request. Been there, done that2. I tried to update the list with information about the new Compute Module 4S, but it was rejected that time. Most likely because it was the CM4S, not available for the consumer market, but I don’t know for sure.
Nowadays the revision codes are half-way updated for the CM4S, but not entirely. All I can do is trying to help, but help is not accepted, I have to do it on my own.
I need all the information for my benchmark script, since it tries to idenfity your RPi model on start.
You can find my list of all the revision codes here.
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3E
Now back to June 2022…
Well…I guess now we have all the Compute Module we can imagine. After reading Jeff Geerling’s article3, there seems to be just another Compute Module out there in the wild.
On 09.06.2022 the User Pi0CKET posted a picture of Compute Module 3E4, which he found inside of an EV-charger from Wallbox5.
On the front it says it’s “Made in the UK”, where the back says “PCB made in P.R.C” (People’s Republic of China) and it was built on 4221 (mid to end October 2021).
This module isn’t listed on the official website, not even a hint inside the repositories is shown.
The Hardware
If you look at the pictures, you’ll see the SiP from the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, which was released last year: RP3A0-AU
Inside the RP3A0-AU works a BCM2710A1 SoC, basically it’s a BCM2837 with built-in RAM.
Since there is no official documentation, we only can assume the details.
Without proper identification from the firmware (no revision code), the CM3E should be identified as a Zero 2 W.
Availability
Without any official information and looking at the CM4S, the CM3E is just another Compute Module only for selected industrial customers and the Raspberry Pi Foundation don’t want to talk about it.
I kinda support that industrial customers get special versions to get there products running, but I have no idea, why these must be such a secret? At least keep you documentation up-to-date.
We have a global chip-shortage, we all know this, but talk about your products.
Acting like a open-minded company, but keeping knowledge secret. Why???
Now, 1 yerar after writing these lines, nothing has changed.
Overclocking (forecast)
With a RP3A0-AU, most likely clocked at 1.000 MHz, there will be plenty room for overclocking.
With my first overclocking-tests of the Zero 2 W, the SiP was able to be clocked to almost 1.5 GHz. Since I didn’t got another RPi Zero 2, I wasn’t able to see if 1.6 GHz ist the limit set by firmware.
Cooling a SODIMM Compute Module is always a bit challenging, but it should be possible to reach decent results.
HWBOT Prime Benchmark Script - Version 3.7
Just a small update for my script to identify the newest revisions of the RPi models.
Feel free to give it a try.6