Looking for a robust, cutting-edge IoT solution for your next project? Then keep on reading! We’re spilling the beans in this ultimate guide on everything you need to know about our versatile range of ROCK single board computers, compute modules and accessories.
With ROCK, you can disrupt traditional industries with applications like industrial automation, charge up the future with EV charging, turn every building smart, reimagine retail, and even revolutionise the way we farm – the sky’s the limit!
What will you find in this ultimate guide to ROCK?
So, ready to take your project to the next level with some seriously awesome tech? Look no further because you’ll find everything you need to know in this ultimate guide.
Let’s dive into tech specs and applications to help you pick the perfect ROCK board for your next project.
What’s ROCK?
Meet ROCK, a versatile, reliable, low-power and high-performing range of single board computers and compute modules developed with high-performing hardware by OKdo in collaboration with Radxa.
We at OKdo are passionate about technology and innovation, so we’ve worked hard to develop a single board computer that we, and YOU, have always needed – the ROCK.
With ROCK’s high processing power and low power consumption, it’s ideal for multiple applications in various industries, including industrial manufacturing, smart farming and smart retail automation, to name a few.
And if you’re still looking for more reasons to choose ROCK, why not take a look at this interview with Richard Curtin, the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at OKdo, who talks about everything you need to know about ROCK?
Discover our ROCK Range
Series 5
We’re going to introduce you first to the ROCK Series 5 SBCs, our latest and the most innovative addition to the range, featuring the next-gen ROCK 5B and ROCK 5A.
They’re both amazing for such applications as digital signage, image recognition systems, media centres, and many more, providing outstanding video and audio output. Let’s get to know them a bit closer!
ROCK 5B:
- The innovative, next-gen SBC from our range, based on the powerful Rockchip RK3588 SoC
- The first SBC supporting dual displays up to 8Kp60 resolution, perfect for demanding multimedia applications, such as games, video streaming, and digital signage
- Octa-core processor with Arm® DynamIQ™ Quad Cortex® A76, Quad Cortex® A55 CPU, Arm Mali™ G610MC4 GPU, 8GB 64-bit RAM and eMMC socket
- Built-in RTC, Dual HDMI and USB C port
ROCK 5A:
- Robust SBC based on the reliable Rockchip RK3588S SoC
- Octa-core processor with quad Cortex A76 @ 2.2~2.4GHz and a quad Cortex A55 @ 1.8GHz CPU, and Arm Mali™ G610MC4 GPU, 16GB LPDDR4x RAM and eMMC socket
- Built-in RTC, PWM fan connector, dual micro HDMI output ports, USB Type-C port for power supporting USB PD 2.0 and QC 2.0
- Amazing for advanced multimedia applications, with an 8Kp60 video support
Series 4
Following up next is the incredible Series 4 which includes the ROCK 4C+ and ROCK 4SE single board computers.
These are our top choice for a huge variety of applications, beginning with industrial manufacturing, smart agriculture, prototyping, various retail automation solutions, including smart vending machines and smart POS terminals, to smart EV charging stations and vehicle tracking systems. The sky is the limit!
ROCK 4SE
- A versatile special edition SBC based on the Rockchip RK3399-T processor
- Hexa-core processor with big.LITTLE™ Arm® Dual Cortex-A72® CPU, Quad-core Cortex-A53 and Arm Mali™ – T860MP4 GPU, 4GB 64bit LPDDR4 RAM
- Expandable with eMMC module or SSD through m.2 connector
- Onboard power on-off button, RTC, WiFi, Bluetooth, Antenna, Audio jack (headphone and headset), 4K HDMI port
- Ideal board for your next industrial automation or multimedia project
ROCK 4C+
- Based on the powerful Rockchip RK3399‑T SoC
- Hexa-core processor with Arm® big.LITTLE™ dual Arm Cortex® A72, quad Cortex-A53 CPU, and Arm Mali™ T860MP4 GPU, 4GB 64-bit RAM and eMMC socket
- Power on/off button, integrated fan control, external antenna & audio jack, dual micro-HDMI ports supporting displays of up to 4Kp60 resolution
- Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE, Gigabit Ethernet and Wireless LAN
- Perfect Raspberry Pi 4 Model B alternative; check our engineer’s review of ROCK 4C+ here.
