Orange Pi has released the Zero2, a small form factor SBC based on the Allwinner H616 64-bit system on chip (SoC). Capable of supporting Android 10 natively, it contains a quad-core Cortex-A53 processor with integrated Mali G31 graphics.

Connectivity is available via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet, and the Zero2 supports a range of video decoding options up to 4k@60fps.

Orange Pi Finally Releases the Zero2

The Zero2 was announced last year but never came to market. The version that has just been released has a slightly different hardware setup, but it's largely an upgrade, so the wait has perhaps paid off. It comes in two variations, one with 512MB and one with 1GB RAM.

Zero2 iso view

The decent video decoding on a low power budget that the Allwinner H616 provides will be a big draw here. Native Android 10 is equally exciting, especially given that it's possible to install Android on a Raspberry Pi, but support is terrible due to incompatible hardware.

Those wishing to stick to Linux will find Ubuntu and Debian builds for the Zero2, all of which are available as pre-made images or as source code on the Zero2 resources page.

You can buy an Orange Pi Zero2 from Amazon with 512MB and 1GB RAM variants available

Orange Pi Zero2 Specifications

Zero2 top

The main draw of the Orange Pi Zero2 is the H616 SoC, but it has an impressive range of interactivity built into the 2 x 2.5 inch board:

  • CPU: Allwinner H616 64-bit high-performance Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor
  • GPU: Mali G31 MP2 Supports OpenGL ES 1.0/2.0/3.2、OpenCL 2.0
  • Video decoding: H.265 Main10@L5.1 decoder up to 4K@60fps or 6K@30fps VP9 Profile 2 decoder up to 4K@60fps AVS2 JiZhun 10bit decoder up to 4K@60fps H.264 BP/MP/HP@L4.2 decoder up to 4K@30fps
  • Video encoding: H.264 BP/MP/HP encoder up to 4K@25fps or 1080p@60fps JPEG snapshot performance of 1080p@60fps
  • Memory(SDRAM): 512MB/1GB (Shared with GPU）
  • Onboard Storage: TF card slot 2MB SPI Flash
  • Onboard Network: Support 1000M/100M/10M Ethernet
  • Onboard WIFI+BT: AW859A Chip Support IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Support BT5.0
  • Video Outputs: Micro HDMI 2.0a up to 4K@60fps TV CVBS output, Support PAL/NTSC（Via 13pin interface board）
  • Audio output: Micro HDMI 3.5mm audio port (Via 13pin interface board)
  • Power Source: Type-C interface 5V2A input
  • USB 2.0 Ports: 3*USB 2.0 HOST（Two of them are via 13pin interface board）
  • Low-level peripherals: 26pin header with I2C, SPI, UART and multiple GPIO ports 13pin header with 2*USB Host, IR pin, Tv-out、AUDIO (no MIC) and 3 GPIO ports
  • Debug serial port: UART-TX、UART-RX and GND
  • LED: Power led & Status led
  • IR receiver: Support IR remote control (via 13pin interface board)
  • Supported OS: Android10、Ubuntu、Debian
  • Dimension: 53mm×60mm
  • Weight: 30g

A True Raspberry Pi Zero Competitor?

The original Orange Pi Zero was aimed as a competitor to the Raspberry Pi Zero but missed the mark. While it was tiny and relatively powerful, it was designed mostly for headless applications. This was perfect for some but lacked the accessibility the Raspberry Pi Zero had.

The new Zero2 changes this, with a more powerful SoC, multiple desktop OS options, support for displays, and pin headers supporting stereo analog audio out. It's early days, but this board could see some success in both industry and hobby maker circles.