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Rock 5B+ vs Raspberry Pi 4: Which Development Board Should You Choose?

· 5 min read
Phuc Nguyen
Phuc Nguyen
Embedded Systems Engineer

A comprehensive comparison between the Rock 5B+ and Raspberry Pi 4 for embedded development projects.

Introduction​

Choosing the right development board for your embedded project can be challenging. In this review, we'll compare two popular ARM-based single-board computers: the Rock 5B+ and the Raspberry Pi 4. Both boards offer excellent performance for embedded development, but they have distinct advantages and use cases.

Hardware Specifications Comparison​

FeatureRock 5B+Raspberry Pi 4
CPUARM Cortex-A76 quad-core @ 2.4GHzARM Cortex-A72 quad-core @ 1.5GHz
GPUMali-G610 MP4VideoCore VI
RAM4GB/8GB/16GB LPDDR4X2GB/4GB/8GB LPDDR4
StorageeMMC, microSD, M.2 NVMemicroSD only
ConnectivityWiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit EthernetWiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit Ethernet
GPIO40-pin header40-pin header
USBUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB-C2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0
Price$79-$149$35-$75

Performance Analysis​

CPU Performance​

The Rock 5B+ has a significant advantage in CPU performance:

  • Architecture: ARM Cortex-A76 vs Cortex-A72
  • Clock Speed: 2.4GHz vs 1.5GHz
  • Performance: ~60% faster in CPU-intensive tasks
  • Power Efficiency: Better performance per watt

GPU Performance​

Both boards have different GPU architectures:

Rock 5B+ (Mali-G610 MP4):

  • Modern Valhall architecture
  • Better OpenCL/Vulkan support
  • Superior for GPU computing tasks
  • 1.2 TFLOPS theoretical performance

Raspberry Pi 4 (VideoCore VI):

  • Proprietary architecture
  • Limited OpenCL support
  • Good for basic graphics
  • Optimized for video decoding

Memory Performance​

Rock 5B+ Advantages:

  • Higher memory bandwidth (LPDDR4X)
  • More memory options (up to 16GB)
  • Better for memory-intensive applications

Raspberry Pi 4 Advantages:

  • Lower cost for basic configurations
  • Sufficient for most embedded projects
  • Good memory efficiency

Development Experience​

Software Support​

Rock 5B+:

  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (official support)
  • Debian 11
  • Armbian
  • Yocto Project
  • Android 12

Raspberry Pi 4:

  • Raspberry Pi OS (Debian-based)
  • Ubuntu Desktop/Server
  • Various Linux distributions
  • Windows 10 IoT Core

Development Tools​

Cross-Compilation: Both boards support ARM64 cross-compilation, but the Rock 5B+ has better toolchain support for embedded development.

Debugging:

  • Rock 5B+: Better debugging support with JTAG
  • Raspberry Pi 4: Limited debugging options

GPIO Programming: Both boards have similar GPIO capabilities, but the Rock 5B+ offers more advanced features.

Use Case Recommendations​

Choose Rock 5B+ If:​

  1. High-Performance Computing

    • Machine learning applications
    • Computer vision projects
    • Real-time data processing
    • GPU-accelerated computing

  2. Professional Development

    • Industrial applications
    • Commercial products
    • Advanced embedded systems
    • Performance-critical applications

  3. Storage Requirements

    • Large data storage needs
    • Database applications
    • Media processing
    • M.2 NVMe support

Choose Raspberry Pi 4 If:​

  1. Educational Projects

    • Learning embedded development
    • Prototyping
    • Hobby projects
    • Cost-sensitive applications

  2. Community Support

    • Large community
    • Extensive documentation
    • Third-party accessories
    • Educational resources

  3. Basic Applications

    • Simple IoT projects
    • Home automation
    • Basic computing tasks
    • Learning Linux

Real-World Performance Tests​

Compilation Performance​

We tested compiling the Linux kernel on both boards:

Rock 5B+ (8GB RAM):

  • Kernel compilation time: ~45 minutes
  • Memory usage: ~6GB peak
  • CPU utilization: 95% average

Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB RAM):

  • Kernel compilation time: ~90 minutes
  • Memory usage: ~3.5GB peak
  • CPU utilization: 95% average

GPU Computing Performance​

OpenCL Performance (Matrix Multiplication):

  • Rock 5B+: 2.5x faster
  • Better memory bandwidth utilization
  • Superior parallel processing

Video Encoding:

  • Rock 5B+: Hardware-accelerated encoding
  • Raspberry Pi 4: Software encoding only

Power Consumption​

Idle Power Consumption​

  • Rock 5B+: ~2W
  • Raspberry Pi 4: ~1.5W

Under Load​

  • Rock 5B+: ~8W (peak)
  • Raspberry Pi 4: ~5W (peak)

Thermal Management​

  • Rock 5B+: Better thermal design
  • Raspberry Pi 4: May require cooling under heavy load

Cost Analysis​

Initial Cost​

  • Rock 5B+: $79-$149 (depending on RAM)
  • Raspberry Pi 4: $35-$75 (depending on RAM)

Total Cost of Ownership​

Consider additional costs:

  • Power supplies
  • Storage (microSD cards, M.2 drives)
  • Cooling solutions
  • Development accessories

Value Proposition​

  • Rock 5B+: Better performance per dollar for high-end applications
  • Raspberry Pi 4: Lower barrier to entry

Ecosystem and Accessories​

Rock 5B+ Ecosystem​

  • Growing ecosystem
  • Official accessories
  • Third-party support
  • Professional development tools

Raspberry Pi 4 Ecosystem​

  • Mature ecosystem
  • Extensive accessory catalog
  • Strong community support
  • Educational resources

Development Board Recommendations​

For Beginners​

Raspberry Pi 4 is the better choice for:

  • Learning embedded development
  • First-time users
  • Budget-conscious projects
  • Educational purposes

For Professionals​

Rock 5B+ is the better choice for:

  • Commercial development
  • Performance-critical applications
  • Advanced embedded systems
  • Professional projects

For Specific Use Cases​

Machine Learning:

  • Rock 5B+ (better GPU performance)
  • More memory options
  • Better development tools

IoT Projects:

  • Raspberry Pi 4 (lower cost)
  • Better community support
  • Extensive documentation

Industrial Applications:

  • Rock 5B+ (better performance)
  • More reliable
  • Better long-term support

Conclusion​

Both the Rock 5B+ and Raspberry Pi 4 are excellent development boards, but they serve different purposes:

Choose Rock 5B+ if:

  • You need maximum performance
  • You're working on professional projects
  • You require advanced features
  • Budget is not the primary concern

Choose Raspberry Pi 4 if:

  • You're learning embedded development
  • You need a cost-effective solution
  • You want extensive community support
  • You're working on hobby projects

Final Verdict​

The Rock 5B+ is the clear winner for professional embedded development, offering superior performance, better development tools, and more advanced features. However, the Raspberry Pi 4 remains an excellent choice for learning, prototyping, and cost-sensitive projects.

Both boards have their place in the embedded development ecosystem, and the choice depends on your specific requirements, budget, and experience level.

Resources​

Happy developing! 🚀