Series 3
ROCK 3 is another series of high-performing SBCs, including the ROCK 3 Model A and ROCK 3 Model C. Both feature a wide range of amazing functionality, making them the ideal choice for a large variety of applications. From ATM machines and remote patient monitoring systems to smart agricultural solutions, such as smart soil fertilisation systems, both 3A and 3C are your go-to boards for these. Let’s go through some of their key features.
ROCK 3A
- A really flexible and accessible board based on the reliable Rockchip RK3568 SoC
- Quad core Armv8.2‑A Cortex®‑A55 CPU and Arm Mali™ G52 GPU, 32-bit LPDDR4 2GB RAM and eMMC socket
- HDMI® 2.0 port supporting display up to 4K@60fps resolution
- M.2 E Key socket with PCIe 2.0 interface, SDIO interface, UART interface, and USB interface enabling high-speed WiFi/BT connectivity and standard M.2 Wireless modules
- RTC battery connector, perfect for embedded projects
ROCK 3C
- Based on the powerful Rockchip RK3566 SoC, a perfect Raspberry Pi 3B alternative
- Quad-core Armv8.2‑A Cortex®‑A55 CPU and Arm Mali™ G52 GPU, 2GB 32-bit LPDDR4 RAM and eMMC socket
- Wireless support, including WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0
- HDMI® 2.0 port supporting display up to 1080p@60fps resolution
- M.2 M‑Key 2230 connector with PCIe 2.1 1‑lane and SATA 3.0 combo interfaces, providing high-speed storage access
Compute Modules
If you need a compact yet high-performing board, then ROCK compute modules are ideal for this!
They can be easily integrated into various applications due to their compact size whilst having onboard some amazing features, including wireless connectivity, flexible storage capability and multiple onboard interfaces.
It’s a cost-effective solution that will help you boost the development of your design and increase the capabilities of your industrial and multimedia applications.
ROCK CM3
- Based on a powerful Rockchip RK3566 SoC
- Quad-core Arm® Cortex®-A55 CPU & Arm Mali™-G52-2EE GPU
- Wireless connectivity, including WiFi® 5 and Bluetooth® 5.0
- Compact board, easily integrated into embedded applications
- Available in 2GB and 4GB RAM sizes & 16GB and 32GB eMMC flash storage
ROCK Accessories
What can elevate your boards better than a large range of accessories? Make the most out of your ROCK SBCs and compute modules with our range of ROCK accessories.
Whether you’re looking for some practical additions, such as PSUs, fans or cases, or developer components that allow you to boost your design innovations, such as WiFi Modules and PoE HATs, rest assured that you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for here.
ROCK Tech Specs Comparison Table
ROCK’s got some nifty tech specs on board! From an on-off power button to an 8K video output, the whole range is packed with some absolutely brilliant features. Let’s compare the boards side-by-side.
