RK3288 vs RK3568: The Complete Embedded Display SoC Selection Guide for Industrial HMI, Carrier Board Design & BOM Cost Optimization
RK3288 vs RK3568: Which SoC for your embedded display project?
Quick conclusion: Choose RK3568 if your project needs an NPU, DDR4/LPDDR4, PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0, or Android 11+. Keep RK3288 if your product is already in mass production on Android 7.1, only needs traditional 4K H.264 decoding, and is extremely BOM-cost sensitive.
| Comparison | RK3288 | RK3568 |
|---|---|---|
| Process | 28nm | 22nm |
| CPU | Quad-core Cortex-A17 @1.8GHz (ARMv7, 32-bit) | Quad-core Cortex-A55 @2.0GHz (ARMv8, 64-bit) |
| GPU | Mali-T764 | Mali-G52 |
| NPU | None | 1 TOPS (TensorFlow Lite, ONNX) |
| Memory | DDR3/DDR3L/LPDDR2/LPDDR3, dual-channel 64-bit | LPDDR4/LPDDR4X, ~50% higher bandwidth |
| Video decode | 4K@60fps H.264/H.265 10-bit | 4K@60fps multi-format decode + 1080P encode |
| Display interfaces | HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz), LVDS, MIPI-DSI, eDP | HDMI, LVDS, MIPI-DSI, eDP, dual independent MIPI PHY |
| PCIe/USB | USB 2.0 | PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0 |
| OS support | Android 7.1 | Android 11, Ubuntu 20.04, OpenHarmony |
Key display subsystem difference: On RK3288, MIPI_PHY_TX0 shares a PLL with TXRX, so dual-screen independent display is limited by lane rate. On RK3568, MIPI_PHY_TX0 and TX1 are fully independent, enabling dual-screen display without same-screen restrictions. For industrial HMI projects that need to drive two screens at different resolutions or refresh rates, this is an architectural advantage.
Absolute Beginner Guide for RK3568 Carrier Board Design
Power design: You must use the RK3568 companion PMIC, such as RK809-5, and strictly follow the power-up/power-down sequencing. Do not replace it casually with a generic DC-DC solution. When the core board is powered from 12V, make sure the carrier board expansion still has enough current margin. Use wide power traces and maintain a solid ground return path.
DDR routing rules: Data lines must be tightly length-matched, typically within ±50mil. Address and control lines should be matched within ±100mil per group. VDDQ is 1.1V and should be supplied by a low-noise LDO or a high-performance DC-DC regulator.
Tips to avoid PCBA assembly defects for your RK project?
BGA soldering: RK3568 and RK3288 both use BGA-636 packages. You must use a high-precision reflow oven and maintain the correct temperature profile. X-Ray inspection is mandatory for BGA solder joints; AOI cannot detect hidden solder ball quality.
DDR routing verification: Before power-up, use an oscilloscope to verify the DDR reference clock and power ripple. Poor DDR routing and layout are the leading causes of boot failure.
Production standard: For industrial projects, use IPC Class 2 or Class 3 PCB standards to improve solder joint durability.
RK3568 Based Industrial HMI Project Demo
Typical scenario 1: Qt + Modbus TCP real-time monitoring. Run a Qt HMI on RK3568 (quad-core A55 @2.0GHz) and use dual Ethernet ports for Modbus TCP communication with a PLC. This solves the slow response and freezing issues of traditional touch panels.
Typical scenario 2: Heterogeneous-core industrial control. Partition the RK3568 quad-core resources: three cores run Linux for HMI and vision applications, while one core runs an RTOS for industrial control programs or the CODESYS platform. This enables hard real-time control and rich interaction at the same time.
Typical scenario 3: Small-screen industrial HMI. Use RK3568’s native 3 SPI interfaces and 84 GPIOs to drive a 1.8-inch ST7735S SPI screen. This is suitable for portable inspection devices and other “small screen, big task” applications.
Application Scenarios
Best-fit scenarios for RK3288:
Digital signage, advertising players, and self-service terminals with existing Android 7.1 mass-production firmware
Smart retail cabinets, parcel lockers, and storage locker control boards
Traditional water quality monitoring, environmental monitoring, and other applications that only need basic multimedia plus industrial control
Dual-screen display industrial control hosts using HDMI + LVDS
Best-fit scenarios for RK3568:
Industrial HMI, such as machine tool control panels and IVD display/control platforms
Edge AI inference, including face recognition, object detection, and smart security gateways
4K smart cameras, AI set-top boxes, and edge computing gateways
Modern IoT devices requiring Android 11, Ubuntu 20.04, or OpenHarmony
Dual-MIPI independent display medical terminals and in-vehicle information displays
FAQs:
Q1: Can RK3288 still be used for new projects?
