Banana Pi (Sinovoip)

Banana Pi BPI-SM10

Expert rating6.5 / 10

Single-board ComputersView on banana-pi.org

SoC:: SpacemiT K3 (RISC-V
CPU:: 8x X100 RISC-V cores @ 2.4GHz
NPU:: Up to 60 TOPS (manufacturer-claimed)
Memory:: 8GB / 16GB / 32GB LPDDR5

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Manufacturer: Banana Pi (Sinovoip) Last updated: 2026-09-14

Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5) Review

If you're looking at the Banana Pi BPI-SM10, also sold as the K3-CoM260, it's Banana Pi's first board built around SpacemiT's brand-new K3 RISC-V chip, the successor to the K1 that powered the BPI-F3.

It's not a traditional dev board in the Raspberry Pi sense, it's a compute module (the K3-CoM260) that ships on a 103 x 90.5mm reference carrier, so treat it more like an embeddable SoM than something you'll casually breadboard with. SpacemiT is claiming 60 TOPS from the NPU side of the K3, but that's a manufacturer number with zero independent benchmarks behind it right now, this chip only started shipping in mid-2026. We'd treat the AI performance claim as a story to watch rather than a spec to plan a product around today.

Overview

The BPI-SM10 pairs SpacemiT's K3 RISC-V SoC with an LPDDR5 memory system that scales from 8GB to 32GB, and Banana Pi sells it as a compute module (K3-CoM260) sitting on a reference carrier board rather than a finished consumer dev board. That carrier gives you a GbE port, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, DisplayPort and MIPI-DSI outputs, dual MIPI CSI-2 camera connectors, and M.2 slots for NVMe storage and a wireless card. The 8-core X100 CPU cluster runs RVA23-profile RISC-V at up to 2.4GHz, which puts it in a genuinely different software ecosystem than the ARM boards most people are used to, expect some driver and distro rough edges since Bianbu (SpacemiT's own Linux spin) and Buildroot are the only OS options documented so far.

Performance & Connectivity

The headline number is the 60 TOPS NPU claim from the 8-core A100 AI cluster, but we want to be upfront: that's SpacemiT's own figure, and as of this writing there's no third-party benchmark suite that's put it through its paces. Same caveat applies to the K3 generally, since this is essentially a launch-window product with the K3-CoM260 and matching Pico-ITX carrier only reaching wider retail in mid-2026. On paper the connectivity is solid for an embedded/industrial vision use case, dual CSI camera inputs, PCIe Gen3 x4 for NVMe, and enough USB and display bandwidth to run a real Linux desktop if you want to. What you don't get is onboard WiFi on the reference carrier, that's an add-on via the M.2 E-key slot, and there's no confirmed industrial operating temperature rating yet.

Comparison to Alternatives

If you want RISC-V without paying the 'brand new chip' tax, the Sipeed LicheePi 4A (T-Head TH1520, 4 TOPS NPU, starts at $75) is the safer, cheaper, better-documented option, its software ecosystem has had two years to mature. The BPI-SM10 is chasing a much bigger NPU number, but you're paying $449 for a compute module plus carrier, not a plug-and-play board, and you're beta-testing brand-new silicon. If your actual goal is an AI-capable SBC with a track record, an ARM board like the Radxa Rock 5 series or Khadas VIM4 will get you there with far less risk. We'd only recommend the BPI-SM10 if you specifically want to be early on SpacemiT K3 RISC-V, or need the CoM form factor for an embedded design.

Specifications

Identity

Brand	Banana Pi

Processor

CPU Cores	8 cores

Networking

PoE Support	false

Power

Power Input	12-19V DC, 5.5/2.5mm barrel jack

CPU Architecture	RISC-V
Memory	32 GB
Storage Type	Onboard UFS (128GB standard), microSD, NVMe / M.2
Has AI Accelerator / NPU	Yes
Wireless	None (Ethernet only) on reference carrier; WiFi/BT available via optional M.2 Key E module
GPIO Header	Yes
Price	449 USD
Use Case	AI / Machine Learning
SoC	SpacemiT K3 RISC-V AI chip (RVA23 profile, RVV 1.0)
Memory Options	8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5 @ 6400MT/s
PCIe / M.2 Slot	Yes - M.2 Key M (PCIe Gen3 x4/x1) + M.2 Key E
NPU Performance	8x A100 AI cores, up to 60 TOPS (manufacturer-claimed; no independent benchmarks published yet)
GPU	Integrated 3D GPU (Vulkan, OpenCL, OpenGL ES)
Ethernet	1G
Video Output	1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x MIPI-DSI; 4K60 H.264/H.265 encode, up to 4K120 decode
OS Support	Bianbu (LXQt/Minimal), Buildroot
Board Size	103 x 90.5 x 35mm (reference carrier board for the K3-CoM260 module)
RTC / Battery Header	Not documented
PCIe Lanes	M.2 Key M: PCIe Gen3 x4 (NVMe) or x1; M.2 Key E: PCIe/USB for wireless module
Camera / Display Connectors	2x MIPI CSI-2 (22-pin), 1x MIPI-DSI, 1x DisplayPort
USB Ports	4x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB-C
Power Consumption	18-35W typical (module + carrier)
Operating Temperature	Not published by Banana Pi as of Sep 2026
Cooling Accessories	Heatsink required for sustained NPU/CPU load; no official active cooler listed yet
Board Revision	K3-CoM260 module on BPI-SM10 reference carrier

Expert Review

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating6.5 / 10

Interesting silicon, risky purchase. Great if you want to be first on SpacemiT K3, but the 60 TOPS NPU claim is unverified and this is a compute module, not a beginner-friendly dev board.

Best for

Developers who specifically want early access to the SpacemiT K3 RISC-V platform
Embedded/industrial vision projects that can use a compute module (CoM) form factor
Hobbyists comfortable with a young Linux ecosystem (Bianbu/Buildroot) and RISC-V toolchains

Not for

Beginners wanting a plug-and-play dev board like a Raspberry Pi
Anyone who needs a verified, benchmarked NPU today rather than a manufacturer claim
Budget buyers, at $449 for the base 8GB/128GB config this isn't cheap RISC-V experimentation

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5)?

The Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5) is a single board computer from Banana Pi (Sinovoip). Key specs: SoC SpacemiT K3 RISC-V AI chip (RVA23 profile, RVV 1.0), CPU Architecture RISC-V, CPU Cores 8, Memory 32, Memory Options 8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5 @ 6400MT/s.

Will the Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5) work with my current setup?

The Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5) lists SoC is SpacemiT K3 RISC-V AI chip (RVA23 profile, RVV 1.0). 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-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5) best suited to?

It suits developers who specifically want early access to the spacemit k3 risc-v platform, embedded/industrial vision projects that can use a compute module (com) form factor, hobbyists comfortable with a young linux ecosystem (bianbu/buildroot) and risc-v toolchains.

What are the drawbacks of the Banana Pi BPI-SM10 (K3-CoM260 Compute Module/SpacemiT K3 RISC-V/8-Core X100 2.4GHz/60 TOPS NPU Claim/Up to 32GB LPDDR5)?

It is a poor fit for beginners wanting a plug-and-play dev board like a raspberry pi, anyone who needs a verified, benchmarked npu today rather than a manufacturer claim, budget buyers, at $449 for the base 8gb/128gb config this isn't cheap risc-v experimentation.