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What is a Rock Pi?
Since the Raspberry Pi board began, many imitators have tried to capitalize on people’s desire for a powerful and cheap Single-Board Computer (SBC).
Hence, Rock Pi is one of the boards that can match the Raspberry Pi and even be better in some aspects.
Moreover, we can only call a circuit board a Single Board Computer if it has all the basic requirements for computing on the same panel, including the RAM, CPU, input/output devices, and program storage.
On this note, the Rocks Pi is a full-blown computer in its own right. It features multi-core CPUs with lots of RAM and can support most devices you’d typically use on a MAC or PC.
Also, the greater power of this board allows you to run a variety of the Linux operating system or an Android 10 OS.
It also supports developing and creating applications you can run on the board.
Though the Rock Pi has better specs than the Raspberry Pi, only you can determine if that technical superiority is what you need for your application.
Plus, your experience using Linux and single-board computers will decide whether Rock Pi is better for your applications.
Rock’s Pi vs Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi board started as a means for education, but it quickly caught the interest of DIYers and hobbyists.
Though we’ve seen several iterations and models of the board, the Raspberry Pi foundation released the most powerful version to date in 2019; the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. Rock Pi competes strongly with Raspberry Pi, so a clash is natural.
On the other hand, the Rock’s Pi 4 is the first iteration to directly compete with the Raspberry Pi since it features a similar physical layout.
The Rock Pi 4 has three models: A, B, and C.
We will compare the Rock Pi 4C and the Raspberry Pi 4B.
Specifications
First, see how the Rock Pimeetso the Raspberry Pi’s specifications.
Rock Pi 4C Specs
- Processor: six-core 64-bit (1.8 GHz dual-core Cortex-A72 and 1.4 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53)
- Memory: 4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM (plus options for 1 GB and 2 GB)
- Graphics: Mali T860MP4 GPU
- Ethernet: Gigabit Ethernet, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth: BT 5.0
- Input/Output: Micro HDMI, 3.5 mm audio jack with microphone, 2x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, mini DisplayPort, camera serial interface (CSI), display serial interface (DSI), 40-pin GPIO interface
- Storage: Micro-SD card slot, M.2 SSD support, eMMC module support
- Power Supply: USB type C port with support for USB power delivery and Qualcomm quick charge
- Size: 85 mm x 54 mm
- Operating System: Linux-based or Android 10
Raspberry Pi 4B Specs
- Processor: 1.5 GHz quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A72 (ARM v8)
- Memory: 4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM (plus options for 2 GB and 8 GB)
- Graphics: Broadcom Video core-VI GPU
- Ethernet: Gigabit Ethernet, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth: BT 5.0
- Input/Output: 2 x micro HDMI, 3.5 mm audio-video jack, 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, camera serial interface (CSI), display serial interface (DSI), 40-pin GPIO interface.
- Storage: Micro-SD card slot
- Power Supply: USB type C port – requires 5V at 3A
- Size: 85 mm x 56 mm
- Operating System: Linux-based
The Rock Pi 4C has technical superiority over the Raspberry Pi 4B. However, its better specs come at a higher price than its Raspberry counterpart.
Differences Between Rock Pi 4C and Raspberry Pi 4B
Hardware
The specifications of both boards show that they have much in common. These two boards also have similar physical layouts, so there’s no clear advantage for either in this regard.
A closer look at the hardware shows that both boards support DSI connections for LCD panels and even dual displays.
Both boards also feature a CSI camera port. Interestingly, the two delegations also have parallel input/output ports featuring matching USB 3.0 ports and a 40-pin GPIO port.
Both boards have equivalent WIFI, Bluetooth, and Ethernet provisions regarding networking.
Processing Power
In truth, the Rock Pi 4C’s processing power is far superior. However, its extraordinary computing power is merely a theory.
It depends more on the load you want to run on the board for more practical purposes.
Additionally, it would be best to install heatsinks for the CPUs if you’re after processing power to avoid slow operations caused by overheating.
Storage Capacity
Indeed, storage is where things start to contrast. Although both boards feature USB-connected storage, the Rock Pi 4C has the upper hand. Why?
In addition to USB storage, it also accepts M.2 SSD and eMMC connections. These extra storage options exceed the performance of the microSD card found on both boards.
Hence, the Rock Pi 4C would be more helpful if you want storage flexibility and speed.
Software
All Raspberry Pi models use only one official operating system: the Raspberry Pi OS or Raspbian. You can also choose to install New Out Of The Box Software (NOOBS) to gain access to other alternatives like video consoles, custom application options, or media players.
You can also get third-party options like Android.
Conversely, Rock Pi has three official operating systems, including Debian 9 desktop (dual display), Android 10 (tablet version), and Ubuntu server 20.04.
You can also get community-built images and third-party options on Rock Pi.
Thus, if you want to run only official software, you’ll run only Linux on Raspberry. In contrast, you can run both Linux and Android on Rock Pi.
Additionally, once you have your OS installed for both boards, you can run any software compatible with the OS.
However, your hardware must be capable of running such software. Luckily, there is a wide variety of applications for both Android and Linux.
Rock Pi X vs Raspberry Pi 4
The Rock Pi X is another notable model we consider more powerful than the Rock Pi 4. It features a powerful Intel Atom x5-Z8300 cherry tail x86 processor.
Interestingly, there aren’t a lot of SBCs with Intel processors.
If you pair this processor with Intel’s 8th-generation graphics, you can effortlessly run 32-bit programs and even expect light gaming.
Additionally, with the Rock Pi X’s onboard eMMC storage, you can get a maximum of 128GB of in-built storage.
However, if that’s not enough, the Rock Pi X supports up to 128GB microSD cards. Hence, you can get 256GB for all your applications.
MicroSD Card
Here’s the best part. Rock’s Pi X allows you to run the Windows operating system. Because of its x86 processor, it can also install different distributions of Linux OS.
That’s not all. The Rock’s Pi X supports audio features absent on Raspberry Pi 4B and Rock’s Pi 4C. It also features a 3.5mm headphone jack and microphone capabilities.
Contrarily, you can add an external sound card f you want audio features on your Raspberry Pi; thus, you can easily connect your Rock’s Pi to a sound system for various sound applications.
Furthermore, the Rock’s Pi X is smaller (85 x 54mm) and can generate serious output while installing and running applications.
Plus, this doesn’t affect or reduce the SBC’s performance.
The Bottom Line
Picking the best SBC balls down to what you want to do. The Rock’s Pi and the Raspberry Pi offer considerable computing power, and you can’t go wrong with either.
However, if you’re new to SBCs and Linux operating systems, you might want to stick to Raspberry Pi.
But, if you think you can handle some rough edges, then the Rock’s Pi has much to offer.
So, do you have any questions?
You can always contact us, and we’ll be sure to help provide answers.
