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The Banana Pi BPI-CM7 is a newly announced compute module built around an Allwinner H618 processor—not a complete single-board computer. It is intended to be paired with a carrier board, and its reported 2 GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC configuration gives it a starting point for comparison with Raspberry Pi’s Compute Module 5. But its price, sale date, compatible carrier boards, and software support have not been established.
What is the Banana Pi BPI-CM7?
The BPI-CM7 is a small compute module designed to provide the core processing platform for a larger product or prototype. Banana Pi’s available documentation describes an Allwinner H618 platform with LPDDR4 memory, eMMC storage, a K019 wireless module supporting Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0, and two 100-pin board-to-board connectors. Banana Pi’s BPI-CM7 documentation is the source for those platform details.
Notebookcheck reported a 55 x 40 mm module footprint and a configuration with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC. That is a reported configuration, not confirmation that a retail SKU is currently on sale. The module is also reported to use a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-G31 GPU. Notebookcheck’s October 8, 2026 coverage provides those additional specifications.
Unlike a standalone SBC, the BPI-CM7 does not provide ordinary ports for directly connecting peripherals. It needs a carrier board to expose the connections required for development or for a finished product. A custom carrier can be designed around only the interfaces a particular device needs.
#1 Best Overall
- [High-performance AIOT platform] Banana Pie BPI-CM5 Pro is an AI computer module, adopting Rockchip RK3576 second generation 8nm high-performance AIOT SoC, integrated with Quad-core Cortex-A72 2.2GHz and Quad-core Cortex-A53 1.8GHz CPUs, as well as a separate NE-ON co-processor, with 6 TOPS NPU, supports INT4/INT8/INT16 hybrid computing.
- [Memory Rich] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI computer module supports 4/8/16GB 32bit LPDDR5 RAM, default 4GB, RK3576 supports up to 16GB. flash: 32/64/128GB eMMC, default eMMC 32GB. makes AI edge computing and AI application development offer more Possibilities.
- [4K Video Encoding and Decoding] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI computer module is equipped with ARM Mali G52 MC3 GPU and VPU on board, which supports 4K video encoding and decoding, and H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1, and AVS2 at 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps. Decoding.
- [With Rich Interfaces] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI Computer Module IO Carrier Board Onboard 1x HDMI output, 1x DP output, 4x USB 3.0 Type-A, Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 with PoE support, 40-pin GPIO, M.2 connector (M-key with PCIe support), microSD x1, 1x 4-channel MIPI DSI, 1x 2-channel MIPI CSI, HPOUT,FAN,VRTC, etc.
- [Multiple Operating Systems] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI single board computer supports Linux, Debian, Android, Ubuntu, Android14, Armbian and other operating systems. This makes it easier for developers to carry out project development.
Is the BPI-CM7 compatible with Raspberry Pi Compute Module carrier boards?
That has not been confirmed. A similar 55 x 40 mm footprint does not prove that a BPI-CM7 fits or works electrically with a Raspberry Pi CM4 or CM5 carrier. The BPI-CM7’s two 100-pin connectors and its signal assignments must match a carrier board’s connectors and routing; dimensions alone are not enough to establish compatibility.
Notebookcheck reports 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet, USB 2.0 interface routing, GPIO, UART, SPI, 5 V input, and HDMI output when a carrier board exposes it. These are reported module interfaces, not a promise that every carrier provides them. No named compatible carrier board or compatibility list was established, so buyers should wait for explicit confirmation from Banana Pi or the board maker before choosing a carrier.
Rank #2
- [High-performance AIOT platform] Banana Pie BPI-CM5 Pro is an AI computer module, adopting Rockchip RK3576 second generation 8nm high-performance AIOT SoC, integrated with Quad-core Cortex-A72 2.2GHz and Quad-core Cortex-A53 1.8GHz CPUs, as well as a separate NE-ON co-processor, with 6 TOPS NPU, supports INT4/INT8/INT16 hybrid computing.
- [Memory Rich] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI computer module supports 4/8/16GB 32bit LPDDR5 RAM, default 4GB, RK3576 supports up to 16GB. flash: 32/64/128GB eMMC, default eMMC 32GB. makes AI edge computing and AI application development offer more Possibilities.
- [4K Video Encoding and Decoding] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI computer module is equipped with ARM Mali G52 MC3 GPU and VPU on board, which supports 4K video encoding and decoding, and H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1, and AVS2 at 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps. Decoding.
