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The safest way to choose a RISC-V single-board computer (SBC) for Ubuntu is to start with Canonical’s supported-board directory, then verify the exact board model, hardware revision, Ubuntu image, RISC-V ISA profile, boot method, storage path and peripheral limitations. Do not assume that a board described as “RISC-V compatible” has an installable Ubuntu image or that every RISC-V board supports the same Ubuntu release.
For a documented starting point, the StarFive VisionFive 2 has Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS server images, a microSD preinstalled-image path and a UART-console workflow. Installing Ubuntu directly to eMMC, USB or NVMe is possible through the live-server route, but requires a compatible U-Boot bootloader on SPI flash. Boards such as Milk-V Mars CM show why the limitations section matters: Ubuntu support can coexist with unsupported graphics, incomplete PCIe and USB restrictions.
Start with Ubuntu support, not a board shopping list
RISC-V is an instruction-set architecture, not a single board family. Two boards can use RISC-V processors yet differ in ISA profile, firmware, boot firmware, kernel support, images and usable peripherals. Ubuntu compatibility is therefore board- and release-specific.
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What a supported-board entry should establish
- The precise board model and any revision distinction.
- Which Ubuntu release and image type are available.
- Whether the image is a preinstalled server image or a live installer.
- The documented boot source, such as microSD or SPI-assisted storage boot.
- Console and recovery requirements, including UART access.
- Known limitations for graphics, PCIe, USB, networking and other peripherals.
A board directory entry does not by itself establish current price, stock, comparative speed or suitability for a desktop workload. Those are separate decisions that need separate evidence.
Match the board’s RISC-V profile to your Ubuntu release
Ubuntu release policy now makes the RISC-V profile an explicit selection criterion. Canonical states that Ubuntu 25.10 requires RVA23 as the minimum RISC-V baseline. A board designed around an older RVA20 profile should not be selected on the assumption that it will run every newer Ubuntu release.
RVA23 and Ubuntu 25.10
If you need Ubuntu 25.10, confirm that the board’s processor and firmware expose the required RVA23 baseline. The board guide and processor documentation should agree; a generic “64-bit RISC-V” description is not enough. Also verify that an image for the exact board is published, because meeting the ISA baseline does not automatically provide board-specific boot support.
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Canonical’s stated route for RVA20 users is Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Canonical says that RVA20 users can receive up to 15 years of support by using Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with Ubuntu Pro. That is a support-policy option, not proof that every RVA20 board has an image or that every device works without board-specific changes.
Roadmap language is not an install image
Canonical’s 2025 retrospective and 2026 outlook describe new RVA20 boards, including Pine64 Star64, VisionFive 2 Lite and Milk-V Mars CM, and describe Ubuntu 26.04 LTS as an RVA23-baseline target. Treat those statements as policy context. Before purchasing or flashing anything, return to the current board guide and confirm that an image for the release you intend to use is actually available.
Compare candidates by the decisions that affect your build
| Decision | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Support status | Canonical guide for the exact model and revision | Identifies the supported image, firmware path and known limitations. |
| Ubuntu release | Available release, server or desktop designation, and image date | Determines package baseline, support window and whether the board is usable for your deployment. |
| ISA profile | RVA20, RVA23 or another documented profile | Newer Ubuntu releases can impose a higher minimum baseline. |
| Installation method | Preinstalled image or live installer; microSD, eMMC, USB or NVMe boot | Changes the amount of firmware work and the recovery path. |
| Console access | UART header, adapter requirement and pinout | Many SBC installations need serial console access before networking is available. |
| Boot firmware | Whether U-Boot must be installed to SPI and whether it is EBBR-compatible | Incompatible firmware can prevent storage boot even when the Ubuntu image is correct. |
| Peripherals | GPU, PCIe, USB, Wi-Fi, storage and other documented limitations | A headless server can tolerate limitations that make a desktop or expansion project unsuitable. |
| Evidence quality | Official board guide versus vendor or community claim | Lets you distinguish installable support from an unverified compatibility statement. |
StarFive VisionFive 2: a documented Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS path
The StarFive VisionFive 2 is a practical candidate when your priority is a documented Ubuntu server installation rather than a performance ranking. Canonical lists Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS preinstalled server images for the board.
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Preinstalled-image route: microSD and UART
The simplest documented path uses the preinstalled server image on a microSD card. The board boots from that card, while a USB UART adapter connected to the UART pins on the GPIO header provides the console. The serial console is important because it shows boot progress and gives you access when the board has not yet joined the network.
