Radxa

Radxa ROCK 3A

Expert rating7 / 10

SoC:: Rockchip RK3568
CPU:: Quad-core Cortex-A55
RAM:: 2GB to 8GB
Storage:: microSD + eMMC
Price:: From roughly $50

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: Radxa Last updated: September 11, 2026

Radxa ROCK 3A Review

The ROCK 3A brings Rockchip's RK3568 to a credit-card-sized form factor, giving Radxa a mid-tier option between its budget RK3399-based ROCK 4C+ already on this site and its flagship RK3588-based boards.

The RK3568 is a newer silicon generation than the RK3399 used in the Radxa ROCK 4C+ covered in an earlier batch, offering improved efficiency and a built-in NPU despite similar quad-core CPU specs.

A Newer, More Efficient Mid-Tier Chip

The RK3568 is a newer silicon generation than the RK3399 used in the Radxa ROCK 4C+ covered in an earlier batch, offering improved efficiency and a built-in NPU despite similar quad-core CPU specs.

Genuinely Credit-Card Sized

Radxa built the ROCK 3A to match the compact footprint popularized by the Raspberry Pi, letting it drop into cases and projects designed around that standard form factor.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against the Radxa ROCK 4C+ already on this site, the ROCK 3A uses newer RK3568 silicon with an integrated NPU, at a similar price point. Against the Orange Pi 5 already on this site, the ROCK 3A trails in raw CPU performance since it targets a lower tier than RK3588-class boards.

Our verdict

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

Expert rating7 / 10

A compact, efficient RK3568 board with a built-in NPU at a mid-tier price.

Best for

Buyers who want a compact, efficient RK3568-based board with a built-in NPU.

Not for

Anyone who needs RK3588-class CPU performance.

Specifications

What these specs mean

Identity

Brand	Radxa

Price	50 USD

Measured results

sbc-bench results

7-Zip MIPS, multi-threaded	5,110 MIPS	sbc-bench run · Radxa ROCK 3A (RK3568); 2000 MHz; kernel 5.18; Bullseye arm64 · Source
7-Zip MIPS, single-threaded	1,450 MIPS	sbc-bench run · Radxa ROCK 3A (RK3568); 2000 MHz; kernel 5.18; Bullseye arm64 · Source
OpenSSL AES-256-CBC, single thread	935,920 KB/s	sbc-bench run · Radxa ROCK 3A (RK3568); 2000 MHz; kernel 5.18; Bullseye arm64 · Source
Memory copy bandwidth (tinymembench memcpy)	3,150 MB/s	sbc-bench run · Radxa ROCK 3A (RK3568); 2000 MHz; kernel 5.18; 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 Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU)?

The Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU) is a single board computer from Radxa. Key specs: SoC Rockchip RK3568, CPU Quad-core Cortex-A55, RAM 2GB to 8GB, Storage microSD + eMMC, Price From roughly $50.

Will the Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU) work with my current setup?

The Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU) lists SoC is Rockchip RK3568. 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 Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU) best suited to?

Best suited to: Buyers who want a compact, efficient RK3568-based board with a built-in NPU.

What are the drawbacks of the Radxa ROCK 3A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3568/Quad-Core Cortex-A55/Built-In NPU)?

Not the best fit for: Anyone who needs RK3588-class CPU performance.