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ASUS Tinker Board S vs Pine64 PineTab: Comparison
ASUS Tinker Board S vs Pine64 PineTab: the gpu model difference
They are built to different briefs, and gpu model shows it, ASUS Tinker Board S Mali-T760 MP4 against Pine64 PineTab Mali-400 MP2. Official os is not the same on both, TinkerOS , Android on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus Linux on the Pine64 PineTab. They differ on connectivity too, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, HDMI, 40-pin GPIO on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus USB-C, USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio, optional keyboard case on the Pine64 PineTab.
Which should you buy, ASUS Tinker Board S or Pine64 PineTab?
The ASUS Tinker Board S suits digital signage and kiosk displays needing reliable boot storage and always-on embedded installs avoiding SD card failure, though it is not built for new projects needing current-generation performance and GPU-intensive or 4K video applications. Buy the Pine64 PineTab for mobile Linux OS development (postmarketOS, etc.) and open-hardware tablet tinkering and repair, though it is not the pick for users wanting mainstream tablet performance and media-heavy or gaming use. 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 Pine64 PineTab (6/10): A niche but valuable open-hardware tablet for Linux mobile OS development, not a mainstream tablet alternative.
Which is cheaper, ASUS Tinker Board S or Pine64 PineTab?
Cost splits them too. ASUS Tinker Board S sits at $79.00, Pine64 PineTab at $99.00, 25% more.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: cpu architecture, storage type, memory, has ai accelerator / npu and wireless are identical here. They match on 1 further specification as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASUS Tinker Board S and Pine64 PineTab differ on onboard storage?
Yes. Onboard Storage reads 16GB onboard eMMC + microSD on the ASUS Tinker Board S versus 64GB eMMC + microSD expansion on the Pine64 PineTab.
Is the Use Case the same on the ASUS Tinker Board S and Pine64 PineTab?
It is. Both are listed at General Purpose, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- ASUS
- Pine64 PineTab
- Pine64
CPU Architecture
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- ARM
- Pine64 PineTab
- ARM
Model Number
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Tinker Board S
- Pine64 PineTab
- PineTab
Memory
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 2GB LPDDR3
- Pine64 PineTab
- 2GB LPDDR3
Storage Type
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- eMMC
- Pine64 PineTab
- eMMC
SoC Model
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Quad-Core Cortex-A17 up to 1.8GHz
- Pine64 PineTab
- Quad-Core Cortex-A53 up to 1.2GHz
Has AI Accelerator / NPU
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- No
- Pine64 PineTab
- No
Wireless
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- WiFi 5
- Pine64 PineTab
- WiFi 5
GPIO Header
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Yes
- Pine64 PineTab
- No
Price
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 79 USD
- Pine64 PineTab
- 99 USD
Use Case
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- General Purpose
- Pine64 PineTab
- General Purpose
GPU Model
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Mali-T760 MP4
- Pine64 PineTab
- Mali-400 MP2
Onboard Storage
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- 16GB onboard eMMC + microSD
- Pine64 PineTab
- 64GB eMMC + microSD expansion
Official OS
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- TinkerOS (Debian), Android
- Pine64 PineTab
- Linux (Manjaro, postmarketOS, Ubuntu Touch)
Connectivity
- ASUS Tinker Board S
- Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, HDMI, 40-pin GPIO (Pi layout)
- Pine64 PineTab
- USB-C, USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio, optional keyboard case
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 Pine64 PineTab if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASUS Tinker Board S | Pine64 PineTab |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $79.00 View on Consumercarts listing | $99.00 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.
Pine64 PineTab
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A niche but valuable open-hardware tablet for Linux mobile OS development, not a mainstream tablet alternative.