Lichee Pi 4A RISC-V Desktop Gets Unboxed, Offers Strong Linux Performance

RISC-V
(Image credit: ExplainingComputers)

As RISC-V continues to develop, so does the plethora of products around the open source processor. Unlike the Raspberry Pi which uses proprietary ARM processors, the new Lichee Pi 4A uses open source RISC-V C910 architecture. This small desktop SBC is manufacturered by Sipeed and comes in a variety of configurations. Today we’re happy to get a close look at the edition with 8GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard memory thanks to Christopher Barnatt with ExplainingComputers in his recent unboxing video over at YouTube.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
SpecLichee Pi 4A
CPURISC-V C910
RAM4GB, 8GB, 16GB 64-bit LPDDR4X-3733
Internal StorageTF Card | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB eMMC
GPUOpenGL ES3.0-2, OpenCL 1.1-2.0, Vulkan1.1-1.2, 50.7 GFLOPS
NetworkDual Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi4 w/ BT5, WiFi6 w/ BT5
USB Ports4x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB 2.0 Type-C
Video Output1x HDMI 2.0 (4K @60fps)
GPIO2x 10 GPIO

Overall, Barnatt reported the out-of-the-box experience as generally positive. It comes with Debian pre-installed so very little had to be done in the way of first-time setup beyond connecting all the hardware and necessary peripherals. Although it comes with Debian preloaded, you can customize it entirely from the inside out.

RISC-V

(Image credit: ExplainingComputers)

The most glowing praise came after testing the unit for several hours. After observing no crashes, Barnatt said he considered this to be the most stable Linux experience he’s has so far with RISC-V. It has quality graphics processing showing excellent results with 720p video playback albeit less so with 1080p.

It comes with a selection of preinstalled tools that most average users will find handy to have readily available—such as LibreOffice. Overall the unit is very user friendly making it a great platform for RISC-V development as well as casual use.

You can find more information about the Lichee Pi 4A on the official Sipeed website. For an in depth look at its performance, check out the full unboxing and demo test video from ExplainingComputers over at YouTube.

Ash Hill
Contributing Writer

Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.

  • bit_user
    Those are some impressive CoreMarks!

    Anyone who's curious should check the SiPeed link in the article.

    You can then find a little more information about the SoC, here:
    https://www.cnx-software.com/2022/10/04/alibaba-t-head-th1520-risc-v-processor-to-power-the-roma-laptop/
    Reply
  • thisisaname
    No price information on price?
    Reply
  • bit_user
    thisisaname said:
    No price information on price?
    Here's the Sipeed AliExpress listing for it. There are different configuration options, but it looks like 8 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC will cost you $135:
    https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805346421328.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
    Reply