- [With Rich Interfaces] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI Computer Module IO Carrier Board Onboard 1x HDMI output, 1x DP output, 4x USB 3.0 Type-A, Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 with PoE support, 40-pin GPIO, M.2 connector (M-key with PCIe support), microSD x1, 1x 4-channel MIPI DSI, 1x 2-channel MIPI CSI, HPOUT,FAN,VRTC, etc.
- [Multiple Operating Systems] Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro AI single board computer supports Linux, Debian, Android, Ubuntu, Android14, Armbian and other operating systems. This makes it easier for developers to carry out project development.
How does the BPI-CM7 compare with Raspberry Pi CM5?
The CM5 is a useful specification reference, but the available information does not establish that the modules share carrier compatibility or offer comparable performance. Raspberry Pi lists CM5’s dimensions and platform details on its official Compute Module 5 page.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Specification | Banana Pi BPI-CM7 | Raspberry Pi CM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 55 x 40 mm, as reported by Notebookcheck in 2026. | 55 x 40 x 4.7 mm, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Processor and graphics | Allwinner H618; quad Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-G31 GPU, as reported by Banana Pi documentation and Notebookcheck. | Broadcom BCM2712; quad Cortex-A76 CPU at 2.4 GHz, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Memory | 2 GB LPDDR4 in the configuration reported by Notebookcheck. | LPDDR4-4267 options of 2, 4, 8, or 16 GB, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC in the configuration reported by Notebookcheck. | eMMC options of 0, 16, 32, or 64 GB, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Wired networking | 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet, as reported by Notebookcheck. | Gigabit Ethernet PHY, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Wireless | K019 module supporting Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0, according to Banana Pi documentation. | Optional dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Selected I/O | USB 2.0 routing, GPIO, UART, and SPI are reported; HDMI depends on the carrier board. | PCIe Gen 2 x1, one USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports, and dual HDMI 2.0 supporting up to 4Kp60, according to Raspberry Pi. |
| Price and availability | Price and concrete availability had not been announced in Notebookcheck’s October 8, 2026 report. | Raspberry Pi lists a starting price of $67.50 on its current product page; this is the manufacturer’s listed price, not a retailer-checked offer. Raspberry Pi states production is planned through at least January 2036. |
On published specifications, CM5 offers higher-tier CPU architecture, faster wired networking, and more listed high-speed I/O. The BPI-CM7’s reported feature set is more limited on those measures, though its listed 2 GB/32 GB configuration is only one reported configuration. No benchmark evidence supports a direct performance ranking.
Rank #3
- [MediaTek MT7988A (Filogic 880) SoC] Banana Pi BPI-R4 Pro 8X/4E Wiifi 7 OpenWRT Router Board with MediaTek MT7988A (Filogic 880) SoC (Quad-core ARM Corex-A73 CPU design), onboard 4GB (4E)/8GB (8X) DDR4 RAM, 8GB eMMC and 128MB SPI-NAND flash, works as 36Gbps Wi-Fi 7 access point/router/smart gateway. It is also a very high performance open source router development boards. It is an upgraded version of the BPI-R4 router board.
- [Highly Efficient & Reliable Network] The MediaTek MT7988A SoC is the world's leading network processing platform that delivers a high-performance and reliable network experience for wired and wireless applications. At the same time, the MT7988A is equipped with MediaTek's Tunnel Offload Processor System (TOPS), which easily handles a wide range of tunneling protocols, delivering premium-level offloading capabilities.
- [2x 10Gbe SFP & RJ45/4x 2.5Gbe RJ45 LAN] Banana Pi BPI-R4 Pro wireless dual-band wifi router board support 1x 10G RJ45 WAN/LAN Port, 2x 10Gbe SFP and 4x 2.5Gbe ethernet with 4 Port 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 LAN Gigabit Ethernet port, also with USB3.2 and M.2 interface, support 4G LTE/5G cellular network module and M.2 2280 NVME SSD. Providing the fastest and most reliable network connection.
