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ASUS Tinker Board S vs Orange Pi 3B: Comparison
What is the difference between ASUS Tinker Board S and Orange Pi 3B?
The first real difference is gpu model: ASUS Tinker Board S Mali-T760 MP4 against Orange Pi 3B Mali-G52 2EE. There is a split on has ai accelerator / npu as well, No on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus Yes on the Orange Pi 3B. Use case is not the same on both, General Purpose on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus NAS / Server on the Orange Pi 3B.
Who each one is for
Buy the ASUS Tinker Board S for digital signage and kiosk displays needing reliable boot storage and always-on embedded installs avoiding SD card failure, though it is the wrong buy for new projects needing current-generation performance and GPU-intensive or 4K video applications. The Orange Pi 3B is the one to take for budget NAS builds using a SATA hard drive and basic media-center or file-serving duty, though it is not built for performance-focused builds (see Radxa ROCK Pi 4C Plus) and buyers who need the widest Linux distro support. Our rating of the ASUS Tinker Board S (6.5/10): dated performance-wise, but the onboard eMMC still makes it a sensible pick for always-on signage and kiosk deployments. Our rating of the Orange Pi 3B (6.6/10): A genuinely useful budget option for anyone wanting SATA-based storage without stepping up to a pricier board -- the standout feature at this price.
Which is cheaper, ASUS Tinker Board S or Orange Pi 3B?
Cost splits them too. Orange Pi 3B sits at $50.00, ASUS Tinker Board S at $79.00, 58% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASUS Tinker Board S and Orange Pi 3B differ on storage type?
Yes. Storage Type reads eMMC on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus eMMC + M.2 B-key on the Orange Pi 3B.
Is the CPU Architecture the same on the ASUS Tinker Board S and Orange Pi 3B?
It is. Both are listed at ARM, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- ASUS
- Orange Pi 3B
- Orange Pi
CPU Architecture
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- ARM
- Orange Pi 3B
- ARM
Model Number
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Tinker Board S
- Orange Pi 3B
- Orange Pi 3B
Memory
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 2GB LPDDR3
- Orange Pi 3B
- 8 GBBest
Storage Type
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- eMMC
- Orange Pi 3B
- eMMC + M.2 B-key (SATA via adapter)
SoC Model
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Quad-Core Cortex-A17 up to 1.8GHz
- Orange Pi 3B
- Rockchip RK3566, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
Has AI Accelerator / NPU
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- No
- Orange Pi 3B
- Yes
Wireless
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- WiFi 5
- Orange Pi 3B
- WiFi 5
GPIO Header
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Yes
- Orange Pi 3B
- Yes
Price
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 79 USD
- Orange Pi 3B
- 50 USD
Use Case
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- General Purpose
- Orange Pi 3B
- NAS / Server
GPU Model
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Mali-T760 MP4
- Orange Pi 3B
- Mali-G52 2EE
Onboard Storage
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 16GB onboard eMMC + microSD
- Orange Pi 3B
- microSD + onboard eMMC (0/8/32/128GB variants) + M.2 B-key SATA adapter slot
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASUS Tinker Board S if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Orange Pi 3B if you want the higher memory (8 GB vs 2GB LPDDR3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASUS Tinker Board S | Orange Pi 3B |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $79.00 View on Consumercarts listing | $50.00 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 S
6.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Dated performance-wise, but the onboard eMMC still makes it a sensible pick for always-on signage and kiosk deployments.
Orange Pi 3B
6.6 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely useful budget option for anyone wanting SATA-based storage without stepping up to a pricier board -- the standout feature at this price.