Yes. If the project does not need an NPU, Android 7.1 is sufficient, BOM cost is extremely sensitive, and you already have a mature reference design, RK3288 remains a reliable choice. For new projects, however, RK3568 should be evaluated first.
Q2: What can the RK3568 NPU actually do?
It delivers 1 TOPS of compute and supports TensorFlow Lite and ONNX. It can run lightweight AI tasks such as face recognition and object detection.
Q3: Are the two chips package-compatible?
No. Both use BGA-636 (19×19mm, 0.65mm pitch), but their pin definitions are completely different and they cannot be directly swapped.
Q4: Does RK3568 support dual-screen independent display?
Yes, and it is more flexible than RK3288. RK3568’s two MIPI PHYs are independent and can drive screens with different resolutions.
Q5: What is the biggest risk in RK3568 carrier board design?
Power sequencing and DDR routing. You must use the RK809-5 PMIC, and DDR data line length matching should be controlled within ±50mil.
Q6: Is there a big power consumption difference between the two chips?
RK3568 uses a 22nm process compared with RK3288’s 28nm, improving energy efficiency by roughly 30% and providing noticeably better thermal control under high load.
Q7: Which operating systems does RK3568 support?
Android 11, Ubuntu 20.04, OpenHarmony, and Linux 5.10.
Q8: What is the most common problem in BGA soldering during PCBA assembly?
Solder ball voids and cold joints. X-Ray inspection is mandatory because AOI cannot see underneath the BGA package.
Q9: Do I need to redesign the PCB when migrating from RK3288 to RK3568?
Yes. Although the package size is the same, the pin definitions are different, the DDR type changes from DDR3 to LPDDR4, and the power architecture is completely different.
Conclusion:RK3288 vs. RK3568—How Should You Choose?
One-sentence conclusion: For new projects, prioritize RK3568; for existing RK3288 projects, maintain them as needed; whenever AI inference, multi-screen independent display, industrial interfaces, Android 11+, or long-term supply is involved, choose RK3568 directly.
The move from RK3288 to RK3568 is not a simple model upgrade, but a generational leap for embedded display platforms:
CPU upgraded from 32-bit A17 to 64-bit A55, with overall computing power improved by about 50%–70%, making multitasking and complex UIs smoother;
GPU upgraded from Mali-T764 to Mali-G52, with graphics performance doubled and support for higher resolution and refresh rates;
Added a 1 TOPS NPU, enabling lightweight on-device AI tasks such as face recognition and object detection;
Memory upgraded from DDR3/LPDDR3 to LPDDR4/LPDDR4X, with higher bandwidth and support for up to 8 GB;
Interfaces upgraded from USB 2.0/100M Ethernet to PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and SATA 3.0;
Display upgraded from single-screen HDMI 1.4 to HDMI 2.0 + eDP/LVDS/MIPI dual-screen independent display;
OS support expanded from Android 7.1 to Android 11+, Linux, Ubuntu, and OpenHarmony.
Therefore, the applicable boundaries of the two types of chips are already very clear:
| Project Type | Recommended Solution |
|---|---|
| Basic advertising machines and information publishing terminals with simple functions and extremely budget-sensitive requirements | RK3288 can be evaluated, but supply and system maintenance risks must be confirmed |
| Industrial HMI, medical display and control, edge AI, multi-screen independent display, intelligent gateways | Prioritize RK3568 |
| On-device AI such as face recognition and defect detection | RK3568 |
| PCIe, USB 3.0, SATA, dual Gigabit Ethernet | RK3568 |
| Android 11+ or domestic OS adaptation | RK3568 |
| Existing RK3288 projects | Decide whether to maintain or migrate to RK3566/RK3568 based on the shipment cycle |
At the carrier board design level, RK3568 is recommended to adopt a core board + baseboard model, with key control over DDR trace length matching, power domain allocation, high-speed interface signal integrity, and display interface selection. For industrial projects, attention should also be paid to wide-temperature versions, long-term supply, and BOM support capabilities.
Overall, RK3288 represents the past, while RK3568 represents the present and future. When selecting, do not look only at the price of a single chip; pay more attention to project life cycle, system ecosystem, interface scalability, AI capability, and supply chain stability. For most newly initiated embedded display projects, RK3568 is a more reliable and more sustainably evolvable choice.
Shenzhen Qixinwei Technology Co., Ltd. focuses on electronic component supply, BOM kitting, part number matching, and supply chain solutions, and can assist in selecting corresponding products according to specific project requirements.