Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 vs Raspberry Pi 400: Comparison
What is the difference between FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 and Raspberry Pi 400?
There is no decisive spec gap here. Ram capacity splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 1GB to 4GB LPDDR3 against Raspberry Pi 400 4GB LPDDR4. sbc-bench: 7-Zip MIPS, multi-threaded (MIPS), sbc-bench run backs the spec sheet up. Raspberry Pi 400 scores 6,550 to 6,400, 2% clear. Wi-fi is not the same on both, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2 MIMO on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 versus Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac on the Raspberry Pi 400. They differ on dimensions too, 85 x 56 mm on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 versus 286 x 122 x 23 mm on the Raspberry Pi 400.
Who each one is for
Buy the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 for budget buyers who want proven, long-available RK3399-class performance. It is not the one for buyers who want a built-in NPU or the newest available silicon. it is the wrong buy for anyone who needs the Raspberry Pi 500's newer, faster silicon. It also earns its place with budget-conscious buyers and classrooms that want a keyboard computer without Pi 500 pricing. Our rating of the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 (7/10): proven, long-available RK3399 performance at a budget price, minus an NPU. Our rating of the Raspberry Pi 400 (7/10): the budget keyboard computer, built on Pi 4-era silicon at a price well under the Pi 500.
Which is cheaper, FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 or Raspberry Pi 400?
Cost splits them too. FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 sits at $50.00, Raspberry Pi 400 at $70.00, 40% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 and Raspberry Pi 400 differ on onboard storage?
Yes. Onboard Storage reads microSD slot; eMMC socket on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 versus microSD card slot on the Raspberry Pi 400.
Is the Ethernet Speed the same on the FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 and Raspberry Pi 400?
It is. Both are listed at Gigabit, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- FriendlyElec
- Raspberry Pi 400
- Raspberry Pi
SoC Model
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- Hexa-core (Dual Cortex-A72 + Quad Cortex-A53)
- Raspberry Pi 400
- Quad-core Cortex-A72 @ 1.8GHz
Price
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 50 USD
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 70 USD
RAM Capacity
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 1GB to 4GB LPDDR3
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 4GB LPDDR4Best
Onboard Storage
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- microSD slot; eMMC socket (no onboard eMMC)
- Raspberry Pi 400
- microSD card slot
Ethernet Speed
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- Gigabit
- Raspberry Pi 400
- Gigabit
Bluetooth Version
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 4.1
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 5.0 BLE
Power Input
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 5V/3A DC via USB Type-C or GPIO
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 5V DC via USB
USB Ports
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 4x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB Type-C (USB 2.0 OTG)
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0
Video Out
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- HDMI 2.0a up to 4K at 60Hz; 4-lane MIPI-DSI
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 2x micro HDMI, up to 4Kp60
Wi-Fi
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2 MIMO
- Raspberry Pi 400
- Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac
Dimensions
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 85 x 56 mm
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 286 x 122 x 23 mm (max)
Benchmarks
- Other Published Benchmarks
sbc-bench: 7-Zip MIPS, multi-threaded (MIPS), sbc-bench run
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 6,400-2%
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 6,550Best
sbc-bench Results (Thomas Kaiser), retrieved 23 Sept 2026. Higher is better.
Compression, encryption and memory tests. Small gaps can come from software, not hardware.
sbc-bench: 7-Zip MIPS, single-threaded (MIPS), sbc-bench run
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 1,835-4%
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 1,903Best
sbc-bench Results (Thomas Kaiser), retrieved 23 Sept 2026. Higher is better.
Compression, encryption and memory tests. Small gaps can come from software, not hardware.
sbc-bench: OpenSSL AES-256-CBC, single thread (KB/s), sbc-bench run
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 1,128,330Best
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 77,890-93%
sbc-bench Results (Thomas Kaiser), retrieved 23 Sept 2026. Higher is better.
Compression, encryption and memory tests. Small gaps can come from software, not hardware.
sbc-bench: Memory copy bandwidth (tinymembench memcpy) (MB/s), sbc-bench run
- FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
- 4,080Best
- Raspberry Pi 400
- 2,680-34%
sbc-bench Results (Thomas Kaiser), retrieved 23 Sept 2026. Higher is better.
Compression, encryption and memory tests. Small gaps can come from software, not hardware.
sbc-bench by Thomas Kaiser (github.com/ThomasKaiser/sbc-bench, Results.md). Copyright (c) 2018, Thomas Kaiser. All rights reserved. Redistributed under the BSD 3-Clause License; full notice, conditions and disclaimer: github.com/ThomasKaiser/sbc-bench/blob/master/LICENSE
Which one should you pick?
Choose FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 if you want the higher sbc-bench: OpenSSL AES-256-CBC, single thread (KB/s), sbc-bench run (1,128,330 vs 77,890) and the higher sbc-bench: memory copy bandwidth (tinymembench memcpy) (MB/s), sbc-bench run (4,080 vs 2,680).
Choose Raspberry Pi 400 if you want the higher sbc-bench: 7-Zip MIPS, multi-threaded (MIPS), sbc-bench run (6,550 vs 6,400) and the higher sbc-bench: 7-Zip MIPS, single-threaded (MIPS), sbc-bench run (1,903 vs 1,835).
Price comparison
| Retailer | FriendlyElec NanoPi M4 | Raspberry Pi 400 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $50.00 View on Consumercarts listing | $70.00 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
FriendlyElec NanoPi M4
7 / 10 Expert Rating
Proven, long-available RK3399 performance at a budget price, minus an NPU.
Raspberry Pi 400
7 / 10 Expert Rating
The budget keyboard computer, built on Pi 4-era silicon at a price well under the Pi 500.