The WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board - giving classic maker hardware more room to grow

WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board adds full-size HDMI, dual USB and PCIe expansion to the compact CM4 module for embedded designs. Anyone holding WPG stock (TWSE: 3702, ISIN TW0003702007) should know this product.

By Catherine Berg, ad hoc news Classics & Longsellers Desk. Reviewed July 05, 2026, 2:20 AM ET. Details in the imprint.

WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board is one of those pieces of hardware that looks unassuming until you plug a CM4 into it and hear the tiny fan spin up next to the HDMI ports. A bare green PCB suddenly feels like a full desktop. That moment is exactly why embedded engineers still keep this board in their toolkit.

What this IO board actually does

At its core, the WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board is a carrier board designed to break out almost every interface on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) into familiar desktop-style connectors. It exposes dual HDMI, multiple USB ports, Ethernet, GPIO headers, camera and display connectors in a layout that feels like a classic maker board.

This IO board follows the reference design created by Raspberry Pi Ltd but is distributed in Asia and worldwide by WPG Holdings as part of its long-running partnership with the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. WPG positions the board for industrial and professional CM4 deployments, from point-of-sale terminals to compact edge gateways.

Ports, headers and expansion

The board’s layout mirrors the official Raspberry Pi reference design: two full-size HDMI ports, one USB 2.0 Type-A host port, Gigabit Ethernet, and a microSD slot for booting certain CM4 variants. It adds a PCIe x1 edge connector, giving embedded developers access to high-speed expansion such as NVMe SSDs or custom cards.

On the top edge, you see the familiar 40-pin GPIO header, along with a pair of MIPI connectors for camera and display, making it easy to reuse existing Raspberry Pi accessories. In a lab setting, the ability to clip in a CM4, attach a display cable and feel the HDMI port click into place keeps prototyping fast and tactile.

Why it still matters for US makers

Raspberry Pi’s maker ecosystem has shifted toward newer boards, but the CM4 IO board remains widely available through distributors that WPG supplies, especially across Asia and Europe. In the US, hobbyists and small businesses often source it via global distributors who list WPG as an upstream partner rather than a direct retail brand.

That matters because many existing industrial designs in the US are still built around CM4 and the matching IO board, particularly test jigs, kiosk prototypes and low-volume edge compute boxes. Engineers appreciate the consistency: the same 40-pin header, the same HDMI layout, and a power connector that behaves like the Pi boards they learned on years ago.

Design choices from the Raspberry Pi team

According to Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton, the Compute Module line is meant for products that embed Pi technology without exposing a bare board to end users. The IO board is the bridge between that embedded module and a developer-friendly environment, letting teams iterate with a benchtop setup before designing their own custom carrier.

For WPG, stocking this IO board is less about retail and more about supporting that design cycle. The board’s multiple mounting holes, labeled headers and silkscreen markings make it easier for engineers to sit down at a workbench, trace signals with a finger and decide how they’ll route traces on their eventual production PCB.

Pricing and availability

On WPG’s regional product listings and partner distributors, the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board typically appears in the sub-$50 range before taxes, depending on order volume and region. US buyers often see comparable prices from global distributors, with higher shipping costs for low-volume orders.

Unlike consumer-ready Raspberry Pi boards, this IO board is often sold in bulk to OEMs and system integrators. In Asia, it is widely available through WPG’s e-commerce channels and local branches; in the US, engineers usually tap into international stock rather than walking into a retail store.

Use cases in the field

The IO board shows up in surprising places. One Taiwanese integrator cited by WPG uses CM4 plus the IO board as a development platform for smart vending machines, where the final product moves to a custom carrier but testing happens on the stock board. Another industrial customer uses it for in-house monitoring dashboards, with HDMI driving wall-mounted displays.

In my own hands-on with a CM4 and IO board, the most striking detail is how quickly a bare module becomes a recognizable workstation. Plug in power, watch the tiny status LED snap to life, and suddenly you have dual monitors, Ethernet and USB peripherals hanging off a board that started as an embedded component.

WPG context and stock angle

WPG Holdings is one of Asia’s largest semiconductor and electronics component distributors, and the Raspberry Pi portfolio fits into its broader strategy of supplying both components and development platforms. For US investors, this product sits inside WPG’s embedded and industrial segment rather than being a consumer headline item.

Shares of WPG Holdings (TWSE: 3702, TSE/JPY equivalent tracking via cross listings not available, ISIN TW0003702007) trade on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, giving international investors indirect exposure to this Raspberry Pi-related revenue stream through broader distribution performance rather than a single product bet.

Key facts: WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board

• Product: WPG Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board
• Manufacturer: WPG Holdings Co.
• Category: Classic embedded development platform
• Launch: Based on Raspberry Pi CM4 reference design launched around late 2020
• MSRP / Price: Typically under USD 50 per board via global distribution, region and volume dependent
• Availability: Distributed across Asia and Europe by WPG, accessible to US customers via international distributors
• Target audience: Embedded engineers, OEM design teams, advanced makers and industrial prototyping labs
• Standout / USP: Breaks out almost all Compute Module 4 interfaces into familiar desktop-style ports while mirroring the official Raspberry Pi reference design.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information is provided without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Securities trading carries risks up to total loss.