Raspberry Pi 5 vs Rock Pi 4
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the latest generation of the popular single-board computer, offering a significant performance jump over previous models thanks to its new quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 processor. It remains credit-card sized while supporting dual 4K display output, faster networking, and PCIe expansion. It is widely used for home automation, retro gaming emulation, media centers, robotics, and as an affordable Linux desktop, backed by a large community and the official Raspberry Pi OS. With GPIO pins for hardware projects and a mature software ecosystem, it remains the default choice for hobbyist electronics and educational computing.
The Rock Pi 4 is a compact single-board computer featuring a hexa‑core Rockchip RK3399 processor, up to 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM, and dual‑channel M.2 NVMe support. It offers a rich I/O set including dual HDMI 4K, USB‑C 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth for versatile connectivity. Designed for developers, makers, and edge‑AI projects, the board runs Linux, Android, and various open‑source OSes, providing a flexible platform for everything from media servers to AI inference workloads.
Starting at $60 for the 4GB model.
- Significant performance improvement over Pi 4
- Huge community and documentation
- Affordable for the capability offered
- Extensive GPIO for hardware projects
- High‑performance RK3399 CPU
- M.2 NVMe slot for fast storage
- Dual 4K HDMI outputs
- Strong community and open‑source support
- Requires separate purchase of case, power supply, storage
- Availability can be limited at launch
- Needs active cooling under sustained load
- Wi‑Fi limited to 802.11ac (no Wi‑Fi 6)
- Limited official Android builds
- Power consumption higher than low‑end SBCs
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A powerful credit-card-sized computer designed for makers, educators, and hobbyists.
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Alternatives to Rock Pi 4
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A high-performance single-board computer powered by the Rockchip RK3568 processor.
A powerful credit-card-sized computer designed for makers, educators, and hobbyists.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataRaspberry Pi 5 offers lower price and massive community support, while Rock Pi 4 adds higher‑end CPU, dual 4K HDMI, and NVMe storage at a higher cost.
Key differences
- •CPU: Pi 5 uses quad‑core Cortex‑A76; Rock Pi 4 uses hexa‑core RK3399 (higher peak performance).
- •Video output: Pi 5 has dual 4K 60 Hz HDMI; Rock Pi 4 provides dual micro‑HDMI 4K 60 Hz plus HDMI 2.0 spec.
- •Storage expansion: Pi 5 relies on micro‑SD only; Rock Pi 4 includes an M.2 NGFF slot for NVMe SSDs.
- •Price: Pi 5 starts around $60 (4 GB model); Rock Pi 4 MSRP $99.
- •Connectivity: Pi 5 offers Wi‑Fi 5 and Gigabit Ethernet; Rock Pi 4 adds Bluetooth 5.0 and USB‑C power delivery.
Performance
Rock Pi 4’s hexa‑core RK3399 up to 2 GHz outperforms Pi 5’s quad‑core Cortex‑A76.
Build quality
Both are SBCs with similar form factor; no specific build quality data provided.
Connectivity
Rock Pi 4 adds Bluetooth 5.0 and USB‑C 3.0; Pi 5 lacks Bluetooth and USB‑C.
Power & efficiency
Pi 5 is lower‑cost and likely lower power; Rock Pi 4 noted higher power consumption.
Compatibility
Pi 5 runs Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, Linux with huge community; Rock Pi 4 supports Linux and Android but fewer official Android builds.
Price & value
Pi 5 starts at $60 vs Rock Pi 4’s $99 MSRP, offering better value for basic SBC needs.
Warranty & support
Rock Pi 4 lists 1‑year warranty; Pi 5 only mentions forums/documentation, no formal warranty.
Choose Raspberry Pi 5 if…
Beginners, educators, or hobbyists needing low cost, strong community docs, and basic GPIO projects.
Choose Rock Pi 4 if…
Developers needing higher CPU power, NVMe storage, dual 4K displays, and built‑in Bluetooth.
Common questions
Which board is cheaper?
Raspberry Pi 5 starts at about $60 for the 4 GB model; Rock Pi 4’s MSRP is $99.
Do both support Wi‑Fi 6?
No. Both provide Wi‑Fi 5 (802.11ac); neither offers Wi‑Fi 6.
Can I add fast storage without external USB drives?
Rock Pi 4 has an M.2 NGFF slot for NVMe SSDs; Raspberry Pi 5 relies on micro‑SD cards only.