The Indiedroid Nova is a powerful single-board computer that is poised to be a game-changer in the SBC market. This Raspberry Pi clone is packed with features that make it a serious contender for developers and hobbyists alike.
At first glance, the Indiedroid Nova looks almost identical to the Raspberry Pi 4. However, it boasts a higher-performance processor, a slightly different set of ports, and a significantly higher starting price. But this higher price comes with a bundle that includes a full-body heat sink, a fan, and eMMC storage, making it a good value for its price.
The Rockchip RK3588S processor is the standout feature of the Indiedroid Nova. It features four ARM Cortex-A76 CPU cores, four Cortex-A55 cores, ARM Mali-G610 graphics, a video processing unit that can decode videos at up to 8K/60fps, and a neural processing unit for up to 6 TOPs of AI performance. This makes it an excellent choice for developers who require high-performance computing.
Feature |
Description |
|---|---|
| SoC | Rockchip RK3588S (8nm LP) |
| CPU | Octa-core processor 4x Cortex-A76 cores @ 2.4 GHz 4x Cortex-A55 cores @ 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Arm Mali-G610 GPU with OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.2, and Vulkan 1.2 support 4x GPU Execution Units 64x GPU Shading Units 600 MHz GPU clock 610.6 GFLOPS |
| VPU | 8Kp60 video decoder for H.265/AVS2/VP9/H.264/AV1 codecs 8Kp30 video encoder H.265/H.264 |
| NPU | AI Acceleration at 6 Trillion Operations per Second (TOPS) |
| RAM | 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR4x |
| Storage | eMMC 5.1 flash module connector to add 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB module |
| Video Output | 1x micro HDMI 2.1 port DisplayPort via USB Type-C port (TBC) 4-lane MIPI DSI connector |
| Camera I/F | MIPI CSI connector (4-lane or 2x 2-lane) |
| Audio | 3.5mm earphone jack |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 BL-M8821 dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 module |
| USB | 1x USB Type-C port 2x USB 3.0 Type-A ports 2x USB 2.0 Type-A ports |
| Expansion | 40-pin Raspberry Pi compatible GPIO header |
| Debugging | 4-pin debug connector (serial console) |
| Misc | Power, Recovery, Reset, and Boot buttons Power LED, user LED RTC battery connector |
The entry-level models come with 4GB of LPDDR4x memory and 32GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, but the manufacturer also supports as little as 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, and as much as 32GB of LPDDR5x memory and 128GB of eMMC storage. This makes the Indiedroid Nova a versatile computer that can be tailored to a variety of use cases.
The Indiedroid Nova has a range of ports and connectors, including micro HDMI, USB Type-C, USB 3.0 and 2.0 Type-A, Gigabit Ethernet, microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio, 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible GPIO connector, MIPI-CSI camera connector, and MIPI-DSI display connector. It also has a BL-M88821 WiFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.0 module and supports a 5V/3A power supply that connects to the computer’s USB-C port.
The Indiedroid Nova measures 85 x 56mm, making it the same size as a Raspberry Pi. This makes it a drop-in replacement in some circumstances. However, since it has a different processor, not all Raspberry Pi software will run on the Indiedroid Nova, and vice versa.
In terms of software compatibility, the Indiedroid Nova can run a wide range of software, including desktop GNU/Linux distributions like Arch, Debian, Ubuntu, Armbian, and Devuan, as well as more purpose-built operating systems like Batocera and Kali. This makes it a versatile computer that can be used for a variety of projects.
Overall, the Indiedroid Nova is an impressive single-board computer that offers high-performance computing in a compact form factor. While it comes at a higher starting price, the bundle that includes a full-body heat sink, a fan, and eMMC storage is a good value. If you’re in the market for a Raspberry Pi alternative that offers higher performance, the Indiedroid Nova is definitely worth considering.