- Confirm that the Canonical guide is for your exact VisionFive 2 model and board revision.
- Obtain the Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS server image identified in that guide.
- Write the image to a microSD card using the imaging procedure specified by Canonical.
- Connect a USB UART adapter to the GPIO-header UART using the guide’s pinout and serial settings. Do not guess the pins from a similarly named board.
- Insert the card, connect power and watch the UART console for the boot sequence.
- Complete the server’s first-boot setup from the console, then confirm network access and update the installed system through Ubuntu’s normal package-management workflow.
The guide’s use of a UART adapter is a setup requirement, not an optional accessory to overlook when planning the build. The documentation does not establish a particular card capacity or adapter model, so choose hardware that meets the board guide’s electrical and storage requirements.
Live-server route: eMMC, USB or NVMe
The VisionFive 2 live-server route can install Ubuntu to eMMC, USB or NVMe. This is useful when the board will run continuously and you want to move beyond a removable microSD boot device.
- Verify that the target storage device is connected in the way described by the board guide.
- Prepare U-Boot on the board’s SPI flash before attempting the live installation.
- Use the live-server installer and select the intended eMMC, USB or NVMe target.
- Reboot only after the installer and the guide’s bootloader steps are complete, then confirm that the board is booting from the selected device rather than falling back to microSD.
Canonical warns that the vendor U-Boot is not EBBR-compatible without manual changes. That warning is material: an otherwise valid Ubuntu image can fail to boot when the SPI bootloader is wrong. Keep the original boot medium available as a recovery path until the new storage device has completed several successful boots.
When the VisionFive 2 is a good fit
- Headless Ubuntu server experiments where serial-console access is acceptable.
- Learning RISC-V Linux with a documented 24.04.5 LTS image.
- Deployments that can use microSD or that are prepared to perform SPI bootloader setup for eMMC, USB or NVMe.
When to investigate alternatives first
- A desktop that depends on fully supported accelerated graphics.
- A project requiring a particular PCIe device, USB peripheral or wireless chipset before you have checked the guide.
- A deployment tied to Ubuntu 25.10 when the board does not meet the documented RVA23 baseline.
Do not confuse VisionFive 2 and VisionFive 2 Lite
The VisionFive 2 Lite has a separate Canonical guide and Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS images. Treat it as a separate candidate, not as a minor configuration of the regular VisionFive 2. Use the Lite guide for its image, boot procedure, console wiring and limitations. Components, firmware and supported paths can differ even when the product names are similar.
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“Supported” does not mean that every device on the board works. Canonical’s Milk-V Mars CM page is a useful example of the checks a buyer should perform before committing to a board.
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Milk-V Mars CM limitations documented by Canonical
| Component or capability | Documented status | Selection impact |
|---|---|---|
| Onboard GPU | Unsupported | Do not choose it for a graphics-dependent desktop without another verified graphics path. |
| PCIe | Incomplete support | Expansion-card compatibility may be limited; check the exact device and kernel path. |
| USB 2.0 port | Unsupported with the documented 6.8 kernel | A project depending on that port may fail even though Ubuntu itself installs. |
These limitations illustrate a general rule: read the board guide’s limitations before evaluating form factor, memory or theoretical processor capability. For a headless service, an unsupported GPU may be irrelevant. For a desktop, camera appliance or expansion-heavy system, it can be decisive.
Choose the installation path before you choose storage
Storage is not just a capacity decision on RISC-V SBCs. The boot chain determines which media can be used and whether firmware must be changed.
microSD
A microSD preinstalled image is often the lowest-friction starting point because it keeps the documented boot path intact. It is also useful as a rescue medium when an eMMC, USB or NVMe installation fails. Confirm the image-writing method and boot order in the board guide.
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eMMC can provide an internal installation target on boards that expose it, but the target may require SPI-resident U-Boot or a board-specific flashing sequence. The VisionFive 2 guide explicitly lists eMMC as a live-install target alongside USB and NVMe.
USB
USB boot depends on both firmware and the board’s USB implementation. Do not infer support from the presence of a physical USB connector. Confirm that the guide names USB as a boot or installation target and check any port-specific limitations.
NVMe
NVMe is attractive for persistent workloads, but it is the most firmware-sensitive option of the three when a PCIe path is involved. Verify that the board guide supports the intended NVMe route and that PCIe limitations do not affect your device. On the VisionFive 2, Canonical documents NVMe as a live-install target but still requires U-Boot on SPI flash.
