How do I check which Raspberry Pi model I own?
How do I check which Raspberry Pi model I own?
Fastest: read the model name directly from the system with the command cat /proc/device-tree/model; alternatively use the code "Revision" from cat /proc/cpuinfo, or identify the board by physical features (port layout, power button on Pi 5).
Read the model in a running system
The simplest method is to read from the Device Tree. The /proc/device-tree/model file returns the full name, e.g. "Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Rev 1.4" or "Raspberry Pi 5". This information comes from the firmware/bootloader and is independent of the Linux distribution. When you need more detail, check the cat /proc/cpuinfo line Revision and from this match the revision of the board according to a table in line with the Raspberry Pi documentation. This is a sure way of identification also if the model name is abbreviated or you want to distinguish between minor revisions of the same generation.
Recognition by mechanical features and connectors
If the system does not boot, you can recognise the model by the PCB and connectors. The Raspberry Pi 5 is the only one with a built-in power button near the edge, which immediately distinguishes it from the Raspberry Pi 4 and older boards without one. This is a distinctive feature of the Pi 5 and the simplest 'visual test'. Another difference is the high-bandwidth interfaces. The Pi 5 provides native PCIe 2.0 x1, used, among other things, by the official M.2 HAT for NVMe drives; on the Pi 4 faster media are connected via USB 3.0. When you see a dedicated PCIe pinout and a new I/O chip (RP1) on the board, you are dealing with the Pi 5; their absence suggests the Pi 4. The 40-pin GPIO header remains electrically backwards-compatible on both generations, so the 'comb' alone isn't enough to distinguish the models, but it does confirm that you're dealing with a full-size Pi family board (rather than a Pico/RP2040).
When it is useful to identify the revision
Knowing the exact model and revision is important because it affects accessory compatibility and system configuration. The Pi 5 has different enclosure mechanics and port placement than the Pi 4, as well as higher power and cooling requirements. Recognising that it is a Pi 5 prompts the selection of a 27W power supply and active cooling; in the case of the Pi 4, a lower wattage kit and simpler Heatsinks are often sufficient. This saves time in diagnosing 'black screen', undervoltage or throttling and makes it easier to select the correct system images and EEPROM firmware, which in newer boards controls the boot order (SD/USB/PCIe/network).
When the system is not working and you cannot access the console
The model is sometimes printed directly on the Laminates, usually in the form "Raspberry Pi 4 Model B" or "Raspberry Pi 5". It's also easy to tell the generations apart by looking at the edges: Pi 5 has a power button and preparation for PCIe/HAT M.2, Pi 4 - two micro-HDMI and no button. If in doubt, when booted from any Raspberry Pi OS image, reading /proc/device-tree/model gives a clear answer.
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