Introduction:
Single Board Computers (SBCs) are the unsung heroes of the maker community, providing a versatile, low-cost hardware platform for a wide range of applications. As AI development is catching up, new SBCs with AI capability are emerging in the market. Raspberry Pi 4 and Asus Tinker Edge R are two such popular boards that are commonly used in AI and IoT applications. This article focuses on comparing these two boards for AI and IoT applications.
The Battle:
Raspberry Pi 4
Raspberry Pi 4 is an SBC developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It is powered by a Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC running at 1.5GHz. Raspberry Pi 4 is available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB RAM options, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
Pros:
- Low-cost
- Wide community support
- Has a dedicated camera interface
- Can be powered using PoE (Power over Ethernet) HAT
Cons:
- Only one HDMI port
- No onboard eMMC
- No support for MIPI CSI-2 cameras
Asus Tinker Edge R
Asus Tinker Edge R is another SBC with AI capability, developed by Asus. It is powered by the Rockchip RK3399Pro SoC, including the NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Tinker Edge R comes with 4GB RAM and an onboard 16GB eMMC.
Pros:
- Powerful and efficient Rockchip RK3399Pro SoC with NPU
- Onboard eMMC
- Supports MIPI CSI-2 cameras
Cons:
- No support for PoE
- Comparatively expensive
- Low community support
The Verdict:
Although both Raspberry Pi 4 and Asus Tinker Edge R come with AI capabilities, there are some key differences between them. Raspberry Pi 4 has a low cost and wide community support, while Asus Tinker Edge R has a powerful Rockchip RK3399Pro SoC, onboard eMMC, and support for MIPI CSI-2 cameras. Ultimately, the choice between these two boards will depend on the requirements of the application, budget, and community support.