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Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro vs FriendlyElec NanoPi M4: Comparison
Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro vs FriendlyElec NanoPi M4: the ram capacity difference
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is ram capacity, Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro 8GB LPDDR4X against FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 1GB to 4GB LPDDR3. They differ on gpu model too, Mali-G52 on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro versus Mali-T864 on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4. Soc model is not the same on both, Rockchip RK3576 on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro versus Hexa-core on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4. There is a split on connectivity as well, 2x Gigabit Ethernet on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro versus Dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4.
Which should you buy, Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro or FriendlyElec NanoPi M4?
Take the Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro for edge AI and network appliance projects needing dual Ethernet and solid onboard NPU performance on a budget. It is not the one for serious ML training or inference workloads, the Jetson Orin Nano Super offers far more raw compute for that. Buy the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 for budget buyers who want proven, long-available RK3399-class performance. Avoid it for buyers who want a built-in NPU or the newest available silicon. Our rating of the Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro (7/10): A budget-friendly edge AI and network appliance board with dual Ethernet and a capable 6 TOPS NPU. Our rating of the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 (7/10): proven, long-available RK3399 performance at a budget price, minus an NPU.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
- Banana Pi
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- FriendlyElec
SoC Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
- Rockchip RK3576
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- Hexa-core (Dual Cortex-A72 + Quad Cortex-A53)
GPU Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
- Mali-G52
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- Mali-T864
RAM Capacity
- Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
- 8GB LPDDR4XBest
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 1GB to 4GB LPDDR3
Connectivity
- Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
- 2x Gigabit Ethernet
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- Dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth
Which one should you pick?
Choose Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro | FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Banana Pi BPI-M5 Pro
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A budget-friendly edge AI and network appliance board with dual Ethernet and a capable 6 TOPS NPU.
FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
7 / 10 Expert Rating
Proven, long-available RK3399 performance at a budget price, minus an NPU.