Some of the initial specs for the RK3588 listed clock frequencies for the Cortex-A76 as “up to 2.6GHz”. Is there any chance we could see this clock speed supported on the ROCK 5?
Introduce ROCK 5B - ARM Desktop level SBC
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Its likely some might get it running a 3.0 Ghz maybe above by creating custom OP tables for the cpu power domains.
2.6 has probably been chosen as a safe starting point and whilst its fresh for some time I presume they will stay with 2.6 as its very easy for the community to create a OC DTS/DTB with faster speeds.
Hello, @jack @hipboi,
will there be a case for this device on launch day?
I really want to protect my investment.
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There will be a cool case for it.
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It doesn’t sound like the ROCK 5 will even be running the A76s at 2.6GHz by default, given that the above spec list says 2.4GHz. I’ve only seen 2.6GHz in the generic RK3588 press coverage…
If the community can hit 3GHz that would be amazing. The SQ1 with its A76s at 3.0GHz and the SQ2 at 3.15GHz are the best examples I’ve seen of SoCs that push the A76s to the peak frequencies that Arm described in their announcement materials for the core. (Although Arm’s numbers were for a 7nm process (presumably TSMC’s) while the RK3588 is on Samsung’s 8LPP.)
Fingers crossed I guess 
The Socs mainline implementation and drivers have not been done yet and that is going to be a long term thing whilst it runs a Rockchip BSP image (Board support package)
So it will run at a basic level for some time to come but likely someone somewhere when things get more stable will tinker with the OPP table.
2.8Hz is published so likely and often its very easy to get 10% past official max, so thinking 3.0Ghz is very likely if you can keep it cool.
But because it is on a BSP and likely to be in dev for a considerable time I doubt they will change from the default safe frequency of 2.4Ghz until board has been released and stable for some time if they ever do.
3.0 Ghz is a guestimate but for a desktop/sbc board where you can get the cooling I would have a bet its possible and if in 6 month time the board is released I bet pretty quickly someone is tinkering with the OPP table to somewhere in that effect.
Often there is a community DTB to enable faster clocks a bit similar to Raspberry and their config.txt OC, Rockchip state 2.8Ghz so prob take that for definate and as said 10% is very likely.
Doubt they will change from 2.4Ghz at this early stage though as they play safe and see how things go.
All the boards Radxa do, as far as I know have had a community overclock and generally Radxa pick a fairly safe default.
Last one I did was the Radxa Zero which runs stable @ 2.0Ghz
Its been so long can not remember what the initial clock of the rk3399 was but it did get bumped to 2.0Ghz so maybe it was 1.8Ghz initially.
The OPP table that sets clock is ‘software’ the Device Tree Blob DTB is always easily hacked.
It might be my memory as thought I saw 2.6/2.8 in the datasheet but can not find it maybe it is 2.4/2.6
2.6 + 10% = 2.86 so maybe that might be max we will get, maybe the base 2.4 they have chosen is max but whatever it is it will just be a matter of software.
I was having a look to where I saw 2.6/2.8 and maybe it was a figment of my imagination as can not find anything
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Default stock CPU speeds for RK3399 were 1.4/1.8Ghz, we pushed it up to 2.4Ghz on RockPi4B+(OP1). Again, it’s a matter of silicon lottery, proper cooling and a tweaked DTB with the right voltage. Regarding some people worried about shorting life span on a ARM SBC board, none of my boards have died on me yet, have several and all of them are OC’d to the limits. Still, I wouldn’t recommend overclocking ARM SBC boards in production environments unless you know what you’re doing.
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Yeah its hard work with the RK3588 to know what rated max is and what an OC as some stated 2.4 some others 2.6.
I find 10% is usually an easy and safe OC as that is often the safety level manufactures underate components, often you can get more with the silicon lottery.
I dunno what the end Ghz will be as it is a new SoC but the 8nm ones do seem to factory max out at 2.4Ghz from what I have googled, but generally are mobile chips in mobiles.
Even the faster ones seem to be 2+2 arrangements of 2 pairs with the 2nd pair being a lower clock but prob due to heat and wattage of a mobile but they do seem to be 7nm ones.
I thought it was 2.6/2.8 and an easy 10% should do 3Ghz as had seen Arm say even 3.3Ghz is possible.
