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Banana Pi BPI-M5 vs Sipeed LicheePi 4A: Comparison
What is the difference between Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Sipeed LicheePi 4A?
The gap that matters here is memory: Banana Pi BPI-M5 4 GB against Sipeed LicheePi 4A 16 GB, which puts Sipeed LicheePi 4A 75% ahead. They differ on wireless too, WiFi 5 on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus WiFi 6 on the Sipeed LicheePi 4A. There is a split on use case as well, General Purpose on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus AI / Machine Learning on the Sipeed LicheePi 4A.
Which should you buy, Banana Pi BPI-M5 or Sipeed LicheePi 4A?
Buy the Banana Pi BPI-M5 for 4K media center boxes (Kodi/LibreELEC) and budget GPIO projects needing a Pi 4-style header, though it is not built for projects requiring official Raspberry Pi OS support and AI/ML workloads needing an onboard NPU. The Sipeed LicheePi 4A is the one to take for developers exploring RISC-V AI/NPU toolchains early and RAM-hungry RISC-V projects (up to 16GB), though it is not the pick for production AI deployments needing mature tooling and buyers wanting the broadest available software support. 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. Our rating of the Sipeed LicheePi 4A (6.9/10): the most ambitious RISC-V AI board available today, but its software stack is still catching up to what its hardware promises -- best suited to developers who want to be early rather than comfortable.
Which is cheaper, Banana Pi BPI-M5 or Sipeed LicheePi 4A?
Cost splits them too. Banana Pi BPI-M5 sits at $65.00, Sipeed LicheePi 4A at $99.00, 52% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Sipeed LicheePi 4A differ on cpu architecture?
Yes. CPU Architecture reads ARM on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 versus RISC-V on the Sipeed LicheePi 4A.
Is the GPIO Header the same on the Banana Pi BPI-M5 and Sipeed LicheePi 4A?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Banana Pi
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- Sipeed
CPU Architecture
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- ARM
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- RISC-V
Model Number
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- BPI-M5
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- LicheePi 4A
Memory
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 4 GB-75%
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- 16 GBBest
Storage Type
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- eMMC
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- NVMe/M.2
SoC Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Amlogic S905X3, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- Alibaba T-Head TH1520, Quad-Core RISC-V C910 @ 1.85GHz
Has AI Accelerator / NPU
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- No
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- Yes
Wireless
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- WiFi 5
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- WiFi 6
GPIO Header
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Yes
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- Yes
Price
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 65 USD
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- 99 USD
Use Case
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- General Purpose
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- AI / Machine Learning
GPU Model
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- Mali-G31 MP2
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- Imagination BXE-4-32 MC1
Power Input
- Banana Pi BPI-M5
- 5V/3A USB-C
- Sipeed LicheePi 4A
- 5V/3A USB-C (PD)
Which one should you pick?
Choose Banana Pi BPI-M5 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Sipeed LicheePi 4A if you want the higher memory (16 GB vs 4 GB).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Banana Pi BPI-M5 | Sipeed LicheePi 4A |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $65.00 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
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.
Sipeed LicheePi 4A
6.9 / 10 Expert Rating
The most ambitious RISC-V AI board available today, but its software stack is still catching up to what its hardware promises -- best suited to developers who want to be early rather than comfortable.