Selecting the right SoC doesn’t happen in isolation—it dictates the entire single‑board computer (SBC) stack you’ll ship to customers.
If you’d like a visual catalogue of how these chips translate into production boards, browse our continuously updated gallery of embedded single‑board computers ↗ before you dive in.
1 | Executive Summary
| Dimension | Rockchip (RK Series) | NXP (i.MX Series) | When It Tips the Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU / GPU Horsepower | ✔ Higher, up to 8 × Cortex‑A76 & Mali‑G610, 8 K decode | Moderate, tops at 4 × A55 & Vivante GC7000 | Multimedia, vision, AI inference |
| Real‑Time Determinism | Good with PREEMPT_RT, but jitter a few µs higher | ✔ Better inter‑core scheduler tuning; sub‑ms jitter out‑of‑box | Multi‑arm robotics, hard PLC loops |
| AI Accelerator (NPU) | Up to 6 TOPS (RK3588) | Up to 2.3 TOPS (i.MX 8M Plus) | Edge‑AI > 3 TOPS |
| Pricing (≥ 10 k SoC) | ✔ ≈ 30 % cheaper | — | Cost‑sensitive mass devices |
| Longevity & Docs | Roadmap 8–10 yrs, docs improving | ✔ Formal 10‑/15‑yr LTS, extensive safety docs | Medical, automotive |
| Ecosystem & Boards | Dozens of China‑made SBCs & SOMs, fast prototyping | Fewer boards, stronger global disty support | Need rapid low‑cost eval vs. need worldwide support |
(Click any row to enlarge on mobile.)
2 | Real‑Time Behaviour: Why NXP Still Wins Ultra‑Deterministic Loads
2.1 Kernel & Scheduler
- NXP i.MX BSP ships with fine‑tuned IRQ affinity, CPUFreq governors, and deadline scheduler patches.
- Measured latency: ≈ 120 µs worst‑case on PREEMPT_RT (4‑core A53 @ 1.6 GHz) controlling three 6‑DoF arms.
- Rockchip RK3568 under identical PREEMPT_RT setup: ≈ 180–220 µs—excellent for HMIs, AGVs, AMRs; borderline for synchronised robotic welding.
If your servo loop must close at ≥ 1 kHz with < 150 µs jitter, pick NXP—or budget time for extra tuning + core isolation on Rockchip. For 95 % of products (digital signage, control panels, edge cameras) Rockchip’s latency is already over‑engineered.
2.2 Practical Take‑Away
|
NXP i.MX Best for deterministic multi‑axis robotics, SIL‑rated PLCs. |
Rockchip RK Meets or exceeds real‑time needs in most commercial HMI / multimedia workloads. |
3 | Big‑LITTLE Compute & Multimedia Throughput
| Benchmark | RK3588 (8 × A76 / A55) | i.MX 8M Plus (4 × A53) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 Multi‑Core | ≈ 240 k | ≈ 91 k |
| 4 K → 1080 p HEVC transcode | 62 fps | 24 fps |
| ResNet‑50 INT8 / NPU | 885 fps (6 TOPS) | 306 fps (2.3 TOPS) |
RK3588 breezes through Chrome 8 K VP9 playback at < 30 % CPU, something even an i.MX 93 can’t touch.
4 | Cost & Supply‑Chain Economics
- SoC delta ≈ ‑30 % (distributor quotes, Q1‑2025).
- Passive & power‑tree delta ≈ ‑10 % (China‑made PMICs, DDR from CXMT).
- Aggregate SBC delta ≈ ‑30–40 % after PCB, connectors, and local assembly.
Example: Rocktech’s RK3566 Pico‑ITX board hits US\$65 @ 1 k; a comparable i.MX 8M Mini board is roughly US\$95–100.
5 | Software Stacks & Toolchains
| Layer | Rockchip | NXP |
|---|---|---|
| Android | SDK up to Android 14 (RK3588) | Up to Android 11 on most i.MX variants |
| Yocto |
meta‑rockchip, community moving fast |
meta‑freescale, officially maintained |
| Mainline GPU | Panfrost for Mali (GLES 2/3), actively improving | Etnaviv for Vivante, mature |
| RTOS / MCU | No dedicated M‑core | Optional Cortex‑M7 (i.MX 8M Plus) runs FreeRTOS |
(Android digital‑signage devs lean Rockchip; SIL‑ready Yocto teams favour NXP.)
6 | Security & Compliance
| Feature | RK356x | i.MX 8M Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Secure Boot | ✔ | ✔ (plus CAAM) |
| TRNG / PUF | Basic | EdgeLock® |
| Safety (IEC 61508) | Via partners | ✔ TÜV‑certified libs |
| PSA‑Certified | Road‑map | ✔ |
7 | Real‑World Case Studies
7.1 High‑Speed Pick‑&‑Place Robot (SMT)
- Chosen SoC: i.MX 8M Plus
- Why: 2.3 TOPS NPU was fine; sub‑100 µs jitter essential for multi‑arm sync; 15‑year longevity clause in OEM contract.
- Result: 90 µs worst‑case jitter, SIL‑2 package reused across 4 SKUs.
7.2 4 K Retail Smart Mirror
- Chosen SoC: RK3588
- Why: Real‑time 3‑D face mesh on 6 TOPS NPU, dual 4 K HDR cams, AR overlay at 60 fps.
- Result: Unit cost 32 % below i.MX 93 prototype; passive cooled via heat‑pipe chassis.
7.3 Battery‑Powered Smart Lock Hub
- Chosen SoC: i.MX 6ULL
- Why: Sub‑1 W idle, EdgeLock secure element, guaranteed supply till 2035.
- Result: 2‑year battery life on dual 18650.
8 | Decision Tree
- Hard real‑time (< 150 µs) & functional safety? → NXP (i.MX 8M Plus / i.MX 93).
- Ultra‑high‑res video, heavy AI (> 3 TOPS), cost‑sensitive? → Rockchip (RK3588 / RK3568).
- Kiosk / HMI, Android UI, BOM < US\$100? → Rockchip RK3566.
- Fan‑less, headless, sub‑5 W & 15‑yr life? → NXP i.MX 6ULL / 7ULP.
9 | Key Tips When Switching Vendors
| Topic | Rockchip → NXP | NXP → Rockchip |
|---|---|---|
| DDR Training | Use NXP DDR Tool GUI | Use rkbin & dmc-test scripts |
| Secure Boot | CAAM keyblob workflow |
unify‑image.sh + upgrade_tool
|
| Display DT nodes |
dcss / ldb endpoints |
vop / route / endpoint nodes |
| NPU SDK | eIQ ML toolkit | RKNN‑ToolKit + quantiser |
10 | Conclusion
For 95 % of modern projects, Rockchip’s blend of performance and cost is the fastest path from POC to mass production.
When sub‑100 µs determinism, SIL certificates, or 15‑year guarantees rule the spec, NXP remains the go‑to.
Explore Further with Rocktech 🚀
- Android‑ready Rocktech boards: https://www.rocktech.com.hk/android-embedded-board/
Need a head‑to‑head benchmark on your workload? DM me—our lab can profile RK3566, RK3588, i.MX 8M Plus, and i.MX 93 within a week.
RK3588 and RK3576 maybe good.