Understanding Raspberry Pi Processors: BCM2711, BCM2837, and Beyond

If you’ve ever designed a custom carrier board or debugged a Raspberry Pi project at 2 AM, you know that understanding the underlying raspberry pi processor architecture isn’t just academic—it’s essential. As someone who’s spent years working with these SoCs on the bench, I want to walk you through everything you need to know about the BCM2711, BCM2837, and their predecessors.

Why the Raspberry Pi Processor Matters for Your Projects

The heart of every Raspberry Pi is its Broadcom System-on-Chip (SoC). When you’re selecting a Pi for an embedded application, industrial controller, or edge computing project, the processor determines your thermal budget, power consumption, and computational headroom. Getting this wrong means redesigning your enclosure, rethinking your power supply, or worse—starting over entirely.

The two most common processors you’ll encounter in production environments today are the BCM2837 (found in the Pi 3 series) and the BCM2711 (powering the Pi 4 and Compute Module 4). Each has distinct characteristics that affect everything from boot time to long-term reliability.

BCM2837: The Workhorse That Defined Modern Pi

BCM2837 Technical Overview

The BCM2837 marked Broadcom’s first 64-bit ARM processor for the Raspberry Pi lineup. Released in 2016 with the Pi 3 Model B, this chip finally gave hobbyists and professionals alike a legitimate computing platform.

From a PCB design standpoint, the BCM2837 presents some interesting challenges. The chip runs hot—really hot under sustained load. I’ve measured junction temperatures exceeding 80°C in poorly ventilated enclosures, which explains why thermal throttling complaints dominated the Pi forums for years.

BCM2837 Core Specifications

Specification	BCM2837 Details
CPU Architecture	ARM Cortex-A53 (64-bit)
Core Count	4 cores
Clock Speed	1.2 GHz (Pi 3B) / 1.4 GHz (Pi 3B+)
Manufacturing Process	40nm
GPU	VideoCore IV @ 400 MHz
Memory Interface	LPDDR2 (shared with GPU)
Thermal Design	Passive cooling recommended

BCM2837 in Real-World Applications

The BCM2837’s reliability has made it a staple in industrial applications where the Pi 4’s extra horsepower isn’t necessary. I’ve deployed dozens of BCM2837-based systems for data logging, protocol conversion, and simple HMI applications. The processor handles Python scripts, Node-RED flows, and lightweight databases without breaking a sweat.

Where the BCM2837 struggles is video encoding, machine learning inference, and any application requiring sustained multi-threaded performance. The 40nm process simply can’t dissipate heat fast enough for demanding workloads.

BCM2711: The Performance Leap We Needed

BCM2711 Architecture Deep Dive

When Broadcom released the BCM2711 in 2019, it represented more than an incremental upgrade—it was a fundamental rethinking of what a raspberry pi processor could achieve. The jump to Cortex-A72 cores and a 28nm process node delivered roughly three times the performance of its predecessor.

For embedded designers, the BCM2711 finally made the Raspberry Pi viable for applications previously requiring more expensive industrial SBCs. Native Gigabit Ethernet (with its own dedicated bus), USB 3.0 support, and PCIe connectivity opened doors that were firmly closed before.

BCM2711 Technical Specifications

Specification	BCM2711 Details
CPU Architecture	ARM Cortex-A72 (64-bit)
Core Count	4 cores
Clock Speed	1.5 GHz (1.8 GHz with overvoltage)
Manufacturing Process	28nm
GPU	VideoCore VI @ 500 MHz
Memory Support	LPDDR4 (up to 8GB)
PCIe	1x PCIe 2.0 lane
USB	2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

BCM2711 Performance Characteristics

The performance difference between the BCM2711 and BCM2837 isn’t just about clock speeds. The Cortex-A72’s out-of-order execution pipeline and improved branch prediction deliver significantly better IPC (instructions per clock). In my benchmarks, compiling the Linux kernel takes roughly 40% less time on BCM2711 compared to BCM2837 at equivalent clock rates.

Memory bandwidth also improved dramatically. The move to LPDDR4 and a wider memory bus means the BCM2711 doesn’t bottleneck on memory-intensive applications the way earlier processors did. This matters enormously for image processing, database operations, and any workload that touches large datasets.

BCM2711 vs BCM2837: Head-to-Head Comparison

Comprehensive Processor Comparison Table

Feature	BCM2837	BCM2711	Improvement
CPU Cores	Cortex-A53 x4	Cortex-A72 x4	~3x IPC
Base Clock	1.2-1.4 GHz	1.5 GHz	+7-25%
Process Node	40nm	28nm	Better efficiency
Max RAM	1GB	8GB	8x capacity
Ethernet	USB 2.0 based	Native Gigabit	True 1Gbps
USB 3.0	No	Yes	5Gbps capable
H.265 Decode	No	Yes	4K60 support
PCIe	No	Yes (1 lane)	NVMe, etc.
Typical TDP	4-5W	6-7W	Modest increase

Choosing Between BCM2837 and BCM2711

Your choice between these processors should be driven by specific project requirements rather than specs on paper. Here’s my practical guidance after deploying both in production environments.

