Pine64's Newest Raspberry Pi Rival Now Available for Developers
Raspberry Pi isn't the only single-board computer maker. Other companies have developed their own takes on diminutive systems, with one of the most notable being Pine64. Now, its latest board, the Pine H64 Model B, appears to be getting closer to seeing general availability.
Pine64 revealed the Pine H64 Model B in a January blog post. It also shared previews of laptops, phone dev kits and other devices. Now the Model B is available for order on AmeriDroid, if you're a developer.
The Pine H64 Model B is an update to the Pine H64 Model A that debuted in 2017. This version has been shrunk down to the same footprint and I/O layout of the company's Rock64 single-board computer, which should make it compatible with Rock64 accessories.
Pine64 announced at the time that it equipped the Pine H64 Model B with onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities at users' requests. The company said it was planning three variants of the board based on its RAM configurations: 1GB at $25, 2GB at $35 and 3GB at $45.
Pine H64 Model B Specs and Availability
The Pine H64 Model B's page on AmeriDroid, meanwhile, revealed more information about its specs. The retailer said the model boasts an Allwinner H6 Arm Cortex-A53 processor clocked at 1.8GHz, an Arm Mali T-722MP2 dual-core GPU and an assortment of slots and sockets.
AmeriDroid seemingly plans to offer two variants of the board 2GB (price not yet listed) and 3GB ($48.95). The 1GB version is not mentioned.
Both companies noted that the Pine H64 Model B is currently early in its development cycle, advising that anyone who isn't a developer refrain from buying one. (Not that it's possible via Pine64, since all three variants of the board are "out of stock.")
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
"Until a functional OS boot image is available, we will not be selling this product, except by special request (for developers, etc.). Please send an email to orders@ameridroid.com to submit your request," the AmeriDroid product page reads as of writing.
Still, those who are willing to deal with even more tinkering than is usual for these single-board computers can email AmeriDroid to request a unit. As for everyone else? Well, they'll have to wait.
Want to comment on this story? Let us know what you think in the Tom's Hardware Forums.
Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.