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Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero vs Milk-V Mars: Comparison

Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero vs Milk-V Mars: the memory difference

Start with memory, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero 2 GB against Milk-V Mars 8 GB, 75% in favour of Milk-V Mars. Wireless is not the same on both, WiFi 6 on the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero versus WiFi 5 on the Milk-V Mars. There is a split on use case as well, Ultra-Compact / Budget on the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero versus General Purpose on the Milk-V Mars.

Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero vs Milk-V Mars: which one fits your build

The Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero is the one to take for battery-powered IoT sensors needing WiFi 6 and ultra-compact embedded projects with tight space budgets, though it is the wrong buy for projects depending on the Pi Zero HAT ecosystem and beginners wanting maximum tutorial availability. Buy the Milk-V Mars for budget GPIO projects reusing existing Pi 4 HATs/cases and basic NPU-accelerated vision on a tight budget, though it is not the pick for peak single-thread CPU performance needs and buyers wanting the largest tutorial/community base. Our rating of the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero (6.7/10): A capable, WiFi 6-equipped Pi Zero rival for battery-powered IoT projects, held back mainly by a thinner tutorial and HAT ecosystem than the official Pi Zero line. Our rating of the Milk-V Mars (6.8/10): A smart budget play for anyone who already owns Pi 4 HATs or cases and wants to save money without changing their physical setup.

Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero vs Milk-V Mars price

The Milk-V Mars asks 125% more, $45.00 against $20.00 for the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero and Milk-V Mars differ on gpu model?

Yes. GPU Model reads Mali-G31 MP2 on the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero versus Mali-G52 2EE on the Milk-V Mars.

Is the CPU Architecture the same on the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero and Milk-V Mars?

It is. Both are listed at ARM, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Which is cheaper, Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero or Milk-V Mars?

The Milk-V Mars asks 125% more, $45.00 against $20.00 for the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero.

Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero (Single-Board Computer/Allwinner H618/Quad-Core Cortex-A53 1.5GHz/Up to 2GB LPDDR4/Ultra-Compact WiFi 6 Pico Board)
Banana Pi

$20.00

Consumercarts listing

@ Consumercarts listing ›
Milk-V Mars (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3566/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 1.8GHz/Up to 8GB LPDDR4/Raspberry Pi Form-Factor Budget Board)
Milk-V

$45.00

Consumercarts listing

@ Consumercarts listing ›

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    Banana Pi
    Milk-V Mars
    Milk-V
  • CPU Architecture

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    ARM
    Milk-V Mars
    ARM
  • Model Number

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    BPI-M4 Zero
    Milk-V Mars
    Mars
  • Memory

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    2 GB-75%
    Milk-V Mars
    8 GBBest
  • Storage Type

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    microSD
    Milk-V Mars
    eMMC
  • SoC Model

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    Allwinner H618, Quad-Core Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz
    Milk-V Mars
    Rockchip RK3566, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
  • Has AI Accelerator / NPU

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    No
    Milk-V Mars
    Yes
  • Wireless

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    WiFi 6
    Milk-V Mars
    WiFi 5
  • GPIO Header

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    Yes
    Milk-V Mars
    Yes
  • Price

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    20 USD
    Milk-V Mars
    45 USD
  • Use Case

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    Ultra-Compact / Budget
    Milk-V Mars
    General Purpose
  • GPU Model

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    Mali-G31 MP2
    Milk-V Mars
    Mali-G52 2EE
  • Power Input

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero
    5V/2A USB-C
    Milk-V Mars
    5V/3A USB-C

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Choose Milk-V Mars if you want the higher memory (8 GB vs 2 GB).

    Price comparison

    RetailerBanana Pi BPI-M4 ZeroMilk-V Mars
    Consumercarts listing

    $20.00

    View on Consumercarts listing

    $45.00

    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

    Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero

    6.7 / 10 Expert Rating

    A capable, WiFi 6-equipped Pi Zero rival for battery-powered IoT projects, held back mainly by a thinner tutorial and HAT ecosystem than the official Pi Zero line.

    Milk-V Mars

    6.8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A smart budget play for anyone who already owns Pi 4 HATs or cases and wants to save money without changing their physical setup.

    More comparisons in Single-board Computers