RK3588 Rockchip RK3588 SOC — High-Performance 8nm AI & 8K Platform

Rockchip RK3588 SBC Overview, Specifications & Applications for Edge AI and Multimedia

The Rockchip RK3588 Single Board Computer (SBC) family brings workstation-class compute to compact, production-ready boards. At its heart is the RK3588 SoC built on an advanced 8 nm process, combining 4× Cortex-A76 performance cores and 4× Cortex-A55 efficiency cores for a balanced octa-core architecture. Graphics and vision are accelerated by an Arm Mali-G610 MC4 GPU and an integrated 6 TOPS NPU, enabling real-time inferencing, computer vision, and modern 3D graphics on a low-power footprint.

For multimedia pipelines, RK3588 includes a next-generation codec engine capable of 8K video decoding (H.265/VP9/AVS2) up to 60 fps and 8K H.264/H.265 encoding up to 30 fps, plus a versatile display pipeline that can drive multi-screen setups as high as 8K@60. Imaging is handled by a dual-ISP with HDR and 3D noise reduction, supporting multiple MIPI-CSI camera inputs for high-fidelity capture.

On Rockchips.net, the RK3588 SBC category showcases ready-to-deploy boards such as Kiwi Pi 5 (RK3588S), Kiwi Pi CM5 (RK3588), Kiwi Pi 5 Pro, and Kiwi Pi 5 Ultra, spanning attractive price bands and performance tiers, so engineers can choose the right mix of I/O, thermals, and cost for their product.

Whether you’re building an AI edge gateway, an industrial HMI, a multi-camera NVR, a digital signage player, or a developer workstation in SBC form, the RK3588 platform offers PCIe 3.0, USB 3.1/2.0, SATA 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet (RGMII), HDMI 2.1 / DP / eDP / MIPI-DSI for displays, plus HDMI 2.0 RX for video input—covering the interfaces product teams most commonly need.

Key Highlights

• 8-core 8 nm CPU with 6 TOPS NPU: Flagship compute and AI acceleration for demanding edge workloads.

• 8K-class multimedia engine: Decode 8K60, encode 8K30, and drive multi-display setups up to 8K@60.

• Rich, modern I/O: PCIe 3.0, USB 3.1, SATA 3.0, GbE, and flexible camera/display interfaces.

Specifications of RK3588 Board

Note: The table lists SoC-level and platform features typically available on RK3588 SBCs. Board-specific connectors and population may vary by model (e.g., Kiwi Pi 5/CM5/Pro/Ultra). Always confirm with the exact board datasheet or product page.

Sources: Rockchips.net RK3588 SoC page and RK3588 SBC category page; codec/resolution capabilities also documented in RK3588 technical materials.

Applications

Edge AI & Computer Vision
The on-chip 6 TOPS NPU plus multi-camera CSI inputs and dual-ISP pipeline make RK3588 SBCs ideal for visual analytics: defect detection on production lines, ANPR/ALPR in smart parking, retail shelf analytics, and predictive maintenance via vision. With the multi-display pipeline, you can render dashboards locally while models run at the edge—no GPU card required.

Digital Signage & Kiosks
Drive 8K or multi-4K displays with HTML5 or native apps, integrate sensors over USB/PCIe, and update content over Ethernet or Wi-Fi (board-dependent). HDMI 2.0 RX enables live video passthrough or picture-in-picture experiences for broadcast and retail.

Industrial HMI & Gateways
With PCIe, SATA, multiple USB 3.1 ports, and GbE, RK3588 boards support deterministic data collection and high-bandwidth storage. Paired with Linux, they run containerized services (Docker/Podman) for protocol translation (MODBUS, OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP) and local ML inferencing for anomaly detection.

Network Video Recorders (NVRs) & Smart Cameras
Decode multiple 4K/8K streams simultaneously, perform analytics on the NPU, and record to NVMe/SATA storage. Multi-CSI and the dual-ISP unlock low-light, HDR, and multi-camera synchronization scenarios—such as stereo depth, panoramic stitching, and multi-angle surveillance.

Education, R&D, and Maker Projects
Compared to entry-level SBCs, RK3588 offers a modern GPU for OpenGL ES/Vulkan learning, fast compile times, and plenty of I/O for robotics labs and ML coursework. The Kiwi Pi lineup on Rockchips.net provides options from budget-friendly to premium, so teams can prototype and then scale with the same software base.

