BPI-M8 launches as a new Raspberry Pi alternative with PCIe, eMMC, and plenty of ports

Banana Pi has unveiled a new single-board computer, the BPI-M8. Measuring 56 x 85 mm, it is fairly compact, yet unlike a Compute Module, it comes equipped with full-sized, ready-to-use ports. In theory, the Banana Pi BPI-M8 could serve as a mini desktop PC running Linux. Whether that makes practical sense is another question, given the performance limitations of single-board computers compared to modern desktop hardware.

Under the hood, the Banana Pi BPI-M8 relies on the Allwinner A733 SoC, featuring two Cortex-A76 and six Cortex-A55 CPU cores paired with 4 GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM. Storage capability depends on the chosen variant: the standard version includes 64 GB of eMMC storage, with supported capacities ranging from 8 GB up to 128 GB. Additional storage can be connected over USB via three USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0 port, while PCIe support is exposed through an FPC connector.

Networking is covered by both a Gigabit Ethernet port and a wireless module supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Display and camera integration are handled via MIPI DSI and MIPI CSI interfaces, accompanied by a full-sized HDMI 2.0b port and a 3.5 mm audio jack. As is standard for SBCs, a 40-pin GPIO header is available for connecting external sensors and actuators.

The BPI-M8A model with onboard eMMC storage can be ordered directly from the manufacturer for $103, while the eMMC-less BPI-M8B costs $69. Note that substantial shipping fees apply on top of these base prices.