R-Comp attempts to answer the Ultimate Question

VinceH

With the new sixteen hundred 4té2 machine.1

Following up their 4té computer, a Raspberry Pi 4-based system in a custom designed case, R-Comp Interactive has now launched the next machine in that line – the 4té2.

The most obvious visible difference between the new machine and its predecessor is the case. Gone is the 3D-printed case of the 4té to be replaced by a sleek looking metal chassis. Fractionally larger than the old design, the new case has room for an internal SSD, a heatsink to keep the processor cool, and an optional fan.

R-Comp's new 4té2
R-Comp’s new 4té2.

As well as the Raspberry Pi that forms the heart of the machine, there is an additional circuit board that brings all of the connections to the front and rear as necessary. Externally, therefore, the front of the machine sports two USB ports, a micro-SD slot, and a power button, while the rear provides access to everything else, including two full size HDMI ports.

The rear of R-Comp's new 4té2
The rear of R-Comp’s new 4té2.

Supplied with RISC OS Direct 5.28+ as the main operating system, the 4té2 also comes with a host of free additional software. Chief among these is R-Comp’s 4teTools, which provides everything needed to configure the machine, such as that optional fan. Other free software includes Messenger Pro 8, Fireworkz Pro 2, DataPower, DeleGate, SafeStore, and much more – and even includes some special 4té versions of games such as Doom, Quake, and Xeroid.

The 4té2 can also be set up to dual-boot Linux from its SSD – ask R-Comp when ordering and your machine’s internal drive will be configured accordingly. This provides access to modern software such as Chromium and LibreOffice, all from the same small box housing your RISC OS computer. Choosing which OS to boot into is a matter of a physical press on the front of the machine – a hardware selection, avoiding any need to write (or rewrite) files to an SD card.

The price of the new machine is £250.00 including VAT (no VAT for overseas orders) – and R-Comp explains that they’re pleasantly surprised at being able to keep it that low, with the Pi itself currently proving to be a much sought after component.

For a more detailed description and specification, check out the 4té2 page on R-Comp’s RISC OS Computers website.

!ReadMe

  1. Apparently, 4té2 is pronounced either like 42 or, if you want to be posh about it, forté 2. The superscript 2 doesn’t mean ‘squared’ – so it’s definitely not 40×40, or 1,600. And I definitely won’t ever refer to it like that.2
  2. I probably will.

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