On the sunny day of June 24th, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a beacon in the tech community for budget-friendly single-board computers, unveiled their latest creation. announced their fourth edition : the Raspberry Pi 4.
As soon as the news hit the airwaves, it rippled through the crypto community, where Raspberry Pi models are cherished by those passionate about decentralization, leveraging these devices for affordable full node operations and staking processes. Monero ( XMR ) and Tezos (XTZ) respectively.
Cryptocurrency aficionados are buzzing with excitement over the Pi 4, primarily due to its enhanced specs compared to its predecessor, yet it retains the wallet-friendly price tag of $35.
Eben Upton, the seasoned CEO at Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd., detailed the strides made with this new machine, highlighting how it's a quantum leap from its prior version, offering:
\"This overhaul affects nearly every aspect of our platform. We're now delivering a degree of performance that feels PC-like, all while preserving the tinkerer-friendly nature of the timeless Raspberry Pi series.\"
This technical leap has certainly set tongues wagging in the crypto economy, sparking optimism among various groups about the progressing decentralization journey and the newfound ability for users to personally verify blockchain ledgers.
Ethereum Enthusiasts Are Abuzz
Right off the bat, the Ethereum crowd seems most thrilled by this debut, Ethereum with stakeholders heralding the launch as a promising sign for the future crop of Ethereum validators.
I expect the new Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB RAM option, external SSD) to handle an Eth2 validator node without breaking a sweat. That's $100 of hardware running at 10 Watts to support a 32 ETH node (currently $10K stake).
— Justin Ðrake ???????? (@drakefjustin) June 24, 2019
The reasoning is straightforward; with the mandate of staking 32 ether to join the ranks of Ethereum 2.0 validators, the robust 4GB RAM Pi 4 emerges as a cost-effective powerhouse capable of managing an ETH 2.0 node effortlessly. As noted by Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, the Pi 4 tackles the challenge of operating an ETH 2.0 validator node effortlessly.
Notably, around $10,000 is the current expenditure required to amass 32 ETH. Therefore, investing in a Pi 4, which can efficiently put that ETH to use in validating the upcoming Beacon Chain of ETH 2.0, presents a minimal cost compared to acquiring the necessary ether amount to become a validator.
Let’s run ETH 2.0 on raspberry pi! https://t.co/tY8rXDMGJz
— ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.???????????? (@preston_vanloon) June 24, 2019
Looking at the bigger picture, Drake has been a trailblazer within the community, particularly regarding Ethereum's pivotal shift to ETH 2.0 via the multi-stage Serenity upgrade.
Back in May, Drake targeted June 30th as details unfold on when the code specification for "Phase Zero" of Serenity will be finalized, marking Ethereum's departure from proof-of-work mining in favor of proof-of-stake validation.
Fast forward to June 15th, during the 19th ETH 2.0 Implementers Call, stakeholders were advised that the code specification freeze remained in effect while developers honed their focus on eyeing the Devcon5 conference preparing for the Beacon Chain's “deposit contract ceremony,” allowing aspiring validators to lock in their ether at a specified location to vie for validator status.
During this meeting, Drake disclosed a provisional launch date for the Beacon Chain aimed for January 3rd, 2020 — coinciding with the eleventh anniversary of the Bitcoin blockchain's inception.
Pre-Synced Nodes Boosted
Raspberry Pi 4's debut also sparks interest in the plug-and-play blockchain node industry.
One notable product in this arena is the Casa Node, which utilizes Raspberry Pi boards in its build. With the Pi 4 now available, it's anticipated that more sophisticated pre-synced nodes will start to appear as both companies and individual users inch towards progressive tech advancements.
Of course, Satoshi Nakamoto Bitcoin's inception was tailored for widespread user inclusivity. This new Pi 4 iteration further simplifies how anyone can engage with blockchain technologies directly.
