What is the most powerful open-source Rockchip chip?
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Hello, everyone.
Could you please tell me which Rockchip chip is the most powerful and open-source option available today in 2026?
It’s been 13 years since the FSF’s 2013 report, so there may be other options now...
Rockchip devices based on the RK3288 or RK3399 chips are compatible with free software
https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/single-board-computers
I see that LibreCMC has been using these devices for a very long time...
https://librecmc.org/librecmc/downloads/snapshots/v6.7/targets/rockchip/armv8/
RK3399 is for now until RK3588 gets liberated completely.
I am a translator!
More details at https://gitlab.collabora.com/hardware-enablement/rockchip-3588/notes-for-rockchip-3588/-/blob/main/mainline-status.md
Note that this work is specifically on Radxa Rock 5A/5B/5B+, these things may not work on other boards with an RK3588.
I have several rockpro64 (with RK3399), I find them rather difficult to use (u-boot sometimes starts, sometimes does not start). The one I was using with Debian and Freedombox decided not to boot anymore, so I reinstalled those on my T400 (which feels much faster).
Hello Avron and Zoma,
Thank you for your replies.
So, after 13 years, is the RK3399 the most powerful of the open-source chips?
It’s a real shame there’s nothing else...
I looked at the RK3399 benchmarks and it is 64% weaker than the T9600 (the most powerful processor on the T400); see the table below.
But the Rockchip RK3588 is much, much better))
Below is a comparison table:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/1012vs6286vs4906/Intel-Core2-Duo-T9600-vs-Rockchip-RK3399-Generic-Board-edp-(Android)-vs-Rockchip-RK3588
If the RK3588 is available now, there are some very powerful single-board computers on sale with 16GB of LPDDR4 RAM
If you look at the ‘Thinkpenguin’ shop, in the computers section you can see many computers that are NOT LIBRE, on which Trisquel is installed
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-t4-gnulinux-laptop
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-nas2-4-bay-mini-server-gnu-linux
, in which case it is better to buy the NanoPC-T6 Plus https://www.friendlyelec.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=315&search=RK3588&description=true&category_id=0&sub_category=true
and use Trisquel on it
If you have to choose a computer that isn't libre, T480s librebooted with intel me disabled and ath9k wifi card replacement.
That would be my recommendation.
That thing can handle potentially -j140 without overheating if you have it on a cooling pad and in a not too hot home.
That is friggin insane if you ask me.
But I have done it before. :D
EDIT: Just noticed this is a duplicate comment... how annoying.
Hello Zoma,
Thanks for your reply.
I reckon many of us here have been down that road) I understand what you mean; I’m aiming for maximum cleanliness, so to speak, but the problem lies solely with the hardware!
Let me repeat – it’s all down to the hardware!
If we’re talking about a lightweight, modern laptop, it’s NOT a T400 or X200; it might be a PINEBOOK Pro, but it’s underpowered...
That’s why I asked in this thread about the most powerful chip.
useful information https://trisquel.info/en/forum/trisquel-arm-pinebook-pro-running-trisquel-trisquel-touch
90 Days with the Pinebook Pro (April 29, 2026) =>
https://www.rickyspears.com/technology/90-days-with-the-pinebook-pro-an-in-depth-hardware-review-from-a-tech-enthusiasts-perspective/
We might soon see the PINEBOOK Pro 2, and then things will improve (I hope)
hopefully pinebook pro is built better than the first pinebook laptops.
hopefully they make it cost more so it is built way more sturdy.