Raspberry Pi has introduced two new accessories aimed at enhancing the user experience: Raspberry Pi-branded SD cards and a protective silicone cover called the Raspberry Pi Bumper.

With the latest Raspberry Pi OS release, Raspberry Pi 5 can now utilize the improved performance offered by Class A2 SD cards. To support this, Raspberry Pi is launching its own range of SD cards, developed in collaboration with Longsys. In addition, the company has introduced the Raspberry Pi Bumper, a silicone cover designed to protect the base and edges of the Raspberry Pi 5.

Raspberry Pi SD Cards

The performance of an SD card [PDF] plays a critical role in the operation of Raspberry Pi devices. Previously, Raspberry Pi worked with third-party vendors to recommend suitable cards. However, as SD card technology has evolved, especially with the introduction of Class A2 cards, managing this process has become more complex.
 

Raspberry Pi Class A2 SD Cards
The new Raspberry Pi Class A2 SD Card

To address this, Raspberry Pi has partnered with Longsys to release its own line of branded SD cards. These Class A2 cards provide enhanced random read and write speeds across the entire Raspberry Pi lineup. When used with the Raspberry Pi 5, they also support command queueing for better overall performance. Raspberry Pi Approved Resellers will now exclusively promote these branded SD cards alongside Raspberry Pi products.

Class A2 SD Cards

Class A2 SD cards, like the new Raspberry Pi-branded ones, are optimized for faster read and write operations. The Raspberry Pi 5 hardware takes full advantage of these features, provided the system is running the latest version of Raspberry Pi OS. Users can update their existing installations using the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade


Command Queueing and Performance (CQHCI)

The Command Queueing Host Controller Interface (CQHCI) is an extension to the SD Host Controller Interface (SDHCI), allowing the SD card to handle multiple requests simultaneously. Raspberry Pi 5 can leverage this feature with compatible Class A2 cards, improving random I/O performance in workloads typical of Raspberry Pi OS.

CQHCI enables cards to queue up to 32 read or write operations, with the card determining the order in which operations are processed. This helps reduce latency associated with accessing different areas of the flash memory.

Although CQHCI has been supported on eMMC devices since 2015, its SD card implementation only recently became available in Linux. Raspberry Pi 5 now supports CQ mode with the appropriate cards, after the necessary adjustments were made to the Linux driver in early 2024.

Testing and Compatibility

Not all SD cards implement CQ mode reliably. Initial tests with SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro cards showed promising results, but other brands exhibited various issues that prevented reliable CQ operation. The Raspberry Pi kernel filters out incompatible cards during feature probing.

A limitation of CQ mode is its increased vulnerability to data corruption if power is unexpectedly cut during write operations. To mitigate this, Raspberry Pi limits the number of posted writes in CQ mode to one, which slightly reduces sequential write speeds without significantly impacting overall performance.

About Longsys

Following extensive testing, Raspberry Pi selected Longsys as the vendor for its branded SD cards. The cards were subjected to over 100,000 power cycles under load to ensure reliability, and they have been optimized for use across all generations of Raspberry Pi devices, including the Raspberry Pi 5.

Raspberry Pi Bumper

Do you keep having to take the top cover off your Raspberry Pi to get to the connectors under the hood? You could use it with no case, but then you have the risk of short circuits underneath from a tiny blob of solder to a misplaced washer. Plus, the through-hole solder joints scratch your desktop or other work surface.
 

Raspberry Pi Bumper
The Raspberry Pi Bumper keeps your surfaces scratch-free and prevents short circuits.

Now there’s the Raspberry Pi Bumper — a silicone cover that protects the base and edges of the Raspberry Pi 5 while leaving the top of the board fully accessible to you. Plus, underneath, it provides access to the microSD card slot. It also makes the power button easier to access, and is compatible with the Raspberry Pi Active Cooler.

These new accessories offer practical enhancements for Raspberry Pi users, with improvements in both performance and device protection.

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