Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Raspberry Pi's Smaller, Cheaper Rival: NanoPi Neo Plus2 Weighs in at $25 (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the miniature-computers dept.

FriendlyARM, the maker of compact NanoPi developer boards, has released the NanoPi Neo Plus2 for $25. From a report: This board is an update to the recently released NanoPi Neo 2, a $15 cookie-sized developer board measuring 40mm x 40mm (1.6in) with a 64-bit Allwinner H5 processor, 512MB RAM, and one USB port. The NanoPi Neo Plus2 is slightly larger at 52mm x 40mm (2in x 1.6in) and has two USB ports. It has the same H5 quad-core A53 ARM Cortex processor, but comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB eMMC storage. The NeoPlus2's storage in addition to Gigabit Ethernet puts it ahead of the Raspberry Pi 3 on paper, and at $25 undercuts the better-known board by $10.

5 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Allwinner. Nope. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have way too many cheap development boards floating around my house. The only truly useless ones are the Allwinners. uBoot is a non-standard locked down version with no source available. The Linux kernel is a custom version with no source available.

    While Broadcom isn't exactly great, the RaspPi's success as pushed them into opening some things up and the RaspPi's community has the momentum behind it to keep it going. And my ~10 year old SheevaPlug with a Marvell chip is still going strong. Marvell went the exact opposite way of Allwinner and said "eh, screw it, here's everything" and has their code in the kernel mainline.

    $10 is not worth the hassle of dealing with an Allwinner chip.

    1. Re: Allwinner. Nope. by John+Allsup · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Exactly. I learned this with the OrangePi boards. And my 'kodi boxes' are retired in favour of Rpi2's (or pi3's, but pi3's slightly higher power needs are a annoyance so far as what USB sockets you can run them off).

      --
      John_Chalisque
    2. Re:Allwinner. Nope. by randomErr · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The Linux kernel is a custom version with no source available.

      Huh?

      The post was very self explanatory. They compile the kernel internally and drivers are all closed source. So yes the source for Debian and Ubuntu code is free (as in beer) but you will not be able to compile them and get the system running without the proprietary code. At best without the proprietary code you'll just be able to get a command line.

      There has been very little support on these boards in the past beyond the community. So updates are slow and sporadic.

      --
      You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
  2. Again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And again.. "RPI Rival!!! Cheaper and better!!" Community? Standard? Support? AllWinner? Upps!

  3. Not one word that it doesn't have a display?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I can get started on any Pi just by hooking up an HDMI monitor and USB keyboard/mouse. This is a serious hindrance to any beginner and an annoyance to anyone beyond that.