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ROCK 3C
The ROCK 3C, also known as ROCK 3 Model C, is a Rockchip RK3566 Arm SBC with 8GB of RAM and WiFi 5. In addition to sticking with the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B form factor, it also has an M.2 PCIe socket for NVMe SSDs.
In addition to the MicroSD card slot and the eMMC flash module socket, the single board computer has a HDMI 2.0 port that supports 4Kp60, a MIPI DSI connector, a MIPI CSI camera connector, a 3.5mm jack with microphone, four USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and 40 colored pins for GPIO.
ROCK 3C: Layout & Interfaces
A more cost effective hardware
At the heart of the ROCK 3C SBC is a mid-range quad-core Rockchip RK3566 processor , which boasts a quad-core Cortex-A55 architecture. This processing power is further complemented by a Mali-G52 GPU, which enables the SBC to deliver high-quality graphics and video playback. Additionally, the SBC comes with 1/2/4GB of LPDDR4 memory configurations, which can handle multiple applications and processes with ease.
ROCK 3C: Top & Bottom views
ROCK 3C Specifications
| Model | ROCK 3 Model C |
|---|---|
| SoC CPU GPU NPU | RK3566 Quad-core Cortex-A55, frequency 1.6Ghz Mali G52 0.8TOPS NPU |
| Memory | 1/2/4/8GB LPDDR4 2112MT/s |
| Storage | eMMC μSD card (μSD slot supports up to 128 GB μSD card) M.2 2230 SSD (M.2 connector supports up to 1TB M2 NVME SSD) |
| Display | HDMI 2.0 up to 4k*2k@60 MIPI DSI 2 lanes via FPC connector HDMI and MIPI DSI can not work at the same time |
| Audio | 3.5mm jack with mic HD codec that supports up to 24-bit/96KHz audio. |
| Camera | MIPI CSI 2 lanes via FPC connector, support up to 800 MP camera. |
| Wireless | 802.11 ac WiFi 5/ BT 5 |
| USB | USB 2.0 OTG X1(middle upper one), hardware switch for host/device switch USB 3.0 HOST X1 USB 2.0 HOST X2 |
| Ethernet | GbE LAN with Power over Ethernet (PoE) support additional HAT is required for powering from PoE |
| IO | 40-pin expansion header 5 x UART 1 x SPI bus 2 x I2C bus 6 x PWM 1 x ADC 6 x GPIO 2 x 5V DC power in 1 x 3.3V DC power in |
| Others | RTC RTC battery connector for time backup(optional) |
| Power | USB type C 5V, 5V/3A is suggested when using without SSD, 5V/5A is suggested when using with SSD. |
| Size | 85mm x 56mm |
Community and software support
Another advantage of the ROCK 3C SBC is its open-source software support. The SBC is compatible with a range of operating systems, including Linux, Android, and Ubuntu. This flexibility allows users to choose the operating system that best suits their requirements and ensures that the SBC can be integrated into a wide range of applications.
Neural processing unit (NPU)
Deep learning & Machine learning Support
0.8TOPS NPU – what does it mean? It stands for 0.8 Trillion Operations Per Second Neural Processing Unit. Computer chips and processors designed to accelerate deep learning tasks, especially those related to machine learning, are called deep learning accelerators.
A TOPS value represents the number of operations that can be performed in a second, specifically for multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations. MAC operations are fundamental to many machine learning algorithms, and they involve multiplying two numbers and adding the result to an accumulator.
Therefore, a 0.8 TOPS NPU can perform up to 0.8 trillion MAC operations per second, which makes it suitable for running complex machine learning models that require high computational power, such as image recognition, speech recognition, natural language processing, and autonomous driving, among others.
Summary
Single board computers (SBCs) have become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks to their compact size, low power consumption, and powerful processing capabilities. The ROCK 3C SBC is one such computer that has been designed for robust applications that require high performance and reliability.
In conclusion, the ROCK 3C SBC is a powerful and versatile single board computer that offers high performance and reliability for robust applications. Its processing power, connectivity options, and dual display support make it an ideal choice for applications such as digital signage, media centers, and gaming. Its open-source software support also ensures that the SBC can be integrated into a wide range of applications, making it a valuable addition to any project.
Price and Availability
A major selling point of the ROCK 3C SBC is its relative affordability. Radxa ROCK 3C was designed to be cost-effective. The 1GB RAM model sells for $39 and a 2GB variant for $44 plus shipping and taxes. There is currently no stock of the 4GB and 8GB RAM models, which are listed for $54 and $74.