| Model | ROCK 3A | ROCK 3C | ROCK 4SE | ROCK 4C+ | ROCK 5A | ROCK 5B | ROCK CM3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoC | Rockchip RK3568 | Rockchip RK3566 – T | Rockchip RK3399-T | Rockchip RK3399-T | Rockchip RK3588S | Rockchip RK3588 | Rockchip RK3566 |
| Processor | Quad‑core Arm® Cortex®‑A55 (ARMv8) | Quad‑core Arm® Cortex®‑A55 (ARMv8) | Hexa-core Arm® big.LITTLE™ technology (Dual Cortex®-A72, Quad Cortex-A53 ) | Hexa-core Arm® big.LITTLE™ technology (Dual Cortex®-A72, Quad Cortex®-A53) | Octa-core Arm® DynamIQ™ (Quad Cortex® ‑ A76, Quad Cortex® ‑ A55) | Octa-core Arm® DynamIQ™ (Quad Cortex® – A76, Quad Cortex® – A55) | Quad‑core Arm® Cortex®‑A55 |
| NPU | Up to 0.8 Tera Operations Per Seconds (TOPS) | Up to 0.8 Tera Operations Per Seconds (TOPS) | N/A | N/A | Up to 6 Tera Operations Per Seconds (TOPS) | Up to 6 Tera Operations Per Seconds (TOPS) | Up to 1 Tera Operations Per Seconds (TOPS) |
| GPU | Arm Mali™ G52 | Arm Mali™ G52‑2EE | Arm Mali™ T860MP4 | Arm Mali™ T860MP4 | Arm Mali™ G610MC4 | Arm Mali™ G610MC4 | Arm Mali™ G52-2EE |
| Memory | Up to 2GB 64bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 2GB 32bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 4GB 64bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 4GB 64bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 16GB 64bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 16GB 64bit LRDDR4 RAM | Up to 4GB 32bit LRDDR4 RAM |
| Power | USB Type‑C™ PD / Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ / GPIO | USB Type‑C™ / GPIO | USB Type‑C™ PD | USB Type‑C™ / GPIO | USB Type‑C™ PD / Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ / GPIO | USB Type‑C™ PD / GPIO | SoM |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI up to 4K@60fps | 1x HDMI up to 1080p@60fps | 1x HDMI up to 4K@60fps | 2x HDMI up to 4K@60fps | 2x HDMI up to 8K@60fps | 2x HDMI up to 8K@60fps / 1 x MicroHDMI Input up to 4K | Pin out |
| USB | 2x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 HOST / 1x USB3 OTG | 3x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 HOST | 2x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 HOST / 1x USB3 OTG | 2x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 OTG/HOST / 1x USB3 HOST | 2x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 HOST / 1x USB3 OTG/HOST | 2x USB2 HOST / 1x USB3 HOST / 1xUSB3 OTG/HOST | Pin out |
| Audio Ports | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | 3.5mm jack – stereo output/mic input | Pin out |
| Connectivity | M.2 E Key / M.2 M Key / Ethernet | M.2 M Key / Ethernet | WiFi® 5 / Bluetooth® 5.0 / M.2 M Key / Ethernet | WiFi® 5 / Bluetooth® 5.0 / Ethernet | M.2 E Key / Ethernet | M.2 M Key / M.2 E Key / Ethernet | WiFi® 5 / Bluetooth® 5.0 |
| MIPI | 1x 2 lane DSI / 1x 2 lane CSI | 1x 2 lane DSI / 1x 2 lane CSI | 1x 2 lane DSI / 1x 2 lane CSI | 1x 4 lane DSI / 1x 2 lane CSI | 1x 4 lane DSI / 1x 4 lane CSI | 1x 4 lane DSI / 1x 4 lane CSI | Pin out |
| Storage | Micro SD / eMMC | Micro SD / eMMC | Micro SD / eMMC | Micro SD / eMMC | Micro SD / eMMC | Micro SD / eMMC | eMMC |
| UARTS | 5x UART | 5x UART | 2x UART | 2x UART | 5x UART | 2x UART | 8x UART |
| External Antenna | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| RTC | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Power On/Off | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Software | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 11 / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 11 / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 11 / GPU enabled Al stack, (e.g. Caffe) / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Arm Neon™ Advanced SIMD / Armv8 cryptography extensions / TrustZone® technology support / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 11 / GPU enabled Al stack, (e.g. Caffe) / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 12 / RKNPU2 NPU software stack / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | ARMv8 Instruction Set / Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 12 / RKNPU2 NPU software stack / Hardware access/control library for Linux/Android | Debian/Ubuntu Linux / Android 11 |
| Operation Temperature | 0~50 ℃ | 0~50 ℃ | 0~50 ℃ | 0~50 ℃ | 0~50 ℃ | 0~50 ℃ | 0~60 ℃ |
| Buy the ROCK 3A. | Buy the ROCK 3C. | Buy the ROCK 4SE. | Buy the ROCK 4C+. | Buy the ROCK 5A. | Buy the ROCK 5B. | Buy the ROCK CM3. |
What Applications is ROCK Best For?
