The Orange Pi 5B SBC is a variant of the powerful Rockchip RK3588S-powered Orange Pi 5 single-board computer. This new version offers up to 256GB eMMC flash and a soldered-on wireless module with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. However, it comes at the expense of losing the M.2 2242 socket and 16MB QSPI NOR flash featured in the original board.
Despite this trade-off, the Orange Pi 5B SBC still boasts impressive features including HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 (USB-C), and MIPI DSI display connectors, three camera connectors, a Gigabit Ethernet interface, multiple USB ports, and a 26-pin GPIO header for expansion. These features make the Orange Pi 5B an excellent option for projects that require enhanced performance and connectivity options.
Availability and price
The Orange Pi 5B comes at a higher price than the Orange Pi 5, largely due to its impressive eMMC flash and wireless module. Currently, there are four models available for purchase at varying prices:
- $89.90 for the 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash
- $115.00 for the 8GB RAM and 64GB eMMC flash
- $149.00 for the 16GB RAM and 128GB eMMC flash
- $169.00 for the 16GB RAM and 256GB eMMC flash
If the provided software support aligns with your specific needs, the Orange Pi 5B offers great value for money. Considering that one Orange Pi 5S, and other RK3588(S) boards, can provide performance equal to three or four Raspberry Pi 4 SBCs depending on the workload, the investment can be worth it.
The Orange Pi 5B is available for purchase on Amazon and Aliexpress. For more details on this powerful single-board computer, visit the product page.
Comparison of Orange Pi 5B SBC with Orange Pi 5
Orange Pi 5B | Orange Pi 5 | |
SOC | Rockchip RK3588S 4 x 2.4 GHz (A76) + 4 x 1.8 GHz (A55) |
Rockchip RK3588S 4 x 2.4 GHz (A76) + 4 x 1.8 GHz (A55) |
RAM | 4 / 8 / 16/ 32 GB LPDDR4/4x | 4 / 8 / 16/ 32 GB LPDDR4/4x |
GPU | Mali-G610 MP4 | Mali-G610 MP4 |
Flash Memory | 32 – 256 GB eMMC | 16MB SPI |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 BLE | – |
Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet YT8531C | Gigabit Ethernet YT8531C |
USB and other ports | 2 x USB 2.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 Type-C HDMI |
2 x USB 2.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 Type-C HDMI |
M.2 M-Key | No | Yes |
Expansion port | 26 pin | 26 pin |
OS | Orangepi OS (Droid) Orangepi OS (Arch) Orangepi OS (OH) Debian11, Ubuntu22.04, Ubuntu20.04, Android12 |
Orangepi OS (Droid) Orangepi OS (Arch) Orangepi OS (OH) Debian11, Ubuntu22.04, Ubuntu20.04, Android12 |
PCB Size | 62 x 100 mm | 62 x 100 mm |
Unfortunately, in addition to adding support for the aforementioned wireless communication standards, it was also decided to remove the M.2 M-Key connector. It is a pity that such a move was made.
Shenzhen Xunlong Software is the provider of various Orange Pi operating systems, including Orange Pi OS (Android), Orange Pi OS (Arch), Debian 11, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 20.04, and Android 12 images. Some of these images, such as Ubuntu and Debian, are developed in collaboration with Armbian, with the company paying for the integration and maintenance of the images.
Currently, there are no Orange Pi 5B images available on either the Orange Pi or Armbian websites. However, you can still find images for the earlier Orange Pi 5 on these sites.
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