If so, Pine64 has you covered.
The company, famous for offering an array of open-source friendly hardware at low cost, is launching a new single-board computer powered by a quad-core RISC-V processor.
RISC-V (pronounced ‘risk-five’) is an open-source processor spec designed to be modular, extensible, and free to produce. Though it’s related to ARM (in the sense that both ARM and RISC-V are both RISC based) it is an entirely distinct, unique architecture set.
Naturally, Linux already boasts burgeoning RISC-V support — and an affordable entry-level RISC-V device like the Star64 allows more enthusiasts and developers to get involved in furthering that work.
Star64 Specs & Price
Pine64 announced the Star64 last year but, in its latest monthly news-drop, have revealed more details about the device, including memory configurations, price, and the date at which interested folks can go and buy one.
First, the Star64 specs:
- Quad-core 64-bit RISC-V U74
- 4 x DSI and 4 x CSI lanes
- i2c touch panel connector
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- PCIe x1 open-ended slot
- GPIO bus pins (i2c, SPI and UART)
- 128 Mb QSPI flash Nor Flash
- Barrel type DC Jack Connector
Connectivity is well catered to with a full-size HDMI video out, 1 native USB 3.0 port, 3 shared USB 2.0 ports, and a microSD card slot for booting (optional eMMC flash is also available).
The Star64 goes on sale April 4, 2023 on the Pine Store where it will be available in 2 configurations: a $69.99 model with 4GB RAM, and a $89.99 model with 8GB RAM.
Emerging ecosystem
Thos prices are fairly modest compared to other RISC-V hardware that’s been available to date. By keeping the cost low, Pine64 will help get this tech into the hands of more people, in more places.
That said, do understand that Star64 won’t be as immediately useful as something like a Raspberry Pi. The ecosystem and hardware support is far less mature. For more general needs, Pine64 stock a range of ARM-powered single-board computers, such as the ROCK64.