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Use workload requirements to narrow the shortlist
Headless server or network service
Prioritize a documented server image, stable boot path, serial-console instructions and the network interfaces your service needs. GPU support may be unimportant, while reliable storage boot and recovery media are critical.
RISC-V development and testing
Prioritize the Ubuntu release you need, compiler and package availability, and the board’s ISA profile. A documented 24.04 LTS path can be more useful than an unverified claim of higher performance. Keep in mind that the sources available here do not provide comparable benchmarks, so do not rank boards as fastest from compatibility pages alone.
Desktop or graphical application
Check GPU support first, then display outputs, acceleration, USB input devices and browser or media requirements. The Milk-V Mars CM limitations show why a board can install Ubuntu yet remain unsuitable for a graphical workload.
Peripheral-heavy or expansion project
List every required interface before selecting a board: PCIe device, USB version, storage bus, serial console, networking and any camera or accelerator. Match each item to an explicit support statement in the board guide. “Incomplete” or “unsupported” should be treated as a design constraint, not a minor footnote.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A repeatable selection procedure
- Define the workload. Write down whether the system is headless, graphical, storage-intensive, peripheral-heavy or mainly for software development.
- Set the Ubuntu release. Decide whether you need Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Ubuntu 25.10 or another release. If the board is RVA20, check the 24.04 LTS and Ubuntu Pro route rather than assuming 25.10 support.
- Open Canonical’s supported-board directory. Remove boards that lack a guide for the exact model or revision.
- Read the complete board guide. Record image type, release, boot source, console wiring, firmware prerequisites and limitations.
- Map the boot chain. Decide whether microSD is sufficient or whether eMMC, USB or NVMe requires SPI U-Boot preparation.
- Check every required peripheral. Mark each as supported, incomplete, unsupported or not stated in the guide. Treat “not stated” as a reason to investigate further, not as a yes.
- Plan recovery. Keep the documented boot medium and UART access available until the target installation is proven reliable.
- Only then evaluate availability and cost. Compatibility documentation does not establish current price, stock or value rankings.
Common selection mistakes and fixes
Mistake: treating all RISC-V boards as interchangeable
Fix: Use the exact board guide. A processor architecture label does not guarantee a matching Ubuntu image, firmware path or peripheral driver.
Mistake: selecting by Ubuntu version number alone
Fix: Check the board’s ISA profile and image availability together. Ubuntu 25.10 requires RVA23; Canonical’s documented long-support route for RVA20 users is Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with Ubuntu Pro.
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Mistake: assuming the vendor bootloader will work
Fix: Follow the board guide’s bootloader instructions. For VisionFive 2, Canonical warns that vendor U-Boot is not EBBR-compatible without manual changes.
Mistake: planning a desktop from server-image support
Fix: Check GPU and display support separately. A server image proves that a supported installation path exists; it does not prove accelerated graphics or complete desktop hardware support.
Mistake: ignoring the console requirement
Fix: Budget for UART access when the guide calls for it, and verify the GPIO pinout and serial settings before powering the board. Serial access is often the first diagnostic path when networking is not configured.
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Mistake: reading roadmap announcements as current availability
Fix: Confirm an installable image and current instructions in the board-specific guide immediately before deployment.
What the available evidence does—and does not—tell you
The official compatibility material establishes documented installation paths, release and ISA policy, and several board limitations. It does not provide a common benchmark suite, current retail prices, stock status or a measured ranking of boards. Consequently, this guide can identify lower-risk Ubuntu candidates and expose compatibility traps, but it cannot honestly name the fastest, cheapest or best-value RISC-V SBC.
Availability and support can change with Ubuntu releases, kernel updates, firmware revisions and board revisions. Recheck the exact guide when you buy, when you change storage media and whenever you move to a new Ubuntu release.
A practical decision for most first-time buyers
If you want the clearest documented Ubuntu starting point, investigate the StarFive VisionFive 2 and its Canonical Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS server path. Choose the microSD route when you want the least firmware work; choose eMMC, USB or NVMe only after planning the required SPI U-Boot setup and retaining a recovery card. If you need the VisionFive 2 Lite, use its separate guide. If your project depends on graphics, PCIe or a specific USB port, compare the limitations of every candidate before buying and treat the Milk-V Mars CM warnings as a reminder that “Ubuntu-supported” is not the same as “every peripheral supported.”
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