- [Support WiFi 7 iPA BE14 NIC Module] Banana Pi BPI-R4 Pro 8X/4E wireless Tri-band router board onboard 2x miniPCIe slots with PCIe3.0 2lane interface for Wi-Fi 7 6E 6 NIC network card module. MediaTek MT7988A enables seamless Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, 2.4GHz (40MHz), 5GHz (160MHz) and 6GHz (320MHz) connectivity, with its Wi-Fi 7 companion chip that features 320-MHz bandwidth, 4096-QAM, MLO, MRU and AFC. PHY rate: up to 13700 Mbps/9500 Mbps. QoS: WFA WMM and WMM-PS.
- [Rich Peripheral interfaces] Banana Pi BPI-R4 wireless router board onboard 2x 10Gbe SFP Optical ports, 1x 10G RJ45 WAN, 1x 10G RJ45 LAN, 4x 2.5Gbe Gigabit LAN ports, 1x USB3.2 port, 3x Nano SIM Slots, 3x M.2 KEY-B connector for 5G/4G module, 2x M.2 KEY-M connector for M.2 2280 NVME SSD, 2x mini PCle slot for Wi-Fi NIC, 1x MicroSD Slot(TF), 1x Debug UART port, 1x 26 Pin GPIO header, supports UART, I2C, SPI, PWM, I2S.
How much does the BPI-CM7 cost, and when can you buy it?
Banana Pi had not released a price or concrete availability details in Notebookcheck’s October 8, 2026 coverage. The reported 2 GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC configuration should not be treated as a confirmed purchasable SKU. Until Banana Pi publishes a price, release date, and sales channel, the BPI-CM7 is best treated as an announcement rather than a buyable alternative.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What carrier board and software does the BPI-CM7 need?
It needs a carrier board that matches its connector layout and electrical signals, then routes the interfaces the project requires. The available specifications identify interfaces but do not name a supported carrier or confirm that Raspberry Pi CM4/CM5 boards work. Software support is likewise not established: the sources reviewed do not confirm a supported operating system, image, or installation procedure.
Rank #4
- [MediaTek MT7995AV Chip] BPI-R4-NIC-BE14 Module adopted MediaTek MT7995AV CPU, supports Wi-Fi7 technology and feature IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be compliant, support 2.4GHz 2x2, 5GHz 3x3 3ss and 6GHz 3x3 3ss BE13500 Wi-Fi subsystem. The MT7995AV offers feature-rich wireless connectivity at high standards and delivers reliable, cost-effective throughput from an extended distance.
- [Support WiFi7 iPA NIC Function] Banana Pi BPI-R4 wireless three-band router board onboard 2x miniPCIe slots with PCIe3.0 2lane interface for Wi-Fi 7 NIC (Network Interface Card). MediaTek MT7988A enables seamless Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz connectivity, with its Wi-Fi 7 companion chip that features 320-MHz bandwidth, 4096-QAM, MLO, MRU and AFC.
- [Intelligent MAC Designed] BPI-R4 NIC BE14 Wi-Fi 7 Module provide superb performance. The intelligent MAC design deploys a highly efficient offload engine and hardware data processing accelerators, which fully offload Wi-Fi task of the host processor. The MT7995AV SoC support standard-based features in the areas of security and quality of service, giving end users the greatest performance at any time and in any circumstances.
- [Support 2x 10Gbe SFP/4x Gbe] Banana Pi BPI-R4 wireless wifi router board support 2x 10Gbe SFP and 4x Gbe ethernet with 4 Port 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet port, also with USB3.2 port and M.2 interface, support 4G/5G signal reception and NVME SSD.Providing the fastest and most reliable network connection.
- [Application Scenarios] Banana Pi BPI-R4 Router Board can be applied to Internet service Router, Wifi 7 Wireless Router, 4G/5G Wireless Router, Wireless Repeater, Home security Gateway, Home Automation, Nas device, Network and communication applications. 36Gbps Wi-Fi 7 Access Point/Router/Gateway
For a prototype or product design, verify these items with Banana Pi or the carrier-board maker before committing to hardware:
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Best Value
- Banana Pi M2 Zero BPI-M2 Zero Quad Core Single-board Development Board Computer Alliwnner H2+ same as W
- An explicit BPI-CM7 compatibility statement for the exact carrier-board revision.
- Connector pinout and signal-voltage documentation for the module and carrier.
- Which reported interfaces the carrier actually exposes, including display, USB, networking, and GPIO.
- A supported OS image, boot instructions, and update or recovery method.
- Power requirements and any carrier-specific limitations.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
