[Rock Pi X] More details and photos, please (:

Very interesting board. We are waiting. Can you give to us more info and high resolution photos?

It’s 1.5 month away from from real product (www.tomshardware.com/amp/news/radxa-benchmarks-rock-pi-x-single-board-computer,40382.html), so wait a bit, in 1 month there should be more pictures

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People always want to know more :grinning:

Here some useful info about Intel Atom x5-Z8300



https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Atom+x5-Z8300+%40+1.44GHz&id=2585

And some middle-res photos

By the way Intel Atom x5-Z8300 has a built-in co-processor - Intel Integrated Sensor Hub

And we have a support for it in Linux kernel
https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/hid/intel-ish-hid.txt

For the first version, the issue is the layout is wrong. Now we have completely re-layout and we are making the 2nd batch hardware now. The new layout will be more similar with ROCK Pi 4, and can be compatible with some existing HATs.

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Great! We are waiting for the news :grinning:

I know that a lot of people see “x86” and ideas of high performance come to mind (mainly based on historical differences in the pre-smartphone era), and I hope people aren’t expecting too much from that CPU. Its really weak.

Note that this is of the 8350, which is a marginally higher end model than the 8300:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Z8350-vs-625_8088_8168.247596.0.html

Its slower than a snapdragon 625, which isn’t exactly a high end part. In fact, the ONLY tests where it beats the 625 are single-threaded tests where its testing one x86 core against one Cortex A53. In every multi-threaded test, the SD625 beats it.

I need this board because 8300 has full support of OpenGL. We are using tiny boards like this to run LinuxCNC software. Many user interfaces for LinuxCNC uses OpenGL visualization. But ARM boards supports only an OpenGLES and that’s a problem for me. Cheap, small and x86 board can be a logic solution.

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I don’t suggest people to avoid it, but just that they keep their expectations tempered. You seem to be looking at it because you understand what it is.

Also FYI: You can get real OpenGL with QUALCOMM parts using Freedreno. So for instance, all of the 96boards Dragonboard SBCs (410C, 820C, 845C) support OpenGL.

Adreno 306/530/630 supports only OpenGLES (: Not OpenGL. Freedreno just a driver. And… prices (75$, 199$, 450$) are too high.

I think that you have an incorrect view of the relationship between the driver and the hardware. In fact, hardware “features” have to be implemented BY THE DRIVER.

GPU’s have become fairly general purpose processors (they didn’t used to be so). Their capabilities are defined by functions that are written in software (the driver).

What that boils down to is that the specifications that Qcom publishes are based on the features that they have chosen to implement in their driver. Since their market is predominantly cell phones, they don’t benefit from implementation of full OpenGL in their driver, thus, they don’t implement it, and don’t advertise it.

Now Freedreno on the other hand, has a target of matching ALL of the capabilities implemented by Mesa that are technically possible. That includes full OpenGL, not just ES.

If you want to complain about the price, then you are of course welcome to, but the reality is that you get a LOT more for the money. Mind you, I agree that the 845C is unjustifiably expensive. And further, I referenced those particular boards because I was specifically familiar with them. There are other vendors selling qualcomm hardware.

And if you’re running CNC machines… well it doesn’t seem justifiable to me to save a couple of $ ($65 vs $75 DB410C) to get a toy over something designed for industrial applications and with long term professional vendor support (Arrow Electronics, Linaro).

OK, I got it. Thanks for the info.

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@jack
Few questions, is there going to be a 4GB version available?
On the data sheet it says :“Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type) 2 GB”
At CNX it’s writen “System Memory – 1 GB, 2 GB. or 4GB LPDDR3-1866”

It is an ok SoC. I’ve got it on the Atomic Pi, with 2GB ram. Does a lot of work building images.
But having 2extra GB’s of ram would make a world of a difference for windows use.

Also wondering what max clock will be available. The Atomic Pi only does 1.67Ghz max. But the CPU should be able to boost to 1.92 GHz. I think its not implemented into the bios of the Atomic Pi to boost. Haven’t found any setting for it.

So do will this be supported in your own written bios?

I’m sure it’ll sell well. The Atomic Pi also sells well, while it’s not a handy form factor. And has many flaws to use as small device. (only 1 USB port so need a usb3 hub, powering with a base board or with pins, only slow 16GB eMMC module, …) And Atomic pi is very hard to get your hands on outside the US.

Do you have a exclusivity contract with AllNet as seller? I know somebody who would like to sell all the Radxa products in Europe. I’ll ask Tom later when I know more.
Greetings, NicoD

Yes.

1.92GHz is possible.

As far as I know, Allnet is not exclusive distributor. You can ask Tom about the business part.

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Great :slight_smile: That will make the difference

Again, great, that’ll also make a big difference.

Thank you for the answer. I’ll talk to my contact and then contact Tom for this. Would be very cool if this goes thru. I’d make videos where I promote that seller.
Very happy with all this news. Greetings to the whole team.

How? The memory controller for the x5-Z8300 has 2GB as a limit.

Nobody said you would be able to use 4GB … they just solder 4GB to the board :joy: … scnr :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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Sometimes, specifications can be tied to other parts that are available. For instance, if there were no compatible 4GB parts available when the specifications for the 8300 were written, then they may have used 2GB as a maximum in order to keep customers from demanding 4GB and suggesting they were making false claims.

I’m not saying that that is the case here, just offering it as a possibility.


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Wow, I completely forgot about that wintel 2.9 GB limit, probably because it never affected me since I dropped MS altogether back in the days when 32 MB was a lot of RAM.

Its pretty amazing if MS hasn’t figured out about PAE.