- Maybe you missed it? Orange Pi 5
- Orange Pi 5B Review, Specifications, and Price.
Orange Pi 5B
Single-board computers have become increasingly popular over the years due to their small form factor, low power consumption, and affordable pricing. Among the most popular single-board computers are Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, and now, the new Orange Pi 5B.
Orange Pi 5B Specifications
| SoC | Rockchip RK3588S (8nm LP process) |
| CPU | • 8-core 64-bit processor • Big.Little Architecture: 4 * Cortex-A76 and 4 * Cortex-A55, Big core cluster is 2.4GHz, and Little core cluster is 1.8GHz frequency. |
| GPU | • Arm Mali-G610 MP4 • Compatible with OpenGL ES1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.2 and Vulkan 1.2 • 3D graphics engine and 2D graphics engine |
| NPU | Built-in AI accelerator NPU with up to 6 TOPS, supports INT4/INT8/INT16 mixed operation. |
| PMU | RK806-1 |
| RAM | 4GB/8GB/16GB /32GB（LPDDR4/4x） |
| Memory | • 32GB eMMC • MicroSD (TF) Card Slot |
| USB | USB3.1 * 1 USB2.0 * 2 Type-C (USB3.1) * 1 |
| Video Output | • HDMI2.1, up to 8K@60Hz • DP1.4 (DisplayPort), maximum output resolution up to 8K@30Hz • 2 * MIPI D-PHY TX 4Lane, configurable up to 4K@60Hz |
| Camera | • MIPI CSI 4Lane • 2 * MIPI D-PHY RX 4Lane |
| Audio | CODEC: ES8388 • 3.5mm headphone jack audio input/output • Input: Onboard MIC • HDMI 2.1 eARC |
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet |
| Expansion Port | For extending UART, PWM, I2C, SPI, CAN and GPIO interfaces |
| Wi-Fi, BT module | On-board Wi-Fi6+BT 5.0 module, Wi-Fi6 interface: PCIe, BT interface: PCM+UART |
| Button | 1 * MaskROM key 1 * Recovery key 1 * On/Off key |
| Power Source | Support Type-C power supply, 5V@4A |
| LED | Power indicator: red Status indicator: green |
| Debugging | 3 Pin debug serial port (UART) |
| Supported OS | Orange Pi OS（Droid）、Orange Pi OS（Arch）、Debian11、Ubuntu22.04、Ubuntu20.04、Android12 |
| Dimension | 62mm * 100mm |
| Weight | 52g |
Orange Pi 5 vs. Orange Pi 5B
Orange Pi 5 vs. Orange Pi 5B | ||
Model | Orange Pi 5 | Orange Pi 5B |
– |  | |
Hardware features | ||
CPU | Rockchip RK3588S | |
RAM Configurations | 4GB/8GB/16GB /32GB（LPDDR4/4x) | |
CPU architecture | Cortex A76+A55 (64-bit SoC) | |
Core number | 8 | |
CPU Frequency (Max) | 4x Cortex-A76 (2.4GHz) 4x Cortex-A55 (1.8GHz) | |
GPU | Arm Mali-G610 MP4 (600 MHz) 4 Execution units | |
GPIO header | 26 pin | |
Display & Camera Interfaces | 1x 4-Lane MIPI DSI display port | |
MicroSD (TF) Card Slot |  | |
eMMC Flash |  | |
M.2 M-KEY Socket | | |
eMMC Storage | | |
QSPI Nor FLASH 16MB | | |
USB | x2 USB3.0 x1 Type-C (USB3.1) | x2 USB3.0 x1 Type-C (USB3.1) |
Integrated WiFi & BT | Option #1: PCIe NVMe SSD Option #2: PCIe Wi-Fi6+BT5.0 (Using an expansion card) | |
Onboard IPEX antenna connectors | | |
3 Pin debug serial port (UART) | | |
On/Off Button | | |
Integrated Recovery Button | | |
10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet | | |
HDMI | HDMI2.1, up to 8K @60Hz | |
Integrated Microphone | Yes | |
3.5mm jack | Audio In & Out | |
Power Interface | Type-C (5V/4A) | |
PMU | RK806-1 | |
OS | Android/Ubuntu/debian | |
PCB size | 100mm x 62mm | |
Interfaces
Unboxing (Package Contents)
- x1 Orange Pi 5B (16GB RAM /256GB eMMC).
- x1 User Guide.
- x2 Wired type antenna.
A Closer Look at the Board
Cooling the board
Compared to the previous Orange Pi 5 board design, there are now five chips that need cooling via a large heatsink which include the following components: the main chip, RAM and Wi-Fi/BT chip. This is something worth pointing out as you will need to add additional thermal pads.
The normal thermal pad thickness you will need is about 3-5mm max depending on the spacers length if you are planning to use the semi-open case upper plate as shown in the picture below.
Identifying Storage Devices
| Device name | Description | Notes |
| /dev/ram0 | RAM Partition | |
| /dev/zram1 | RAM Partition | |
| /dev/zram0 | RAM Partition | |
| /dev/mmcblk0p1 | eMMC Partition (256GB) | |
| /dev/mmcblk1 | Micro SD Card (32GB) |
root@orangepi5b:~# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/ram0: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk /dev/zram0: 7.68 GiB, 8241131520 bytes, 2011995 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 4096 = 4096 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 232.97 GiB, 250148290560 bytes, 488570880 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: F808D051-1602-4DCD-9452-F9637FEFC49A
Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/mmcblk0p1 2048 488568831 488566784 233G Linux filesystem
Disk /dev/mmcblk1: 29.76 GiB, 31952207872 bytes, 62406656 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 6975A593-4FE6-1749-99B8-A1B6655F29B5
Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/mmcblk1p1 61440 2158591 2097152 1G Linux extended boot
/dev/mmcblk1p2 2158592 61767679 59609088 28.4G Linux filesystem
Disk /dev/zram1: 200 MiB, 209715200 bytes, 51200 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 4096 = 4096 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 byteseMMC performance testing (256GB)
In our tests we used three file samples of 200MB, 500MB and 1GB under the Gnome Disk utility. Our results were acceptable, but not amazing. Most of the read and write speeds are “almost” symmetrical except the third test with the 1GB file sample that showed a gap in lower performance write speeds. That said, those results are still better than acquiring a high quality Micro SD Card which can be quite expensive.