Choose BCM2837 (Pi 3 series) when:

• Power budget is extremely tight (battery applications)
• Thermal dissipation is severely constrained
• Your software stack is already validated on this platform
• Cost per unit matters more than performance
• The application is I/O-bound rather than CPU-bound

Choose BCM2711 (Pi 4 / CM4) when:

• Network throughput above 300 Mbps is required
• You need USB 3.0 for storage or peripherals
• Memory requirements exceed 1GB
• Video decoding or display beyond 1080p is needed
• Future-proofing justifies the additional cost

Evolution of Raspberry Pi Processors

The Complete Broadcom SoC Lineup

Model	Processor	Year	Architecture	Key Advancement
Pi 1	BCM2835	2012	ARM1176JZF-S	First Pi processor
Pi 2	BCM2836	2015	Cortex-A7	First quad-core
Pi 3	BCM2837	2016	Cortex-A53	First 64-bit
Pi 3B+	BCM2837B0	2018	Cortex-A53	Metal heat spreader
Pi 4	BCM2711	2019	Cortex-A72	PCIe, USB 3.0
Pi 5	BCM2712	2023	Cortex-A76	16nm, 2.4GHz

BCM2712 and the Future

The newest raspberry pi processor, the BCM2712, pushes performance even further with Cortex-A76 cores and a 16nm process. However, for many industrial and embedded applications, the BCM2711 remains the sweet spot—offering proven reliability, extensive software support, and readily available Compute Modules.

Practical Considerations for PCB Engineers

Thermal Management Strategies

Both the BCM2837 and BCM2711 require careful thermal planning. The BCM2711’s heat spreader helps, but don’t rely on it alone for enclosed applications. My rule of thumb: budget for active cooling if sustained loads exceed 50% CPU utilization, or if ambient temperature exceeds 35°C.

Thermal interface materials matter more than most engineers realize. A proper thermal pad between the processor and your heatsink can reduce junction temperature by 10-15°C compared to air gaps or cheap thermal paste.

Power Supply Design

The BCM2711’s higher performance comes with increased power demands. While the processor itself is reasonably efficient, the supporting peripherals (especially USB 3.0 devices) can push total system draw above 3A. Design your power path for 5.1V at 3A minimum, with proper bulk capacitance near the SoC.

Useful Resources for Raspberry Pi Processor Development

Official Documentation and Datasheets

Resource	Description	Link Type
BCM2711 Datasheet	Official peripheral documentation	Broadcom/RPi Foundation
BCM2837 ARM Peripherals	Memory-mapped register reference	RPi Foundation GitHub
Raspberry Pi Hardware Documentation	Schematics, mechanical drawings	raspberrypi.com/documentation
Compute Module 4 Datasheet	CM4 integration guide	raspberrypi.com
Linux Kernel Source	bcm2711/bcm2837 device trees	github.com/raspberrypi/linux

Development Tools

• Raspberry Pi Imager: Official tool for SD card preparation
• rpi-eeprom: Bootloader update utility for BCM2711
• vcgencmd: Command-line tool for processor monitoring and configuration
• stress-ng: Essential for thermal and stability testing

Frequently Asked Questions About Raspberry Pi Processors

What is the main difference between BCM2711 and BCM2837?

The BCM2711 uses ARM Cortex-A72 cores while the BCM2837 uses Cortex-A53 cores. This architectural difference, combined with the BCM2711’s 28nm process (vs 40nm), delivers approximately three times better performance. The BCM2711 also adds native Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, and PCIe support that the BCM2837 lacks entirely.

Can I run 64-bit operating systems on BCM2837?

Yes, the BCM2837 fully supports 64-bit ARM operating systems. Both Raspberry Pi OS and Ubuntu offer 64-bit images compatible with BCM2837-based Pi 3 models. However, memory limitations (1GB maximum) may make 32-bit more practical for memory-constrained applications.

How hot does the BCM2711 processor get under load?

Without active cooling, the BCM2711 can reach 80-85°C under sustained full load, triggering thermal throttling at 85°C. With proper heatsinking, expect 60-70°C under load. Active cooling (small fan) typically keeps temperatures below 50°C even during stress testing.

Is the BCM2711 suitable for industrial applications?

The BCM2711 and its Compute Module 4 variant are increasingly used in industrial applications. The processor operates reliably within its specified temperature range (-20°C to 85°C for industrial CM4 variants). Long-term availability commitments from the Raspberry Pi Foundation make it viable for production designs.

Which Raspberry Pi processor should I choose for machine learning?

For edge ML inference, the BCM2711 significantly outperforms the BCM2837 due to its Cortex-A72 cores and higher memory bandwidth. The 4GB or 8GB RAM variants are recommended for TensorFlow Lite or PyTorch inference workloads. For training or heavy inference, consider pairing with external accelerators via USB 3.0 or PCIe.

Wrapping Up

Understanding the nuances between the BCM2711, BCM2837, and other Broadcom SoCs isn’t just about reading datasheets—it’s about knowing how these chips behave in real enclosures, under real loads, running real applications. The raspberry pi processor ecosystem has matured remarkably since 2012, and today’s options give engineers legitimate choices for production embedded systems.

Whether you’re designing a custom carrier board, selecting a platform for a new product, or optimizing an existing deployment, the processor choice fundamentally shapes your project’s success. Take time to understand these chips, prototype thoroughly, and don’t underestimate thermal management. Your future self—debugging at 2 AM—will thank you.