Raspberry Pi single-board computer systems (SBCs) are in steady quick provide because of the results of COVID-19, provide chain points, and all the opposite upsets occurring on the planet driving costs of the boards you could find by way of the roof. Whereas the makers of the ever-popular Raspberry Pi have promised to work on provide points, within the meantime hobbyists and professionals alike are searching for alternate options.

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A reputation that is been arising rather a lot recently is the Radxa Rock 5 Mannequin B. May this be a alternative for the Raspberry Pi?

Possibly. 

Rock 5 Mannequin B tech specs

• SoC: Rockchip RK3588
• Processor: Arm DynamIQ (Quad Cortex – A76 @ 2.2/2.4GHz, Quad Cortex – A55 @ 1.8GHz)
• GPU: Arm Mali G610MC4 GPU
• Reminiscence: 8GB 64bit LPDDR4 RAM
• Energy necessities:
  USB Sort‑C PD Model 2.0 with 9V/2A, 12V/2A, 15V/2A, and 20V/2A
  5V Energy utilized to the GPIO PIN 2 & 4.
• HDMI:
  Twin HDMI ports supporting shows as much as 8Kp60 decision and 4Kp60
  Micro-HDMI enter port supporting as much as 4Kp60 decision
• USB:
  2x USB2 HOST ports
  1x USB3 HOST port
  1x USB3 OTG/HOST port
• Growth:
  1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port (helps PoE with add‑on PoE HAT)
  1x M.2 M Key with PCIe 3.0 4‑lane help
  1x M.2 E Key with PCIe 2.1 one‑lane, SATA, SDIO, UART help
  1x eMMC module connector for eMMC 5.1 help
  1x Digital camera port (4‑lane MIPI CSI)
  1x Show port (4‑lane MIPI DSI)
• Storage:  Micro SD/eMMC
• UARTS: 2x UART
• On/Off Energy Button: Sure
• Software program:
  Full implementation of the Arm structure v8 directions set
  Debian/Ubuntu Linux help
  Android 12 help
• Temperature:
  Operation temperature: 0~50 ℃  (32 F to 122 F)
  Storage temperature: -20~80 ℃  (-4 F to 176 F)

A fast scan by way of the tech specs will present you that this board packs fairly a punch. 

Octa-core processor, twin HDMI with one port supporting as much as 8K, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, two M.2 slots, an eMMC module connector, and broad software program help.

That is numerous energy, justifying the roughly $170 price ticket (which, in case you suppose is excessive, I’ve seen Raspberry Pis promoting for greater than that).

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Ypu also can match an NVMe SSD to the M.2 slot on the again. Right here I am becoming a 512GB Lexar NM620 NVMe SSD, a drive that is excellent for this form of utility because of the actual fact it presents nice efficiency at a unbelievable worth of underneath $50.

However the eagle-eyed amongst you could have noticed an omission. One thing that we kinda take with no consideration today.

Noticed it but?

No built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth help.

For that, you want a Radxa M.2 E Key wi-fi module that provides Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 help. The module prices about $12 and matches into one of many M.2 slots, which is fairly easy. 

What won’t be so easy for some individuals is hooking up the tiny connectors for the antennas.

I’ve carried out some preliminary efficiency testing on this board, and the outcomes present that this has much more energy underneath the hood than the Raspberry Pi 4 Mannequin B, however I’ve but to determine if this interprets into one thing that is noticeable in the actual world. 

My assumption at this level is that this board is healthier suited to heavier, extra processor-intensive workloads, and that for low-intensity workloads the eight-core processor and 8GB of RAM are wasted.

There isn’t any doubt that the Rock 5 Mannequin B is a superb board, however I am unsure that it is a alternative for the Raspberry Pi 4. Some facets of it — the octa-core processor, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, and M.2 slot — really feel like options that ought to be within the Raspberry Pi 5, however the lack of onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is puzzling. 

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All of the cons apart, this can be a stable board that provides a ton of cool, high-end options coming in at underneath $200. The Rock 5 Mannequin B is unquestionably value keeping track of. Consider it much less as a alternative for the Raspberry Pi 4, and extra a Raspberry Pi 5 you possibly can personal in the present day.