Radxa ROCK 5A
Expert rating8 / 10
- SoC:
- Rockchip RK3588S
- CPU:
- Quad Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + Quad Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
- Memory:
- Up to 16GB LPDDR4X
- Storage:
- microSD
- Price:
- $79
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Manufacturer: Radxa Last updated: 2026-09-12
Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival) Review
Radxa ROCK 5A single-board computer in a Raspberry Pi 4-sized footprint, built on the Rockchip RK3588S octa-core SoC with up to 16GB LPDDR4X, a 6 TOPS NPU, WiFi 6, and a 40-pin GPIO header.
The 5A is the ROCK 5B's smaller sibling, built on the laptop-oriented RK3588S variant instead of the full RK3588, and it keeps the same Pi-sized footprint and header pinout while cutting the PCIe/NVMe slot and one Ethernet port to hit a lower price.
Overview
By using RK3588S -- the same SoC family found in several ARM Chromebooks and mini laptops -- Radxa fits ROCK 5B-class CPU and NPU performance into a board the same size and GPIO layout as a Raspberry Pi 4, at a noticeably lower price than the full ROCK 5B.
Performance & Connectivity
WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 come standard, along with USB 3.0, a single Gigabit Ethernet port, and 8K-capable HDMI output. The onboard 6 TOPS NPU supports the same RKNN toolchain as the 5B, making the 5A a genuinely capable low-cost edge-AI board.
Comparison to Alternatives
Against the Raspberry Pi 5 4GB, the ROCK 5A wins decisively on raw CPU and NPU benchmarks but loses on out-of-box software polish and HAT compatibility. Compared to its sibling, the Radxa ROCK 5B, the 5A gives up the M.2 NVMe slot and dual-Ethernet option in exchange for a lower price and smaller footprint.
Specifications
Identity
| Brand | Radxa |
|---|
| CPU Architecture | ARM |
|---|---|
| Memory | 16 GB |
| Storage Type | eMMC |
| Has AI Accelerator / NPU | Yes |
| Wireless | WiFi 6 |
| GPIO Header | Yes |
| Price | 79 USD |
| Use Case | AI / Machine Learning |
| Model | ROCK 5A |
| Processor | Rockchip RK3588S, Quad Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + Quad Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G610 MP4 |
| Power | 5V/4A USB-C (PD) |
Expert Review
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Expert rating8 / 10
A genuinely fast, NPU-equipped board in Pi-4-sized clothing -- the best pick when you want ROCK 5-class performance without paying for the M.2 slot you won't use.
Best for
- Compact edge-AI projects needing the onboard NPU
- Desktop-lite Linux use in a small footprint
- GPIO projects wanting more headroom than a Pi 4
Not for
- Anyone who needs onboard NVMe storage (choose ROCK 5B)
- Multi-Gigabit or dual-NIC networking setups
- First-time SBC users wanting Raspberry Pi OS-level support
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival)?
The Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival) is a single board computer from Radxa. Key specs: Processor Rockchip RK3588S, Quad Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + Quad Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz, CPU Architecture ARM, GPU Mali-G610 MP4, Memory 16, Storage Type eMMC.
Will the Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival) work with my current setup?
The Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival) lists Processor is Rockchip RK3588S, Quad Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + Quad Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz. 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 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival) best suited to?
It suits compact edge-ai projects needing the onboard npu, desktop-lite linux use in a small footprint, gpio projects wanting more headroom than a pi 4.
What are the drawbacks of the Radxa ROCK 5A (Single-Board Computer/Rockchip RK3588S/Octa-Core Cortex-A76+A55/Up to 16GB LPDDR4X/Compact Pi 5 Rival)?
It is a poor fit for anyone who needs onboard nvme storage (choose rock 5b), multi-gigabit or dual-nic networking setups, first-time sbc users wanting raspberry pi os-level support.
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