The Raspberry Pi CM0 system-on-module is now available on AliExpress for $33 and up from various resellers, many of which claim to have several thousand in stock.
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero was introduced last year with a Raspberry Pi RP3A0 SiP with 512MB RAM, optional 8GB or 16GB eMMC flash, optional WiFi and Bluetooth, and castellated I/Os, or basically a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W in Compute Module form factor. There’s just one little issue: it’s only officially sold in China, and the only way to get one is to get a development board like the Makerfabs CM0IQ or a complete product such as the ED-AIC1000 smart camera or ED-IPC1100 industrial box PC.
Raspberry Pi CM0 specifications:
- SiP – Raspberry Pi RP3A0
- SoC – Broadcom BCM2710A1
- CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.0 GHz
- GPU – VideoCore IV GPU supporting OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0 graphics
- VPU – H.264/MPEG-4 1080p30 video decoding, H.264 1080p30 video encoding
- System Memory – 512MB LPDDR2 RAM
- SoC – Broadcom BCM2710A1
- Storage – 0GB (Raspberry Pi CM0 Lite), 8GB, or 16GB eMMC flash
- Wireless – Optional 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4, Bluetooth 4.2 LE (same module as on Pi Zero 2 W) with u.FL antenna connector
- 132 castellated holes
- Storage – SDIO (Compute Module Zero Lite only)
- Display – HDMI, TV DAC, 4-lane MIPI DSI, parallel display interface (DPI)
- Camera – 4-lane MIPI CSI
- Audio – PCM
- USB – 1x USB 2.0
- Up to 28x GPIOs
- UART, SPI, 2x I2C
- Supply Voltage – 5V DC
- Dimensions – 39 x 33 mm
- Temperature Range – −20°C to +85°C
- MTBF
- Ground, benign – 374,000 hours
- Ground, mobile – 32,000 hours
The Raspberry Pi CM0 was supposed to start at $18 in China last year. That price is probably without wireless and flash. The 8GB flash model sells for $33.4 / $35.21 (with wireless module), and the 16GB flash variant goes for $53.47 / $57.73 on AliExpress, and each store claims to have 3,000 pieces in stock for each variant (except 16GB + wireless). The shops were opened in 2024 and have acceptable ratings.
While it’s nice to have the option, AliExpress is an unofficial channel, and based on the CM0 product page, the only official reseller in China is EDATEC (industrial customers), and it’s still not sold in the rest of the world. So you may not be able to get support/warranty if you plan on doing your own CM0 product/project outside of China.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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