Banana Pi Unveils BPI-M8 Single-Board Computer
The compact board pairs an Allwinner A733 processor with up to 4 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Computers
Banana Pi has unveiled the BPI-M8, a single-board computer measuring 56 x 85 mm. It is built around the Allwinner A733 system-on-chip with two Cortex-A76 and six Cortex-A55 CPU cores and includes 4 GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM.
Why it matters
The board offers a compact, low-cost platform for developers and hobbyists seeking multi-core performance with modern wireless and wired networking. Its tiered pricing gives buyers a choice between built-in storage and a cheaper configuration that relies on external drives.
The board includes a full-sized HDMI 2.0b port, Gigabit Ethernet, and a Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 module, with PCIe exposed through an FPC connector. Final shipping charges and independent performance measurements for the eight-core processor have not been published.
The players
Banana Pi
Banana Pi is a Chinese maker of open-source single-board computers that are widely used by developers and hobbyists as alternatives to Raspberry Pi hardware.
Allwinner
Allwinner Technology is a Chinese semiconductor company that designs system-on-chip processors used in a wide range of single-board computers and embedded devices.
The details
The BPI-M8 supports eMMC capacities from 8 GB to 128 GB, with the standard version shipping with 64 GB. Additional storage can be attached over three USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0 port.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Banana Pi's BPI-M8 unveiling was reported by Notebookcheck.
The Tech Race
The BPI-M8 extends the single-board computer category that the Raspberry Pi line established, offering an eight-core Allwinner A733 platform with Wi-Fi 6 and LPDDR5 memory at hobbyist price points. Banana Pi's board thus competes directly with Raspberry Pi on specification rather than brand recognition.
Buyers choosing the BPI-M8A pay $103 before substantial shipping fees, while the BPI-M8B at $69 requires a separate storage drive for the operating system. Developers can use the board's USB and PCIe interfaces to add storage or expansion hardware as needed.
The takeaway
The BPI-M8 shows that multi-core ARM boards with modern wireless are becoming affordable, so buyers should compare the total cost including shipping and storage before choosing a configuration.
Further reading
Explore more computer hardware news to see how single-board computers compare across the market.
