4 Powerful SBCs for When You Need Extra Computing Power
The Raspberry Pi is the most popular single-board computer, due to its affordable price plus the flexibility and support it offers. However, the most capable model in the series, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B was released in 2019.
In that time, other companies have launched single-board computers that have left the Pi 4B in the dust, with more capable processors and better input/output functionality. Let’s take a look at some of the single-board computers that should be your go-to if you need extra computing power.
1. Odroid N2+
The Odroid N2+ from Hardkernel outclasses the Raspberry Pi 4 in almost every way, from the powerful hexa-core processor to the onboard eMMC slot that offers faster I/O throughput rates.
The hexa-core Amlogic S922X processor features a quad-core Cortex-A73 running at 2.4GHz and a dual-core Cortex-A53 running at 2GHz. It usesbig.LITTLE architecture, allowing it to prioritize either power consumption or performance, depending on the situation.
The Odroid N2+ is affordably priced for a board with its features at around $85 for the 4GB variant. However, it is not a perfect product by any means. It has worse software support compared to the Raspberry Pi 4, lacks onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and some users have reported issues with the USB ports.
Odroid N2+ Specs:
Hexa-core Amlogic S922X system-on-chip with quad-core Cortex-A73 @2.4GHz and dual-core Cortex-A53 @2.0GHz; Mali-G52 GPU
2GB or 4GB DDR4 RAM
eMMC socket (8GB to 128GB), microSD card slot
Networking
1 x Gigabit Ethernet
Ports and Interfaces
1 x HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm composite video jack, 4 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 OTG, 40-pin GPIO header,
12V/2A via DC power jack connector
2. Orange Pi 5 Plus
Although Orange Pi had already surpassed Raspberry Pi with the earlier Orange Pi 5 (which we consider one of themost powerful single-board computersalongside the N2+), the team went a step further with the Pi 5 Plus.
The newer board uses the fully-featured RK3588 processor instead of the RK3588S, which affords it several improvements, most of which revolve around I/O. Both chips have the same CPU and NPU though.
The RK3588 has 8 cores, with a quad-core Cortex-A76 and another quad-core Cortex-A55, and has a main frequency of up to 2.4GHz. The embedded Neural Processing Unit (NPU) supports up to 6 TOPS (tera operations per second) of computing power for edge computing and machine learning projects.
The Orange Pi 5 Plus offers 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB LPDDR4 RAM and has an onboard eMMC socket for storage. It is powered via a 5V/4A USB Type-C port and has a 40-pin GPIO expansion header.
One quirky thing about the Orange Pi board is the power button that is capable of performing a clean shutdown and the HDMI input which can come in handy for image processing and video recording. Although the Pi 5 Plus is relatively new, Orange Pi has a track record of offering excellent above-par software support, compared to other Raspberry Pi alternatives, and support will likely improve over time. The board lacks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but you can connect a module via the M.2 E-Key slot.
The Orange Pi 5 Plus is not a cheap board. The 16GB model of the board costs about $150 on Amazon. The original Orange Pi 5 offers similar features for a cheaper price if you don’t need the extra I/O.
Orange Pi 5 Plus Specs:
Rockchip RK3588 octa-core 64-bit processor with quad-core A76+ (2.4GHz) and quad-core A55 (1.8GHz); Mali-G610 GPU; 6 TOPS NPU
4GB, 8GB, or 16GB DDR4 RAM
eMMC socket (16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB/256GB), microSD card slot, M.2 2280 slot for NVMe SSDs (PCIe 3.0 x4)
2 x 2.5G Ethernet
1 x HDMI 2.1 output, 1x HDMI input, 3.5mm audio jack with mic, 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 40-pin GPIO header, M.2 connector M-key for NVMe, M.2 connector E-key for connectivity
5V/4A via USB-C power supply
3. Rock Pi 5B
The Rock Pi 5B is a 5th-generation single-board computer from Radxa. According to tests carried out byJeff Geerling, the Rock Pi 5B is as much as three times faster than the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. We havecompared the Raspberry Pi 4 and the Rock Pi 5Bin detail if you want to know more.
It has the same SoC as the Orange Pi 5, the RockChip RK3588 processor coupled with an ARM Mali-G610 3D Mali GPU, a 6 TOPS NPU, and supports 8k video encoding and decoding. The SoC supports up to 32GB RAM, but the Rock Pi 5B only offers options of 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB LPDDR4 RAM.
The Rock Pi 5B has a USB-C Power Delivery/Quick Charge port and also features Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality. It comes with an onboard 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 2 USB 3.1 ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It can power up to three displays with its dual full-size HDMI ports and DisplayPort over USB-C. It also has an HDMI input, although support for that feature seems to be a work in progress.
The Rock Pi 5B is more expensive than the Orange Pi 5 Plus, with the 4GB model being sold for around $170.
Rock Pi 5B Specs:
eMMC socket (16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB/256GB), microSD card slot, M.2 M-key slot for NVMe SSDs (PCIe 3.0 x4)
1 x 2.5G Ethernet
2 x HDMI, 1 x HDMI input, 3.5mm audio jack, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 40-pin GPIO header, M.2 connector M key for NVMe, M.2 connector E key for connectivity
12V/15V/20V @ 2A or higher via USB-C, PoE
4. NanoPi R6C
The NanoPi R6C from FriendlyElec is one of the cheapest RK3588S boards you could buy. FriendlyElec describes the single-board computer as “a one for all high-performance platform for edge computing.”
The NanoPi R6C has two Gigabit Ethernet ports, one 2.5Gbps port and the other transmits data at a rate of 1Gbps. It has a single HDMI 2.1 port (8k@60fps) and offers up to 8GB RAM. The GPIO header has 30 pins, including I2S, SPI, and PWM pins.
You can either buy the bare board with 4GB RAM for $85 or add the custom metal enclosure for an extra $15. However, the base version lacks onboard eMMC flash, and you need to pay for the 8GB version if you need the onboard storage.
NanoPi R6C Specs:
Rockchip RK3588S octa-core 64-bit processor with quad-core A76+ (2.4GHz) and quad-core A55 (1.8GHz); Mali-G610 GPU; 6 TOPS NPU
4GB/8GB LPDDR4 RAM
32GB eMMC, microSD card slot, M.2 M-key slot for NVMe SSD
1 x 2.5G Ethernet, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
1 x HDMI, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 30-pin GPIO header, M.2 connector M key for NVMe
5V/9V/12V/20V via USB-C
The Best SBCs for Extra Computing Power
The single-board computers listed above offer much more computing power and extensibility compared to the Raspberry Pi 4. They are the best options for hosting high-bandwidth servers, edge computing, and running artificial intelligence projects.
Although software support for these boards is not close to what you would get with Raspberry Pi, they make a lot of sense to people who don’t mind doing a little tinkering to get things working.
Raspberry Pi boards come in an array of shapes and sizes. We take a look at the smallest Pi models available.
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