The single-board computer (SBC) market is heating up as demand grows for affordable, compact devices capable of handling artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing workloads. Radxa, a rising name in the SBC space, has thrown its hat into the ring with a powerful new Raspberry Pi alternative designed to prioritize AI performance. Dubbed the Radxa NIO 5A, this credit card-sized device aims to bridge the gap between hobbyist experimentation and industrial-grade applications.
A New Contender in the SBC Market
The Radxa NIO 5A, showcased at Computex 2025, is built around MediaTek’s Genio 520 chipset, a system-on-chip (SoC) tailored for AI-driven tasks. The Genio 520 combines a quad-core Arm Cortex-A73 CPU, a dual-core Cortex-M4 co-processor, and a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 6 tera-operations per second (TOPS). This setup allows the NIO 5A to handle machine learning models, real-time computer vision, and other AI workloads more efficiently than traditional Raspberry Pi boards.
“We wanted to create a board that doesn’t just run AI applications but excels at them,” said a Radxa spokesperson during the launch. “With the NIO 5A, developers can deploy models locally without relying on cloud services, which is critical for latency-sensitive projects like autonomous drones or smart security systems.”
Dual 2.5G Ethernet Router HAT: Supercharging Connectivity
To complement the NIO 5A’s processing power, Radxa also unveiled a Dual 2.5G Ethernet Router HAT—an add-on board designed for high-speed networking. This accessory, detailed here, features two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports with Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support, making it ideal for applications requiring robust, low-latency connections. Think smart factories, network-attached storage (NAS), or even home lab setups where wired reliability trumps Wi-Fi.
“The Router HAT turns the NIO 5A into a pocket-sized network powerhouse,” the spokesperson added. “It’s about giving users flexibility without compromising performance.”
Target Audience and Use Cases
Radxa’s new hardware appears tailored for developers and tinkerers working on AI-driven IoT projects. The NIO 5A supports popular frameworks like TensorFlow Lite and PyTorch, and its 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM ensures smooth multitasking. Meanwhile, the board’s 40-pin GPIO header and M.2 slot for NVMe storage ensure compatibility with existing Raspberry Pi accessories, easing the transition for Pi veterans.
Industrial users may find the NIO 5A particularly appealing. Its -20°C to 70°C operating temperature range and support for Linux-based Yocto distributions make it suitable for harsh environments, from agricultural sensors to assembly line robots.
Competing with Raspberry Pi
While Raspberry Pi dominates the SBC market with its user-friendly ecosystem, critics argue its AI capabilities lag behind specialized hardware. Radxa’s NIO 5A directly addresses this gap. However, the board’s 129 price range (depending on RAM and storage) positions it as a premium alternative to the Raspberry Pi 5, which retails for 100.
The Bigger Picture
Radxa’s announcement reflects a broader trend in tech: the push to bring AI processing closer to the “edge” of networks. By reducing reliance on cloud servers, devices like the NIO 5A could lower costs, improve privacy, and enable real-time decision-making in fields like healthcare and logistics.
As noted in a recent CNX-Software report, the NIO 5A’s combination of MediaTek’s NPU and Radxa’s open-source software stack could set a new benchmark for accessible AI development.
Availability
The Radxa NIO 5A and Dual 2.5G Router HAT are expected to ship in Q3 2025, with pre-orders opening next month. For developers eager to experiment with on-device AI, Radxa’s latest offerings might just be the upgrade they’ve been waiting for.
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