In the market for a quad-core dev board with Android and Ubuntu support for around a hundred bucks? The Rockchip RK3188-based Radxa Rock is now up for sale at several e-tailers.

At $99, the Radxa Rock isn’t the cheapest quad-core dev board you can buy. It’s around $40 more than the Hardkernel ODROID-U3, one of the more popular boards out there. But the Rock does come with some very nice standard features you won’t find on the U3.

For starters, it comes with 8GB of NAND on board — no need to cough up for eMMC storage with the Rock. The board also comes with a full-sized HDMI port, 10/100 Ethernet and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi (antenna included), Bluetooth 4.0 support, an integrated microphone, and an IR sensor.

It even comes with its own translucent plastic case. Snap it in, screw on the antenna, and supply 5V of power and you’re ready to Rock (pardon the pun).

If you can do without Bluetooth and can get by on 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, there’s an entry level Radxa Rock available for $20 less.

The RK3188 is a decent performer, and it can handle being overclocked about 20%. With the option of booting Android, Ubuntu — or dual-booting both — the Radxa Rock will work nicely as a set-top box or an extra family PC if you’re interested in using it for non-DIY purposes.

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Lee Mathews

Computer tech, blogger, husband, father, and avid MSI U100 user.

10 replies on “Radxa Rock dev board packs a quad-core RK3188 for $99”

    1. “While the MSI j1800i is priced very reasonably at $60, and even after
      you add in a case and power supply you’re still only around $110.”

      Don’t forget the RAM!

  2. Happy comments from Tom Cubie (of cubieboard). Nice friendly competition.

  3. One crucial difference between Radxa Rock and ODROID-U3 is the the U3 uses the Exynos CPU, and the Rock uses RK3188. If you’re interested in XBMC, you’ll get much better HD playback with Odroid than any Rockchip device.

    Odroid-U3: $60 + $25 shipping, no case, no usb cable, nothing.
    Radxa Rock: $99 + $10 shipping, comes with case, has IR

    You might be better off getting a Ouya. It’s $90 now, comes with controller, isn’t a Rockchip, and it comes in a case with a fan.

    That is, if you’re looking for an entertainment/HTPC device. If you need the I/O, then Ouya isn’t it.

    1. Why would u even mention Ouya as it is not a developer board. I don’t think anyone is going to buy this for media purpose as there are plenty of rk3188 media box out there.

      1. So, for what purpuse whould you buy a board like this?
        please give me some example, because if i should buy a board like this, that’s the main purpose: mediabox… smart/internet tv

    2. “it comes with 8GB of NAND on board — no need to cough up for eMMC [eg like the Odroid-U3] storage with the Rock”

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