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ASUS Tinker Board 2 vs Banana Pi BPI-SM10: Comparison
ASUS Tinker Board 2 vs Banana Pi BPI-SM10: the memory difference
Start with memory, because it is the widest measured gap between them: ASUS Tinker Board 2 4 GB against Banana Pi BPI-SM10 32 GB, 88% in favour of Banana Pi BPI-SM10. There is a split on use case as well, General Purpose on the ASUS Tinker Board 2 versus AI / Machine Learning on the Banana Pi BPI-SM10.
Who each one is for
The ASUS Tinker Board 2 suits kiosk, digital signage, and point-of-sale deployments and small-batch industrial integrators needing supply guarantees, though it is not built for budget-conscious hobbyists (Radxa ROCK Pi 4C Plus is cheaper) and anyone needing the largest possible community/tutorial base. it is the wrong buy for beginners wanting a plug-and-play dev board like a Raspberry Pi. It is equally the pick for developers who specifically want early access to the SpacemiT K3 RISC-V platform. It is the wrong buy for anyone who needs a verified, benchmarked NPU today rather than a manufacturer claim. Our rating of the ASUS Tinker Board 2 (6.8/10): A capable but pricier RK3399 board whose real selling point is ASUS's industrial supply-chain guarantees rather than anything hobbyists specifically need. Our rating of the Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (6.5/10): interesting silicon, risky purchase. Great if you want to be first on SpacemiT K3, but the 60 TOPS NPU claim is unverified and this is a compute module, not a beginner-friendly dev board.
ASUS Tinker Board 2 vs Banana Pi BPI-SM10 price
Cost splits them too. ASUS Tinker Board 2 sits at $110, Banana Pi BPI-SM10 at $449, 308% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASUS Tinker Board 2 and Banana Pi BPI-SM10 differ on cpu architecture?
Yes. CPU Architecture reads ARM on the ASUS Tinker Board 2 versus RISC-V on the Banana Pi BPI-SM10.
Is the GPIO Header the same on the ASUS Tinker Board 2 and Banana Pi BPI-SM10?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- ASUS
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- Banana Pi
CPU Architecture
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- ARM
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- RISC-V
Memory
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- 4 GB-87%
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- 32 GBBest
Storage Type
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- eMMC
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- Onboard UFS (128GB standard), microSD, NVMe / M.2
SoC Model
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- Rockchip RK3399, Dual Cortex-A72 @ 2.0GHz + Quad Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- SpacemiT K3 RISC-V AI chip (RVA23 profile, RVV 1.0)
Has AI Accelerator / NPU
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- No
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- Yes
Wireless
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- WiFi 5
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- None (Ethernet only) on reference carrier; WiFi/BT available via optional M.2 Key E module
GPIO Header
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- Yes
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- Yes
Price
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- 110 USD
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- 449 USD
Use Case
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- General Purpose
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- AI / Machine Learning
GPU Model
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- Mali-T860MP4
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- Integrated 3D GPU (Vulkan, OpenCL, OpenGL ES)
Power Input
- ASUS Tinker Board 2
- 5V/3A USB-C
- Banana Pi BPI-SM10
- 12-19V DC, 5.5/2.5mm barrel jack
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASUS Tinker Board 2 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Banana Pi BPI-SM10 if you want the higher memory (32 GB vs 4 GB).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASUS Tinker Board 2 | Banana Pi BPI-SM10 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $110.00 View on Consumercarts listing | $449.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ASUS Tinker Board 2
6.8 / 10 Expert Rating
A capable but pricier RK3399 board whose real selling point is ASUS's industrial supply-chain guarantees rather than anything hobbyists specifically need.
Banana Pi BPI-SM10
6.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Interesting silicon, risky purchase.