[Updated: May 24] — FriendlyElec has launched a 100 x 64mm, $129 “NanoPC-T4” SBC that runs Android or Linux on a Rockchip RK3399 with 4G RAM, native GbE, WiFi-ac, DP, HDMI 2.0, 0 to 80℃ support, and M.2 and 40-pin expansion.



FriendlyElec has released its most powerful and priciest hacker board to date, which it promotes as being the smallest RK3399-based SBC on the market. The 100 x 64mm NanoPC-T4 opens with a $129 discount price with the default 4GB RAM and 16GB eMMC. Although that will likely rise in the coming months, it’s still priced in the middle range of open spec RK3399 SBCs.

On the high end there’s the Firefly-RK3399, which sells for $149 (2GB RAM) or $209 (4GB). More affordable entries include the $109 (with 2GB RAM) Orange Pi RK3399 and Hardkernel’s Odroid-N1, which is expected to go on sale in June for about $110 with 4GB.







NanoPC-T4, front and back

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The NanoPC-T4 is FriendlyElec’s first Rockchip-based board. Its other NanoPi and NanoPC SBCs, including the previously top-of-the-line, Samsung S5P6818 based Nano PC-T3 Plus , run on either Samsung or Allwinner SoCs.

The NanoPC-T4 supports Android 7.1 or the full-fledge Lubuntu Desktop version of Ubuntu, and ships with schematics. Applications are said to include advertisement machines, game machines, video conferencing, surveillance, clusters, VR/AR, and machine vision.

The RK3399 SoC supplies two Cortex-A72 cores that are here clocked to up to 2.0GHz, as well as four Cortex-A53 cores clocked to 1.5GHz. There’s also a high-end ARM Mali-T864 GPU.







NanoPC-T4 front and back detail views

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NanoPC-T4 with and without heatsink

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Unlike the price leading Orange Pi RK3399, the NanoPC-T4 lacks an HDMI input port, built-in sensors, or any additional audio interfaces beyond the 3.5mm headphone jack and onboard mic. On the other hand, you get a wider 0 to 80℃ temperature range, ADC interfaces and twice the amount of RAM for the default configuration.Like most of the RK3399 boards, the NanoPC-T4 provides advanced features that you won’t find on most Arm-based SBCs. These include native GbE, HDMI 2.0 with 4K support, and DisplayPort, in this case offered via a dual-purpose Type-C port. Other high-end features include an M.2 slot that supports PCIe and NVME SSD add-ons. Like the Orange Pi, you also get a Raspberry Pi compatible 40-pin GPIO interface.

Specifications listed for the NanoPC-T4 include:

Processor — Rockchip RK3399 (2x Cortex-A72 at up to 2.0GHz, 4x Cortex-A53 @ up to 1.5GHz); Mali-T864 GPU

Memory: 4GB LPDDR3 RAM (dual-channel) 16GB eMMC 5.1 flash MicroSD slot Optional NVME SSD via M.2 M-Key (see expansion section below)

Media: HDMI 2.0a port (with audio and HDCP 1.4/2.2) for up to 4K at 60Hz DisplayPort 1.2 (via USB Type-C) MIPI-DSI (4-lane) eDP 1.3 2x, 4-lane MIPI-CSI (up to 13MP) with dual ISP support 3.5mm analog audio I/O jack

Wireless: 802.11b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band Bluetooth 4.1 dual mode Dual antennas IR receiver

Networking — Gigabit Ethernet port

Other I/O: USB 3.0 host port USB 3.0 Type-C port (can be used for DP) 2x USB 2.0 host ports Serial debug UART 3x ADC (1.8V) 12V cooling fan interface with PWM

Expansion: 40-pin RPi compatible expansion header M.2 M-Key slot with PCIe 2.1, dual operation mode, and M3 PCB nut for mounting M.2 2280

Other features — RTC; power, reset, recovery, boot buttons; LEDs; heatsink; acrylic case

Power — 12V/2A DC input jack and adapter; PMIC

Operating temperature — 0 to 80℃

Weight — 63 gm

Dimensions — 100 x 64mm; 10-layer PCB

Operating system — Android 7.1.2; Lubuntu Desktop 16.04



Further information

The NanoPC-T4 is available for a discount price of $129. More information may be found on FriendlyElec’s NanoPC-T4 product page, as well as at the wiki and GitHub pages.

