Raspberry Pi 4 Cooler Comparison
Comparing 4 cooling configurations for the Raspberry Pi 4. SoC: Broadcom BCM2711.
Thermal Analysis
We tested 4 cooling configurations on the Raspberry Pi 4, built around the Broadcom BCM2711, each with an identical 60 minute sustained CPU stress workload. With no cooling fitted, the board idles at 43°C and peaks at 78°C under load and completes the full test without thermal throttling.
The strongest result came from the EDATEC ED-Pi4Case-OB (passive cooling), which cut the peak load temperature by 15.0°C to 63°C at a price of $7.00.
Across all configurations, peak temperatures ranged from 63°C to 78°C, a spread of 15°C. 3 of 3 aftermarket coolers completed the test without any thermal throttling. The Raspberry Pi 4 can run without extra cooling, but even a basic heatsink lowers operating temperatures and helps long term reliability.