Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+

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Overview

The Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+, released in July 2014, was a refinement of the original Raspberry Pi 1 Model B. It kept the same BCM2835 processor and 512 MB of RAM but improved nearly every other aspect of the hardware: the USB port count doubled from 2 to 4, the full-size SD card slot was replaced with a push-push microSD slot, the GPIO header expanded from 26 pins to 40 pins, and power consumption was reduced.

Most significantly, the 40-pin GPIO layout introduced on the B+ became the standard for every subsequent Raspberry Pi model. HATs (Hardware Attached on Top) were defined around this connector, and the same pinout is found on all Raspberry Pi boards to this day.

Key Features

• Broadcom BCM2835 single-core ARM1176JZF-S at 700 MHz
• 512 MB SDRAM
• No Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth (USB dongle required)
• 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet
• 4× USB 2.0 ports (doubled from 2× on original Pi 1 B)
• 40-pin GPIO header — the layout that became the standard for all future Raspberry Pi boards
• Full-size HDMI output up to 1080p
• Combined 3.5mm audio and composite video jack
• CSI camera connector and DSI display connector
• MicroSD card slot (replaced full-size SD of original Pi 1 B)
• Lower power consumption than Pi 1 Model B

Technical Specifications

Pinout

The Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+ introduced the 40-pin GPIO header that became the standard across the entire Raspberry Pi family. Earlier models used a 26-pin header; the B+ extended this with additional GPIO, power, and ground pins while maintaining backward compatibility with the original 26-pin layout.

Power Pins

Pins 1 and 17 supply 3.3V. Pins 2 and 4 supply 5V. Ground is available on pins 6, 9, 14, 20, 25, 30, 34, and 39.

GPIO Pins

All GPIO pins operate at 3.3V logic. The BCM2835 GPIO pins are not 5V tolerant. Use a level shifter or voltage divider when interfacing with 5V logic devices.

Communication Interfaces

Power

The Pi 1 Model B+ consumes less power than the original Pi 1 Model B. A 5V/2A supply is sufficient under most conditions. Its lower power draw makes it suitable for modest battery or solar-powered setups.

On-Board Components

Getting Started

What You Need

• Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+
• MicroSD card (4 GB minimum, Class 4 or faster)
• 5V/2A micro-USB power supply
• HDMI cable and monitor
• USB keyboard and mouse

Step 1 — Flash the OS

Download Raspberry Pi Imager and flash a compatible OS image. Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit, Legacy) is recommended for the Pi 1, as later OS versions may drop support for the ARMv6 architecture.

Step 2 — First Boot

Insert the microSD card into the slot on the underside of the board. Connect HDMI, keyboard, and mouse, then plug in the micro-USB power supply. The system boots automatically.

Step 3 — Initial Configuration

On first boot, run sudo raspi-config to set locale, timezone, expand the filesystem, and enable SSH or other interfaces as needed.

Step 4 — GPIO Blink Example

Connect an LED with a 330Ω resistor between GPIO 18 and a ground pin. Run the following Python script:

Programming

Python

Python 2 and Python 3 are both available on legacy Raspberry Pi OS builds for the Pi 1. The RPi.GPIO library provides GPIO access. Note that some newer Python packages may not support ARMv6.

C and C++

C and C++ are well suited to the Pi 1's limited resources. GCC is available on Raspberry Pi OS. The wiringPi library provides GPIO access from C programs.

Scratch

Scratch 1.4 runs on legacy Raspberry Pi OS. Scratch 3 requires a more powerful board.

Applications

• Introduction to Linux and programming concepts
• Lightweight web server
• Serial data logger or sensor node
• Simple GPIO control and automation
• Low-power always-on embedded application

Where to Buy

• Amazon — Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+
• Available secondhand on eBay and electronics surplus markets

Equivalent Boards

Documentation

• Raspberry Pi Documentation
• BCM2835 Processor Info
• GPIO Reference

Notes

• The Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+ is compatible with all standard 40-pin Raspberry Pi HATs. It was the board that established the HAT specification and the 40-pin header standard.
• The BCM2835 uses the ARMv6 instruction set. Some modern software packages are compiled only for ARMv7 or ARMv8 and will not run on the Pi 1 without recompilation.
• Raspberry Pi OS dropped official support for ARMv6 (Pi 1 and Pi Zero) in later releases. Use the Legacy (Bullseye) image for best compatibility.
• The Pi 1 Model B+ is best suited to lightweight, always-on tasks such as a simple sensor logger, time server, or serial gateway.

Community

• Raspberry Pi Forums — official community
• r/raspberry_pi (Reddit) — share projects
• Raspberry Pi Discord — real-time chat

Revision History