This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Leonard Liao
Single-board computers (SBCs) have become essential tools for developers, hobbyists, and tech enthusiasts. With the recent release of the Raspberry Pi 5, the competition in the SBC market has heated up. But how does it stack against competitors like the Orange Pi 5 and the KiWi Pi 5? Let’s break down the specs, performance, and programming capabilities of these three boards to help you decide which one is right for your next project.
1. Hardware Comparison
Raspberry Pi 5
CPU: Broadcom BCM2712 (4× Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + VideoCore VII GPU)
RAM: 4GB / 8GB LPDDR4X
GPU: VideoCore VII (supports OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2)
Storage: MicroSD + PCIe 2.0 (for optional NVMe SSD)
Video Output: Dual 4K@60Hz HDMI
Wireless: **Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0
**USB: 2× USB 3.0, 2× USB 2.0
Price: ~$60 (4GB), ~$80 (8GB)
Pros: Strong community support, official OS optimizations, PCIe for fast storage.
Cons: No NPU for AI workloads, limited RAM options.
Orange Pi 5
CPU: Rockchip RK3588S (4× Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + 4× Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz)
GPU: ARM Mali-G610 MC4 (supports OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.2)
NPU: 6 TOPS AI accelerator
RAM: **4GB / 8GB / 16GB / 32GB LPDDR4X
**Storage: eMMC (up to 256GB) + MicroSD + M.2 NVMe
Video Output: 8K@60Hz HDMI, 4K@60Hz MIPI-DSI
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
USB: 1× USB 3.1, 2× USB 3.0, 2× USB 2.0
Price: ~$80 (8GB)
Pros: More RAM options, NPU for AI/ML, better GPU performance.
Cons: Smaller community, fewer official OS images.
KiWi Pi 5
CPU: Rockchip RK3588S (same as Orange Pi 5)
GPU: ARM Mali-G610 MC4 (same as Orange Pi 5)
NPU: Triple-core NPU (6 TOPS)
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X (options: 4GB/16GB/32GB)
Storage: 64GB eMMC (upgradable to 512GB) + MicroSD
Video Output:
HDMI 2.1 (8K@60Hz)
Type-C DP 1.4 (8K@30Hz)
MIPI-DSI (2560×1600@60Hz)
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
USB:
1× USB-C (USB 3.1, DP Alt, PD)
2× USB 3.0
2× USB 2.0
OS Support: Linux 5.10/6.10, Android 12, Debian 11, Ubuntu 22.04
Price: Likely similar to Orange Pi 5 (~$80–$150, depending on RAM/storage).
Pros: Strong multimedia capabilities (8K video), better Bluetooth (5.4), flexible I/O (26-pin header for GPIO/UART/I2C/SPI).
Cons: Less mainstream than Raspberry Pi, limited documentation.
Kiwi Pi Pro 5 Single board computer.
2. Performance & Use Cases
Raspberry Pi 5 is ideal for beginners, education, and projects needing strong community support.
Orange Pi 5 is better for AI/ML and high-performance tasks.
KiWi Pi 5 is great for multimedia (8K video) and embedded systems with its 26-pin GPIO.
3. Programming & Development
All three boards support Linux, making them great for Python, C/C++, and embedded development.
Raspberry Pi 5
Best for: Python, robotics (GPIO), web servers.
Pros:
Huge community (tons of tutorials).
Official Raspberry Pi OS with optimized software.
Cons: No NPU limits AI/ML workloads.
Orange Pi 5 & KiWi Pi 5
Best for: AI/ML (TensorFlow Lite, PyTorch), media apps, Android development.
Pros:
NPU accelerates AI inference.
More RAM options for heavy workloads.
Cons:
Fewer pre-built OS images.
Less beginner-friendly.
python
import tensorflow as tf
interpreter = tf.lite.Interpreter(model_path="model.tflite")
interpreter.allocate_tensors()
4. Which One Should You Choose?
For beginners & education: Raspberry Pi 5 (best support).
For AI/ML & high performance: Orange Pi 5 or KiWi Pi 5 (NPU advantage).
For 8K video & embedded projects: KiWi Pi 5 (better display options).
Final Verdict
Raspberry Pi 5 = Best all-rounder for most users.
Orange Pi 5 = Best for AI and raw power.
KiWi Pi 5 = Best for multimedia and custom hardware projects.
What’s your favorite SBC? Let me know in the comments!
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Leonard Liao