| Test No. | Sample size | Result |
| 1 | 200 Mb | Average Read Rate: 323.9 MB/s Average Write Rate: 212.7 MB/s |
| 2 | 500 Mb | Average Read Rate: 318.5 MB/s Average Write Rate: 212.2 MB/s |
| 3 | 1GB | Average Read Rate: 317.7 MB/s Average Write Rate: 161.1 MB/s |
eMMC Sequential write/read test results
WiFi Speed Test
Orange Pi 5B includes an integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. In the default bare board package you will get two simple wire type antennas which should provide decent performance. You will need a pair of RP-SMA Male Antennas with an IPEX (MHF4) connector for a more reliable connection.
Using a proper male to female nut pigtail adapter, there’s another, more elegant way to use dual band antennas on the Pi 5B board. This configuration could be used to position the antennas in different locations using extension cables vs just placing them in a fixed point.
A semi-open metal case + external antennas
Wii Speed Test
A Wi-Fi test was conducted using the chrome browser via Speedtest by Ookla website. The Orange Pi 5B hardware handled a 1GB internet connection very easily.
Hardware
The Orange Pi 5B is a powerful single-board computer that offers a lot of features and connectivity options in a compact package. It is powered by an Octa core processor, equipped with two separate clusters (4 x Cortex-A76 and 4 x Cortex-A55) which is capable of running at clock speeds up to 2.4GHz. It also features a Mali-G610 MP4, which offers excellent graphics performance, making it ideal for tasks such as gaming and multimedia playback.
One of the most significant advantages of the Orange Pi 5B is its memory and storage. It comes with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM in the most basic version, which is more than enough for most applications. Additionally, it also features 32GB up to 256GB of eMMC storage, which provides plenty of space for storing files and applications.
The Orange Pi 5B also features a wide range of connectivity options, including Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB 3.1. This makes it easy to connect the board to the internet, peripherals, and other devices.
In terms of I/O, the Orange Pi 5B features an HDMI 2.1 port, which supports 8K resolution at 60Hz. This makes it perfect for use as a media center or for gaming. It also features a 3.5mm audio jack and a built-in microphone, making it easy to connect headphones or speakers and use voice commands.
Software
The Orange Pi 5B also features a wide range of software support, including support for Android, Ubuntu, Debian, and Armbian. This makes it easy to find and install the software you need for your specific application.
Connectivity: More Powerful with built-in Wi-Fi 6 Support
Overall, the Orange Pi 5B is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful single-board computer that offers a lot of features and connectivity options. Its compact size, low power consumption, and affordable pricing make it ideal for a wide range of applications, including media centers, gaming consoles, and IoT devices. Additionally, it comes with WIFI 6 support which makes it a great choice for applications that require high-speed internet connectivity.
The Orange Pi team used a Linux compatible AP6275P Wi-Fi/BT chip from Synaptics. Based on our initial tests, it performed extremely well. Orange Pi team also sells an M.2 module based on the same chip that can fit the Orange Pi 5 board as well as other SBC brands.
Final words
In conclusion, the Orange Pi 5B is a powerful single-board computer that offers a lot of features and connectivity options in a compact package. Its 8-core 64-bit processor CPU, Arm Mali-G610 MP4 GPU, and 4GB LPDDR4 RAM or larger make it ideal for a wide range of applications, including media centers, gaming consoles, and IoT devices. Its support for Wi-Fi 6 also makes it a great choice for applications that require high-speed internet connectivity. While it may not have the same level of community support as other single-board computers, it is still an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful and versatile board.
Price and Availability
One potential downside to the Orange Pi 5B is its lack of community support. While it is a relatively new board, it started to gain a lot of interest as other single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi because of its low price high value ratio.
The Orange Pi 5 is currently selling at a starting price of $89 for the 4GB RAM / 32GB eMMC variant. If you need a different configuration, with more RAM for more demanding computing applications, the price will cross the $100 price threshold. You are welcome to visit Orange Pi’s official AliExpress store (link below) for more information.
Orange Pi 5B variants (Models) | |||
 | |||
Package Name | Configuration | Package Content | Price |
Orange Pi 5B | 4GB RAM + 32GB eMMC On-board | Bare board only | $89.90 |
Orange Pi 5B Set 1 | 4GB RAM + 32GB eMMC On-board | Bare board + Power supply | $98.00 |
Orange Pi 5B | 8GB RAM + 64GB eMMC On-board | Bare board only | $115.00 |
Orange Pi 5B Set 2 | 8GB RAM + 64GB eMMC On-board | Bare board + Power supply | $123.90 |
Orange Pi 5B | 8GB RAM + 64GB eMMC On-board | Bare board only | $149.00 |
Orange Pi 5B Set 3 | 16GB RAM + 128GB EMMC On-board | Bare board + Power supply | $157.90 |
Orange Pi 5B Set 3 (256GB eMMC) | 16GB RAM + 256GB EMMC On-board | Bare board + Power supply | $177.90 |
Orange Pi 5/5B Shell | – | Metal Case with Antennas | $12.99 |
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Updated on 1 of June, 2023 | |||
