FriendlyELEC’s latest pocket-sized single-board computer is about the size of a Raspberry Pi, but the NanoPi M4 has more input and output options, supports up to 4GB of RAM, and features a more powerful processor than the latest Raspberry Pi.

Those features come at a cost: the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ sells for $35, while the NanoPi M4 has a starting price of $65. But that still makes it more affordable than some other single-board mini PCs with similar features.

The NanoPi M4 is powered by a Rokchip RK3399 hexa-core processor with two ARM Cortex-A72 CPU cores and four Cortex-A53 cores and Mali-T864 graphics. It’s basically the same chip used in Chromebooks like the Samsung Chromebook Plus (2017) and Acer Chromebook Tab 10 (2018).

FriendlyELEC currently offers a model with 2GB of storage for $65 and a 4GB model for $95. Both prices seem to reflect a $10 discount though: the list prices are said to be $75 and $105, respectively.

Each model features DDR3-1866 memory and has a microSD card reader, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, HDMI, and 3.5mm audio ports as well as four USB 3.0 Type-A ports and a USB 2.0 Type-C port.

There’s also a 40-pin GPIO header, a second 24-pin GPIO header, a 4-lane MIPI-DSI output for an optional camera module, and a socket for connecting an optional eMMC module.

FriendlyELEC sells an 8GB eMMC module if you want one, as well as optional accessories including 2MP or 13.2MP cameras, a heat sink, or various cables and adapters.

The company says the system supports Android 7.1.2, Lubuntu 16.04 32-bit, or FriendlyCore 18.04 or FriendlyDesktop 18.04 64-bit operating systems (those last two are based on Ubuntu).

The little computer measures about 3.5″ x 2.2″, making it almost exactly the same size as a Raspberry Pi.

via CNX-Software

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,543 other subscribers

6 replies on “NanoPi M4 is a RK3399-powered single-board PC for $65 and up”

    1. You mean because Raspberry Pi exist, or because NanoPi is already a thing? If the former, well for obvious reasons, just because taco bell exist doesn’t mean no other place making tacos can use the world “taco”, they just can’t use exactly “Taco Bell”, they could even still call themselves something with the entire “taco bell” in the name, they obviously couldn’t use the taco bell logo and just add extra words next to it though(or maybe they could get away with it). If for the latter, I think that’s because it appears to be the same company making all of the boards called NanoPi xx. If for some other reason, then idunnno.
      Its kind of a pretty scummy move to take part of a well-known products name and adopt it to create a sort of familiarity in customers that have never heard of your product, but it doesn’t constitute trademark infringement, and “NanoPi” certainly isn’t the first to hop on the Pi train.

      1. I want to have a Mexican place called Taco Bale, normal food but have Christian Bale in classic Mexican pictures and settings all over the restaurant

      2. Right, it’s not the first. There is for example Banana Pi, Orange Pi, and even an Orange Pi ZERO! I am just surprised that Raspberry Pi hasn’t gone after them and others for copying the name.

        You can use the word “Taco” for a Mexican restaurant. But the idea of naming a small developer board “Raspberry Pi” seems less generic to me and something that they could claim as intellectual property. So that when someone else comes a long and makes a similar “Fruit Pi (pun on Pie)” name that copies it, that would seem to be an infringement. But I’m certainly no lawyer!

  1. I have a TouchJet Pond projector with built-in Android PC based on the RK3288 (?) similar to the dev board provided by Phoenix. Since the Android version that comes with it is 4.4.2, I’ve been looking for options to replace the board or at least connect to the HDMI input. I’m curious about the connector for the projector module because it doesn’t look standard, and no dev board seems to have something similar. I realize I could easily hook a board with HDMI to a cheaper projector, but I’m curious if any more knowledgeable tinkerers might have insight on how to make use of what I already have.

Comments are closed.