Buying Guide

• Kiwi Pi 5 (RK3588S) — cost-effective entry with RK3588S SoC; excellent for general apps, learning, and light AI. Listed from $99.

• Kiwi Pi CM5 (RK3588) — compute module format based on RK3588 for flexible carrier designs; also shown $99–$178.99 ranges depending on options.

• Kiwi Pi 5 Pro / Ultra (RK3588) — higher-spec boards with richer I/O and thermals; listed in higher price bands (e.g., $169–$199 for Pro, $239–$278.99 for Ultra). Ideal for advanced AI, multi-display, and industrial integration.

Why RK3588 SBCs?

1. Performance headroom for five-year product roadmaps: octa-core CPU, modern GPU, and NPU ensure you can scale features without changing platforms.

2. Media & display leadership: true 8K@60 output, multi-display, and 8K encoding for high-impact signage, control rooms, and broadcast companions.

3. Connectivity breadth: PCIe, SATA, USB3.1, GbE, and Type-C cover mainstream peripherals without add-on compute cards—cutting BOM and complexity.

Developer Notes

• Operating Systems: Android and mainstream Linux distributions are supported; many vendors publish tuned images (Ubuntu/Debian/Buildroot). This shortens bring-up and eases CI/CD integration for fleets.

• Ecosystem: The RK3588 family (including RK3588S) has wide adoption across SBC brands, easing access to community documentation and examples. Rockchips.net also provides comparisons to help choose between RK3588 and RK3588S.

• Scalability: Start on Kiwi Pi 5 or CM5 for prototyping; when requirements grow (more displays, higher thermals, NVMe storage), migrate to 5 Pro or 5 Ultra without retraining teams.

Extended Technical Notes (for architects)

• Graphics APIs: Mali-G610 MC4 supports Vulkan, OpenGL ES, and OpenCL, opening the door to cross-platform renderers, GPGPU compute, and ML frameworks that leverage GPU kernels.

• Codec matrix: Hardware decode for H.265/H.264/AV1/AVS2 up to 8K60, hardware encode for H.264/H.265 up to 8K30—a rare capability at SBC scale, useful for 8K capture/relay and cloud offload reduction.

• Display fabric: Built-in HDMI 2.1 / DP / eDP / MIPI-DSI with multi-display engines allows tiled walls, mirrored operator consoles, or mixed-resolution dash panels from a single board.

• Camera pipeline: Multiple MIPI-CSI-2 and DVP inputs feed a dual-ISP with HDR and 3DNR, enabling low-latency analytics from multiple feeds simultaneously.

• High-speed buses: PCIe 3.0 supports NVMe SSDs, high-bandwidth capture cards, or AI accelerators; SATA 3.0 supports 2.5″ HDD/SSD for reliable local storage; USB 3.1 for UVC cameras and fast peripherals; RGMII for wired networking.

Typical Use Cases & Sample Builds

• Dual-display interactive kiosk: Drive one 4K UI panel and one 4K advertising panel while decoding a live 4K source over HDMI RX; log sessions to NVMe via PCIe.

• Smart NVR with edge analytics: Multi-stream 4K decode + motion/face/license-plate detection on the 6 TOPS NPU, writing event clips to SATA HDD and snapshots to cloud.

• Industrial inspection: Twin CSI cameras with HDR into ISP; OpenCL pre-processing on Mali-G610 and NPU inference detect defects in milliseconds.

• Developer desktop on SBC: Run Ubuntu/Debian, accelerate browser/video with VPU, leverage Vulkan for visualization demos, and containerize services for deployment parity.

Ordering & Availability

The RK3588 Single Board Computer lineup on Rockchips.net includes Kiwi Pi 5 (RK3588S), Kiwi Pi CM5 (RK3588), Kiwi Pi 5 Pro, and Kiwi Pi 5 Ultra. The category page lists current price ranges (e.g., $99–$278.99, depending on model/configuration) and indicates fast shipping. Availability and pricing can change; check each product page for up-to-date SKUs and options.

Notes & References

• Rockchip RK3588 SoC feature overview and interface list (8 nm, A76+A55, Mali-G610, 6 TOPS NPU, 8K encode/decode, display/camera I/O, PCIe/USB/SATA/RGMII, Android/Linux): Rockchips.net RK3588 product page.

• RK3588 SBC models and indicative pricing (Kiwi Pi 5/CM5/5 Pro/5 Ultra): Rockchips.net RK3588 Single Board Computer category page.