But could be 2.4 and 2.64 and after that a bit of silicon lottery.
Whatever it is its purely the DTB and not limited in hardware apart from the hardware will just crash if pushed too hard so we will have to see.
I think I only managed 2.0Ghz with the RK3399 as it was an early non OP1 chip or at least stopped there.
Its far too long for my memory, but I do remember how long Mesa took but with things just being incremental and so much done in Panfrost at least that will be likely quicker this time but how long it will take to get off the Rockchip_BSP and what an optimised RK3588 can do might take some time.
There is also a 6ToPs NPU no-one seems to mention as I think Googles new wonderful Tensor is only 4 ToPs but does that in only 2 watts (Thats from memory again but think it could be right).
Maybe the confusing CPU – 4x Cortex-A76 @ up to 2.4/2.6 GHz is again a 2+2 arrangement?
Thanks, this would certainly make life much easier here, because of new regulations all packages have tax and that takes time to estimate it and resend. In EU shop will have no such problem and shipping should be much faster. Ok, great looking forward for that announcement
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Rock 5 with a different form factor than before?
Hard to add this must-have sucker into a RPi rack currently consinsting of a RockPi 4B (to add to the armbian discussion, I’m using DietPi the only OS that works with all that I need. And it does it better than anything I’ve used before) and two RPI 4B 4 and 8GB (have to use them for some compatibility things) and one free slot 
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what case are You using? any photo?
Some mounts have extra space on sides so it’s still possible to install something bigger. if You have room for another 1u rack then it’s fine to order one with pico-itx slots. Also You can wait for more sbc to come with this soc, some may be in rpi format. For now the best You can do is to order baby-rock5B which is rock3A
I don’t think the Pi conforms to any standard apart from its Raspberry whilst the Rock 5B is Pico-ITX which for me is great as a M.2 now fits on the board without some ‘nasty’ (just my opinion ) riser.
Pico-ITX is an industrial/embeded format so product does exist as quite a few Intel Atom/Apollo lake boards are Pico_Itx.
https://www.isg.com.tw/product_detial_fs.php?model=FS-1140
Radxa Rock5B is not a Raspberry as its standard conformant in format dunno if Pico-ITX have a standard backplate fitting like other ATX/ITX but with a google quite a few options already exist.
That is actually true and thanks for the advice and the link you posted, very helpful!
I would love to change to a more flexible mix and match or slide-in 19 inch rackmount which can hold whatever sbc without causing a ‘just put it on a tray’ - mess but couldn’t find if such a thing even exists with said google search…
Hello, I want to use it for NAS with two M.2 SSD in RAID. Will there be an expansion board for it?
Yeah I don’t think the Pico-ITX have a standard backplate popout and often are aimed at a specific board which is sort of strange as it is a standard.
You would think it would be similar where all is needed is a cheap pop out / press in backplate…
I presume Radxa will maybe find a generic tray and just provide a custom backplate?
The Pi format is going to be a good question for Raspberry on there next gen as PCIe for many is sort of essential and annoyingly it just misses fitting and maybe they will go Pico-Itx also?
I am not the best one to comment about cases as often nearest I get are hex spacers (I often can get more board(s) for a price of a case )
A 1U backplate with x4 cutout might be a Radxa option where get the of the rack yourself and DIY at least then you can shop around or reuse as boy they can be expensive.
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Is Wake On LAN supported?
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I don’t think its possible with ARM without external device, since when you shutdown sbc you, well, shutdown it
Its not mentioned but I am not sure its not possible with Arm just the PMU and circuitry we have had so far has been fairly simple and off has been off.
PMU(power management unit)
Multiple configurable work modes to save power by different frequency or
automatic clock gating control or power domain on/off control
Lots of wakeup sources in different mode
Support 10 separate voltage domains
Support 45 separate power domains, which can be power up/down by software
based on different application scenes
The PMU on the RK3588 is definately one of the most complex I have seen and guess it could but depends on Radxa PHY of use and how its all implemented.
The RK3399 had a pretty complex PMU also and low power modes, such as power-down and self-refresh for the ram and such and I am not sure if its about capability as some SoCs probably are but think its a case of its not implemented, maybe because S states and power domains are quite different.
I am hoping the hdmi_rx_cec pin is on the gpio but got a feeling that might not be implemented also.