NanoPi NEO3 Headless SBC Launched for $20 and up

Last month, we found out FriendlyELEC was working on NanoPi NEO3, a tiny SBC powered by Rockchip RK3328 processor and made for headless applications and networked storage thanks to Gigabit Ethernet and USB 3.0 ports, as well as a 26-pin GPIO header.

At the time, the board was still been finalized, but the company has now started to take orders for $20 and up depending on options which include a cute white enclosure..

Here’s a quick reminder of NanoPi NEO3 specifications:

SoC – Rockchip RK3328 quad-core Arm Cortex A53 processor with Mali-450MP2 GPU
System Memory – 1GB or 2GB DDR4
Storage – MicroSD Slot for system boot and storage
Video Output – N/A
Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet with unique MAC via RTL8211E PHY
USB – 1x USB3.0 Type-A port, 2x USB2.0 on 2.54mm 8-pin header
Expansion – 26-pin header with I2C, UART, SPI, I2S, GPIO
Debugging – 3-pin header for serial console
Misc – Power & System LEDs, user key, 2-pin header for 5V Fan
Power Supply – 5V/1A via USB Type-C port or GPIO pin
PCB Dimensions – 48 x 48mm
Weight – 22 grams
Temperature Range – -20°C to 70°C

The Wiki has been updated as well, and the company provides both Ubuntu Core 18.04 based FriendlyCore, and OpenWrt based FriendlyWrt operating systems for the board with both relying on Linux 5.4.12 kernel. I’d also expect Armbian to eventually provide Ubuntu 20.04 and Debian 10 images.

The $20 price tag is for the version with 1GB RAM, and you’ll need to add $5 to get 2GB RAM and an extra $2 for the enclosure. The company also offers other optional accessories as follows:

5V 2A Power Adapter – $3.99
German Plug Adapter (applies to France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Korea) – $5.99
“High-Power” 30cm Type-C to USB-A Male 2.0 cable – $2.99
SanDisk 16GB EDGE A1 U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card – $7.99
USB Port 1602 LCD Module for Pi (LCD2USB) – $8.87

Thanks to theguyuk for the tip.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.