Rockchip’s RK3588 family has become the go-to ARM SoC series for high-end single-board computers, media appliances, and edge-AI devices. The RK3588S2 is the newest member of that family (announced and shipping in products in 2024-2025), aimed at keeping the same high multimedia and AI capabilities while modernizing memory and platform I/O for next-generation SBCs and edge boxes. Below I explain the RK3588S2‘s strengths, real-world uses, and then compare it side-by-side with the older RK3588 and the trimmed RK3588S variant.
Quick Summary – Where RK3588S2 Fits
Target: high-performance embedded PCs, multimedia boxes, AI/edge inference devices and advanced SBCs that need 8K video, a capable NPU, and modern memory (LPDDR5).
Design focus: keep CPU/GPU/NPU performance in the RK3588 family while improving memory subsystem (LPDDR5 support) and contemporary platform features for designs introduced in 2024-2025.
What the RK3588S2 Brings (High-Level)
The RK3588S2 is an octa-core heterogeneous ARM cluster (4× Cortex-A76 + 4× Cortex-A55), uses an advanced 8 nm process, includes an Arm Mali-G610 MP4 GPU, and integrates a ~6 TOPS NPU for ML inferencing. It targets 8K decode/encode and includes a modern ISP for multi-camera applications. Importantly for board designers, RK3588S2 platforms have been shown with LPDDR5 memory options and contemporary storage/connectivity (e.g., NVMe via PCIe), which improves memory bandwidth and I/O throughput versus many older RK3588 boards.
How that compares to RK3588 and RK3588S — the headline differences.
Comparison Table (Practical View)
| Feature / SoC | RK3588 (original) | RK3588S | RK3588S2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU cores | 4× A76 + 4× A55 (dynamIQ) | 4× A76 + 4× A55 | 4× A76 + 4× A55 |
| GPU | Mali-G610 MP4 (family) | Mali-G610 MP4 (family) | Mali-G610 MP4 (family) |
| NPU (ML) | ~6 TOPS | ~6 TOPS | ~6 TOPS |
| Process node | 8 nm | 8 nm | 8 nm |
| Memory support (typical) | LPDDR4/4X/LPDDR5 (depends on board) | LPDDR4/4X (typical trimmed boards) | LPDDR5 supported / modern boards using LPDDR5 (improved bandwidth) |
| Video decode/encode | 8K decode/encode (robust HW VPU, AV1/HEVC support depending on revision) | Same core VPU but some I/O combos removed on S boards | 8K capable; modern platforms emphasize 8K + multi-display |
| Typical PCIe / IO | Most generous (more PCIe lanes, SATA, HDMI RX/TX, multiple DP) | Reduced PCIe/IO compared to RK3588 (fewer SATA/PCIe lanes, fewer display ports) | Contemporary selection — supports NVMe/PCIe on many vendor boards (example: ODROID-M2) |
| Typical use cases | High-end SBCs, mini-PCs, media servers, edge AI | Cost/power-optimized products where some IO is unneeded | Next-gen SBCs and embedded devices needing LPDDR5, NVMe and 8K multimedia |
CPU/GPU/NPU core architecture: all three are from the same family: 4× A76 + 4× A55 and Mali-G610 (family) with an NPU in the ~6 TOPS class — so raw compute capability (CPU clocks and ML TOPS) is broadly similar across the variants. The main differences are in I/O, memory support and platform connectivity, not the fundamental CPU microarchitecture.
Memory: RK3588 original boards were commonly paired with LPDDR4/LPDDR4X (though the chip supports several types). RK3588S2 emphasizes LPDDR5 support on modern boards, which raises memory bandwidth and helps GPU/NPU heavy workloads.
I/O / expansion: the non-S RK3588 is the most feature-rich (more PCIe, more display/HDMI/USB/CSI lanes). RK3588S is a deliberately trimmed variant with fewer PCIe lanes, fewer display/HDMI interfaces, and less peripheral IO (a cost / BOM / power tradeoff). RK3588S2 usually targets a middle/modern ground: solid multimedia features plus updated memory and sufficient PCIe/NVMe for compact SBCs — but the exact I/O count depends on board design. If you need the maximum number of PCIe lanes or exotic IO, check the specific datasheet/board.
Bottom Line
The RK3588S2 is an evolutionary, practical refresh in the RK3588 family: same core performance profile, but tuned for modern memory (LPDDR5) and current SBC designs. If your project needs up-to-date memory bandwidth, NVMe/PCIe and boards shipping in 2024-2025, RK3588S2-based products are a sensible choice; if you need the broadest I/O feature set regardless of BOM cost, look at RK3588 (original)-based designs. For cost-sensitive products where full I/O isn’t required, RK3588S variants remain attractive.
