FriendlyElec

FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S

Expert rating7.9 / 10

SoC:: Rockchip RK3568
CPU:: Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz
Memory:: Up to 4GB LPDDR4
Storage:: eMMC + microSD
Price:: $60

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Manufacturer: FriendlyElec Last updated: 2026-10-10

FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S Review

FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S single-board computer with a Rockchip RK3568 quad-core CPU, dual independent 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, up to 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, and a small NPU, purpose-built as a pocket-sized router and firewall board.

The R5S has become something of a cult favorite in the homelab and self-hosted-router community, because it does one thing extremely well: route real gigabit-plus traffic between two networks in a box smaller than a deck of cards, running OpenWrt, OPNsense-adjacent Linux firewalls, or Ubuntu.

Overview

FriendlyElec designed the R-series specifically for networking use cases rather than general tinkering, and the R5S packs two independent 2.5GbE controllers plus RK3568's small NPU into a fanless, GPIO-less enclosure-ready board aimed squarely at router, firewall, and NAS-gateway builds.

Performance & Connectivity

Both Ethernet ports run at true 2.5Gbps independently of each other, letting the R5S saturate a fast home internet connection while still routing LAN traffic without contention. An eMMC socket keeps boot storage reliable, and a USB 3.0 port supports external drives for basic NAS duty.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against the Hardkernel ODROID-M1, the R5S is more narrowly focused on pure networking (no GPIO, less RAM headroom) but is typically cheaper and smaller for router-only use. Compared to the Hardkernel ODROID-H3, the R5S trades x86 software compatibility for lower power draw and a genuinely pocketable form factor.

Our verdict

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

Expert rating7.9 / 10

The best small-form-factor board in this list specifically for home router or firewall duty -- dual 2.5GbE in something this small is hard to beat.

Best for

OpenWrt or Linux-based home router/firewall builds
Multi-gigabit network segmentation projects
Compact NAS-gateway combos

Not for

GPIO or electronics tinkering (no header)
General-purpose desktop or media-center use
Projects needing more than 4GB RAM

Specifications

What these specs mean

Identity

Brand	FriendlyElec
Model Number	NanoPi R5S

Processor

SoC Model	Rockchip RK3568, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz

Graphics and AI

GPU Model	Mali-G52 2EE

Power

Power Input	12V/2A DC barrel

CPU Architecture	ARM
Memory	4 GB
Storage Type	eMMC
Has AI Accelerator / NPU	Yes
Wireless	None (Ethernet only)
GPIO Header	No
Price	60 USD
Use Case	NAS / Server

Measured results

sbc-bench results

7-Zip MIPS, multi-threaded	5,030 MIPS	sbc-bench run · NanoPi R5S (RK3568); 1960 MHz; kernel 6.1; Bullseye arm64 · Source
7-Zip MIPS, single-threaded	1,482 MIPS	sbc-bench run · NanoPi R5S (RK3568); 1960 MHz; kernel 6.1; Bullseye arm64 · Source
OpenSSL AES-256-CBC, single thread	914,340 KB/s	sbc-bench run · NanoPi R5S (RK3568); 1960 MHz; kernel 6.1; Bullseye arm64 · Source
Memory copy bandwidth (tinymembench memcpy)	2,990 MB/s	sbc-bench run · NanoPi R5S (RK3568); 1960 MHz; kernel 6.1; Bullseye arm64 · Source

The author states these are not pure hardware numbers: they depend on kernel, distro and settings, and openssl (AES) numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. Single run, as listed in sbc-bench Results.md.

Retrieved 23 Sept 2026

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

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz/Up to 4GB LPDDR4/Dual 2.5GbE Router Board)?

Key specs for the FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S: CPU Architecture ARM, GPU Mali-G52 2EE, Storage Type eMMC, Processor Rockchip RK3568, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz.

Will the FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz/Up to 4GB LPDDR4/Dual 2.5GbE Router Board) work with my current setup?

The FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz/Up to 4GB LPDDR4/Dual 2.5GbE Router Board) lists Processor is Rockchip RK3568, Quad-Core Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz. 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 FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz/Up to 4GB LPDDR4/Dual 2.5GbE Router Board) best suited to?

Best suited to: OpenWrt or Linux-based home router/firewall builds; Multi-gigabit network segmentation projects; Compact NAS-gateway combos.

What are the drawbacks of the FriendlyElec NanoPi R5S (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz/Up to 4GB LPDDR4/Dual 2.5GbE Router Board)?

Not the best fit for: GPIO or electronics tinkering (no header); General-purpose desktop or media-center use; Projects needing more than 4GB RAM.