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Banana Pi BPI-M5 vs Raspberry Pi 5: Comparison
What is the difference between Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Raspberry Pi 5?
The first real difference is gpu model: Banana Pi BPI-M5 Mali-G31 MP2 against Raspberry Pi 5 VideoCore VII, supports OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2. Banana Pi BPI-M5 also leads on memory, 4 GB on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus 2 GB on the Raspberry Pi 5. They differ on soc model too, Amlogic S905X3, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus Broadcom BCM2712 on the Raspberry Pi 5. Wireless is not the same on both, WiFi 5 on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus WiFi 5, Bluetooth on the Raspberry Pi 5.
Which should you buy, Banana Pi BPI-M5 or Raspberry Pi 5?
The Banana Pi BPI-M5 suits 4K media center boxes (Kodi/LibreELEC) and budget GPIO projects needing a Pi 4-style header, though it is the wrong buy for projects requiring official Raspberry Pi OS support and AI/ML workloads needing an onboard NPU. The Raspberry Pi 5 is the one to take for single-purpose appliances, home automation hubs, and headless servers. The same goes for budget-conscious builds that want Pi 5 CPU/IO speed without paying for extra RAM. Avoid it for multitasking-heavy desktop use or anything running several containers at once, where the 4GB or 8GB model is worth the extra cost. Our rating of the Banana Pi BPI-M5 (6.9/10): A solid, GPIO-compatible Pi alternative for media and general tinkering, though the driver ecosystem needs more patience than the official Raspberry Pi line.
Banana Pi BPI-M5 vs Raspberry Pi 5 price
The Banana Pi BPI-M5 asks 30% more, $65.00 against $50.00 for the Raspberry Pi 5.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Raspberry Pi 5 differ on storage type?
Yes. Storage Type reads eMMC on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus microSD, NVMe/M.2 on the Raspberry Pi 5.
Is the CPU Architecture the same on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Raspberry Pi 5?
It is. Both are listed at ARM, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Banana Pi
- Raspberry Pi 5
- Raspberry Pi Foundation
CPU Architecture
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- ARM
- Raspberry Pi 5
- ARM
Memory
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 4 GBBest
- Raspberry Pi 5
- 2 GB-50%
Storage Type
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- eMMC
- Raspberry Pi 5
- microSD, NVMe/M.2
SoC Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Amlogic S905X3, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
- Raspberry Pi 5
- Broadcom BCM2712
Wireless
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- WiFi 5
- Raspberry Pi 5
- WiFi 5, Bluetooth
GPIO Header
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Yes
- Raspberry Pi 5
- Yes
Price
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 65 USD
- Raspberry Pi 5
- 50 USD
Use Case
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- General Purpose
- Raspberry Pi 5
- General Purpose
GPU Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Mali-G31 MP2
- Raspberry Pi 5
- VideoCore VII, supports OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2
Power Input
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 5V/3A USB-C
- Raspberry Pi 5
- 5V/5A via USB-C (PD)
Which one should you pick?
Choose Banana Pi BPI-M5 if you want the higher memory (4 GB vs 2 GB).
Choose Raspberry Pi 5 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Banana Pi BPI-M5 | Raspberry Pi 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $65.00 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
Banana Pi BPI-M5
6.9 / 10 Expert Rating
A solid, GPIO-compatible Pi alternative for media and general tinkering, though the driver ecosystem needs more patience than the official Raspberry Pi line.