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Device-tree files in Raspberry Pi’s Linux kernel tree describe a Raspberry Pi Zero 3 W and a Raspberry Pi 4 Model A. Both appear to use the BCM2711 processor, but key details—including release plans, clock speeds, pricing and final hardware—remain unconfirmed.
Device-tree files for an apparent Raspberry Pi Zero 3 W and Raspberry Pi 4 Model A have appeared in Raspberry Pi’s Linux kernel tree, revealing possible hardware configurations for two boards the company has not announced. The files point to the Broadcom BCM2711 processor in both, but they do not confirm that either board will ship or establish its final specifications.
The files were reported by bret.dk, with Phoronix also said to have spotted them. Device trees describe hardware to the Linux kernel, so they can disclose components and connections under development. They are not, on their own, a product announcement or a guarantee that every listed feature will appear in a retail board.
The Zero 3 W file names the BCM2711, the quad-core Cortex-A72 system-on-chip used in the Raspberry Pi 4 family. That would be a change from the Zero 2 W’s RP3A0 processor, based on quad-core Cortex-A53 cores. The file does not give a clock speed, so the processor’s eventual performance—and how it would be managed in the Zero’s compact board—cannot be established from this evidence.
Other Zero 3 W entries suggest a single HDMI output, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, a 40-pin GPIO layout and a power-button definition on GPIO 46. The file also includes an eight-bit storage bus with a comment referring to eMMC or an SD card. The report says that may indicate eMMC support, but it could instead be a development remnant or an option that will not reach the final product. SPI flash lines may point to an EEPROM-based bootloader, while enabled PCIe and a four-lane camera interface are also clues rather than confirmed retail features.
The apparent Pi 4 Model A follows the established Model A pattern of removing some Model B features. Its device tree does not enable Ethernet, describes one HDMI output, and shows no analogue audio or composite video output. It points to microSD storage and includes power and activity LEDs. Antenna-control lines and overlay parameters resemble the external-antenna switching arrangement used on the Compute Module 4, but the report treats that interpretation as tentative.
USB configuration is not established by the Pi 4 Model A file. Its PCIe controller is enabled, but that alone does not show which ports or USB controller will be fitted. The report speculates that the board could have a single USB-A port, following the earlier Pi 3 Model A+, while noting that the tree does not confirm this. The file also defines a power button and appears to use an SPI flash bootloader arrangement, though those details remain subject to confirmation on actual hardware.
What the Two Board Designs Suggest
If the boards are released with hardware close to what the files describe, they would serve different needs. A BCM2711-based Zero-sized board could bring Pi 4-family processing to a smaller format, while a Pi 4 Model A could offer a more compact alternative to the Model B by leaving out Ethernet and other connections. These are potential uses, not confirmed performance or product claims.
The clues may also matter to people designing accessories and embedded systems. A familiar 40-pin GPIO layout on the Zero 3 W could preserve compatibility with existing HATs, while external antenna support on the Model A could be useful in an enclosure that blocks a built-in antenna. However, makers should not plan around unconfirmed connectors, radio arrangements or board dimensions until Raspberry Pi publishes specifications or boards are independently examined.
For buyers, the main practical questions are still unanswered: price, availability and final configuration. Model A boards have traditionally reduced cost by removing hardware, but no price for this apparent Pi 4 version has been disclosed. The device trees also cannot establish whether the Zero 3 W’s processor will run at Pi 4 clocks or how its power and thermals will compare.
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Where These Boards Fit in the Pi Line
The Zero 2 W launched about five years before the report, according to bret.dk, making a possible successor a notable development for users who want a small wireless Raspberry Pi. The Zero 2 W uses a quad-core Cortex-A53-based RP3A0; the BCM2711 named in the new file is associated with the Pi 4’s quad-core Cortex-A72 design. That comparison indicates a different processor generation, but it does not establish a real-world speed advantage for an unreleased board.
The Model A line has historically offered a simplified, lower-cost counterpart to a Model B. The previous Model A+ family entry cited in the report was the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+, released in 2018. The apparent Pi 4 Model A’s disabled Ethernet and reduced display output fit that general approach, though its eventual price and port selection are unknown.
The source report emphasizes that device trees can contain copied or unfinished configuration. It points to a duplicated power GPIO line in the Zero 3 W file as one sign that entries should not all be read as final hardware decisions. The files are useful evidence of development work, but their limits matter when interpreting less obvious items such as PCIe connections, eMMC and antenna controls.
““There’s no official announcement just yet.””
— bret.dk report
Hardware Details Still Unverified
Raspberry Pi has not officially announced either board in the supplied source material. It is not clear whether the device-tree entries correspond to products intended for sale, when they might launch, or whether they describe hardware that will change before release.
For the Zero 3 W, clock speed, cooling, price and storage remain unknown. The eMMC reference does not prove that eMMC will be fitted, and enabled PCIe lines do not confirm an exposed PCIe connection. The four-lane CSI configuration may also reflect copied or developmental configuration rather than the final camera interface.
For the Pi 4 Model A, the files do not settle the USB port count or layout, the final antenna arrangement, or whether the apparent power-button and bootloader details will be present on shipping boards. No confirmed benchmarks, official product images, release dates or prices are provided by the source.
Awaiting Raspberry Pi Confirmation
The next clear milestone would be an announcement or specification from Raspberry Pi confirming whether these boards are planned products. Until then, the kernel entries can be treated as evidence of configurations being explored or supported in software, not as a complete specification sheet.
If the boards are announced, the details to check will include the Zero 3 W’s processor clock and thermal behavior, whether it uses microSD or eMMC, and which features such as PCIe or the camera interface are actually exposed. For the Model A, confirmation of USB ports, antenna connections, pricing and availability will show how closely it follows the older stripped-down Model A approach. Independent testing of finished boards would be needed to establish performance and practical compatibility.
Key Questions
Have Raspberry Pi announced the Zero 3 W and Pi 4 Model A?
No official announcement is included in the source report. The evidence is the appearance of device-tree files in Raspberry Pi’s Linux kernel tree.
What processor does the Zero 3 W device tree list?
It lists the Broadcom BCM2711, the quad-core Cortex-A72 processor used in the Raspberry Pi 4 family. The file does not state the board’s clock speed.
Will the Zero 3 W have eMMC storage or PCIe?
That is not confirmed. The tree includes an eMMC-related comment and enabled PCIe configuration, but neither proves that those features will be exposed on a final board.
What appears to be missing from the Pi 4 Model A?
The device tree does not enable Ethernet and indicates one HDMI output, with no analogue audio or composite video configuration. Its USB ports and final antenna hardware are not established by the file.
When will either board go on sale?
The source provides no release date or price. Availability depends on Raspberry Pi confirming the boards and publishing product details.
Source: bret.dk