With ROCK, you can revolutionise a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from industrial automation, EV charging, smart buildings and retail automation, to smart farming.
Although ROCK is extremely versatile and will undoubtedly satisfy the requirements of a huge variety of applications, we know that sometimes it may not be that easy to choose which particular product from the range is the most compatible with your specific design needs.
So, we’ve come up with a 5-star rating system to help you identify which board is more or less suitable for your application based on tech specs, price and sustainability.
For example, a 5-star rating means it is ideal for the application without any change or customisation, e.g. 5B may be 5* for any video-based application.
Let’s explore a wide range of applications ROCK is ideal for:
| Application | ROCK 5A | ROCK 5B | ROCK 4SE | ROCK 4C+ | ROCK 3A | ROCK 3C | ROCK CM3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Drones | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Android Home Assistant | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| ATM Machines | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Automated Building Surveying and Terrain Mapping | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Automotive Systems | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Broadcast Stations Remote Monitoring & Control | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Commercial Printing | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Electrical Grid Management | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Food Delivery Robots | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Human-Machine Interface (HMI) | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Industrial Communication & Connectivity Systems | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Industrial Robotic Process Automation Systems | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Media Centre | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Precise Object Detection and Positioning | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Prototyping (mini PCs, laptops, Android TV Boxes, and Gaming Consoles) | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Remote Patient Monitoring Systems | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ |
| Slot Machine Preventative Maintenance | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Smart Automatic Watering System | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Smart Behavioral Analysis of Farm Animals | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Digital Signage Solutions | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart EV Charging Solutions | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Heating Solutions | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Smart Industrial Panel PC Solutions | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Lighting Solutions | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Smart Livestock Count Solutions | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Parking Solutions | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Smart POS Terminals | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Security Systems | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Soil Fertilisation Automation | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Traffic Monitoring Systems | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Smart Vending Machines | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Vehicle Tracking Systems | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Web Hosting Solutions | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
Software & Downloads
What software can ROCK run on?
Our Software & Downloads Hub covers all the official software images you need to get started with your OKdo ROCK Single Board Computer, no matter if you’re an Android, Debian, or Ubuntu user.
How to Get Started with ROCK?
Explore our user-friendly guides to get started with ROCK! Our step-by-step instructions make it easy for you to quickly set up your ROCK board on the operating system of your choice and begin creating in no time!
How to Customise ROCK SBCs?
Every project is different and needs its own special hardware and software to be a success. We know that sometimes it can be challenging to figure out the perfect combo to keep costs down and efficiency up. But we’ve got you covered! Customization is the key.
Customisation
With the help of our team of experienced engineers, you can make your own single board computer, add or remove parts, and totally ROCK your next project with a custom SBC that’s exactly what you need. It’s your board, your rules. That’s pretty awesome, right?
Learn more about customising your ROCK boards here.
Get in touch with our expert team to discuss your personalised requirements.
So, Why Choose ROCK SBCs?
Well, for starters, they’re designed for performance and reliability. With their robust design and powerful processors, they’re up to any challenge. And with their compact sizes, they’re perfect for easy and fuss-free integration into various embedded systems.
And the best part? They’re designed for ease of use, in a familiar form factor, with multiple storage, connectivity and OS options and a huge package of awesome specs to boost any of your project.
If you’re still looking for reasons to choose ROCK, why not check our first ever OKdo ROCK webinar, where we discussed all things ROCK, including a full technical rundown, applications, and how you can get involved in the world of OKdo ROCK.
So, there you have it, the ultimate guide to ROCK single board computers. Whether you’re a professional engineer, a developer, or an entrepreneur, these SBCs will surely take your projects to the next level and provide class-leading functionality to your designs. So, what are you waiting for? Start ROCKin’ your projects today!
Let’s Work Together to Build the Future
Fill in the short form below and one of our expert team will be in touch to guide you to the right products & services for your current or upcoming project.
With a blend of expert technical knowledge and commercial partnerships alongside innovative design & manufacturing capabilities, together we can achieve great things.
