Banana Pi BPI-R4
Expert rating8.5 / 10
- SoC:
- MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A)
- Memory:
- 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4
- Wireless:
- WiFi 7 (optional module)
- Networking:
- 1x 10GbE SFP+
- Price:
- $189
Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Manufacturer: Banana Pi Last updated: 2026-09-12
Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) Review
Banana Pi BPI-R4 is an OpenWrt router board built around MediaTek's Filogic 880 networking SoC, offering a 10 Gigabit SFP+ port, dual 2.5GbE, and WiFi 7 module support in a form factor aimed squarely at prosumer and small-business router builders.
The BPI-R4 pushes DIY OpenWrt routing into genuinely high-end networking territory: a 10GbE SFP+ uplink and WiFi 7 support are specs you'd expect on a $400+ commercial router, not a $200 hobbyist board, making it a serious option for fiber-to-the-home connections faster than gigabit.
Built for Multi-Gigabit Internet
With 10G SFP+ alongside dual 2.5GbE ports, the BPI-R4 is one of the few DIY router boards actually capable of routing multi-gigabit fiber connections at line rate, a segment most consumer and even prosumer routers still struggle to serve affordably.
WiFi 7 Ahead of the Curve
Support for WiFi 7 add-in modules positions the BPI-R4 ahead of most currently-shipping consumer routers, appealing to networking enthusiasts who want to build a cutting-edge OpenWrt router before mainstream WiFi 7 routers mature.
Comparison to Alternatives
Against the FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S and R6S, the BPI-R4 is a significant step up in raw networking throughput and future-proofing (10GbE, WiFi 7) at a correspondingly higher price. It's overkill for typical gigabit home connections but the clear choice once fiber speeds exceed 2.5Gbps.
Specifications
Identity
| Brand | Banana Pi |
|---|
| CPU Architecture | ARM |
|---|---|
| Memory | 8 GB |
| Storage Type | eMMC |
| Has AI Accelerator / NPU | No |
| Wireless | WiFi 7 |
| GPIO Header | Yes |
| Price | 189 USD |
| Use Case | NAS / Server |
| Model | BPI-R4 |
| SoC | MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A) |
| Processor | Quad-Core Cortex-A73 up to 2.0GHz |
| Memory Options | 4GB or 8GB |
| Memory Type | LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 8GB eMMC + microSD, optional M.2 SATA/NVMe |
| Wireless Note | Via optional add-in module, not onboard |
| Connectivity | 1x 10GbE SFP+, 2x 2.5GbE, WiFi 7 module support, M.2 for 5G/LTE modem |
| Operating System | OpenWrt |
Expert Review
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Expert rating8.5 / 10
The strongest DIY OpenWrt router board for multi-gigabit fiber connections, if you actually have the bandwidth to use it.
Best for
- Multi-gigabit fiber home routing (2.5G-10G)
- Future-proof WiFi 7 OpenWrt router builds
- Small business network gateways
Not for
- Standard gigabit or slower internet connections
- Budget-conscious router projects
- General-purpose desktop computing
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board)?
The Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) is a single board computer from Banana Pi. Key specs: SoC MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A), CPU Architecture ARM, Processor Quad-Core Cortex-A73 up to 2.0GHz, Memory 8, Memory Options 4GB or 8GB.
Will the Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) work with my current setup?
The Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) lists SoC is MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A). Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.
Who is the Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) best suited to?
It suits multi-gigabit fiber home routing (2.5g-10g), future-proof wifi 7 openwrt router builds, small business network gateways.
What are the drawbacks of the Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board)?
It is a poor fit for standard gigabit or slower internet connections, budget-conscious router projects, general-purpose desktop computing.
Compare and read more
- Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) vs FriendlyElec NanoPC-T6 (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588/Octa-Core/Up to 16GB LPDDR5/Dual 2.5GbE and M.2 NVMe)
- Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) vs FriendlyElec NanoPi R6S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core/Dual 2.5GbE/6 TOPS NPU Router Board)
- Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) vs Intel NUC 13 Extreme Compute Element (Single-Board Computer/Intel Core i9-13900K/24-Core/PCIe Card Form Factor/High-Performance NUC Module)
- Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) vs NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit (Single-Board Computer/12-Core Cortex-A78AE/2048-Core Ampere GPU/64GB LPDDR5/Flagship Edge AI Dev Kit)
- Banana Pi BPI-R4 (Single-Board Computer/MediaTek Filogic 880/Quad-Core Cortex-A73/WiFi 7/10GbE Router Board) vs Orange Pi 5 Plus (RK3588S, up to 32GB)