OrangePi CM5: RK3588S SoC-Based Compute Module with AI, 8K Support

The OrangePi Compute Module 5 (CM5) is an industrial PC designed for deep-embedded applications, offering a high-performance alternative to the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4). Built around the Rockchip RK3588S system-on-chip (SoC), the CM5 is optimized for on-device machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads.

At its core, the CM5 features the Rockchip RK3588S SoC with an 8-core processor architecture. This includes four high-performance ARM Cortex-A76 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz and four power-efficient ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 1.8 GHz. The SoC is equipped with an ARM Mali-G610 MP4 GPU for advanced graphics processing and a 6 TOPS neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerating AI tasks.

The CM5 supports 8K video playback at 60 fps and 8K video encoding at 30 fps, making it ideal for multimedia, AI, and industrial automation applications. Its robust performance and multimedia capabilities position it as a versatile solution for a wide range of embedded systems.

OrangePi CM5 specifications:

• Processor: Rockchip RK3588S (8nm LP process)
  • Quad-core Cortex-A76 @ up to 2.4 GHz
  • Quad-core Cortex-A55 @ up to 1.8 GHz
• Graphics: ARM Mali-G610 MP4 GPU supports OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.2, and Vulkan 1.2
• AI Acceleration: 6 TOPS NPU for INT4/INT8/INT16 hybrid AI workloads
• Memory: LPDDR4/4x RAM options: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB
• Storage:
  • Onboard eMMC: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
  • Expandable via SDMMC interface
• Video:
  • Encoder: 8Kp30 H.265/H.264
  • Decoder:
    • 8Kp60 H.265, VP9, AVS2
    • 8Kp30 H.264 AVC/MVC
    • 4Kp60 AV1
    • 1080p60 MPEG-2/-1, VC-1, VP8
• Video Interfaces:
  • 1x HDMI 2.1 or eDP 1.3
  • 1x 4-lane MIPI DPHY TX
  • 1x 2-lane MIPI DPHY TX
• Camera Interfaces:
  • 1x 4-lane MIPI CSI RX
  • 2x 2-lane MIPI DPHY RX
• Networking:
  • Dual 2.5GbE + 1x Gigabit Ethernet (RGMII)
  • Expandable Wi-Fi 5 + Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE
• USB:
  • 1x USB 3.0
  • 3x USB 2.0
  • 1x USB Type-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode)
• Expansion:
  • 3x 100-pin 0.4mm pitch DF40 connectors
  • 2x ADC
  • 2x SATA III (one shared with USB 3.0, the other with PCIe 2.0)
  • I2C, I2S, UART, SPI, CAN, PWM, SPDIF, PDM, GPIO
• Power Management:
  • Input: DC 5V @ Max 1800mA
  • Output: DC 3.3V @ Max 600mA, DC 1.8V @ Max 600mA
  • Power Management Unit: RK806-1
• Dimension: 55mm x 40mm x 1.6mm
• Weight: 12 grams

The 55mm x 40mm (2.2″ x 1.6″) Orange Pi CM5 system-on-module (SoM) is available with memory configurations ranging from 2GB to 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM and storage options from 32GB to 256GB of eMMC flash. The module supports PCIe Gen 2, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and SDIO connectivity.

Orange Pi offers a range of operating system images for the CM5, including Orange Pi OS (Arch), Ubuntu, Debian, and Android 12. These can be downloaded from the module’s Download page, which also provides Linux and Android source code, a user manual, schematics (PDF), tools, and mechanical design files.

Previously, we covered the Banana Pi BPI-CM5 computer module featuring the Amlogic A311D2 processor, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, and 16GB eMMC storage. Feel free to check it out for a comparison.

The OrangePi CM5 SoM and compatible baseboard are currently available for purchase on AliExpress, with multiple configuration options and pricing.

• $70 with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash
• $90 with 8GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash
• $119 with 16GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash

The Orange Pi CM5 SoM and baseboard are currently available on Amazon with the following options and prices:

• $86.99 with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash
• $107.99 with 8GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash
• $139.99 with 16GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash

Additional information may be found on the product pages for the module and carrier board.

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