[2]

Shenzhen Xunlong Software Co., Ltd. was established in 2005 as an embedded hardware and software company. In 2014, the company launched its first Orange Pi development board, targeting developers, makers, educators, and electronics enthusiasts seeking affordable ARM-based computing platforms.

The first generation gained popularity because it offered hardware specifications that often exceeded competing SBCs at similar prices. Over the following years, Orange Pi expanded rapidly, introducing dozens of boards based on processors from:

• Allwinner

• Rockchip

• MediaTek

• Amlogic

• RISC-V platforms

Today the company offers more than 30 hardware products, ranging from entry-level IoT boards to powerful desktop-class ARM computers. [3]

Orange Pi produces several hardware families.

Single-board Computers

These are the company’s flagship products.

Popular models include:

• Orange Pi Zero

• Orange Pi Zero 2

• Orange Pi PC

• Orange Pi Lite

• Orange Pi 3

• Orange Pi 3B

• Orange Pi 4

• Orange Pi 5

• Orange Pi 5 Plus

• Orange Pi RV (RISC-V)

These boards vary in:

• CPU performance

• RAM capacity

• storage options

• networking

• GPU capabilities

• AI acceleration

• expansion interfaces

[4]

Keyboard Computers

Orange Pi also manufactures all-in-one keyboard PCs similar in concept to the Raspberry Pi 400.

Example:

• Orange Pi 800

These integrate:

• ARM processor

• memory

• storage

• wireless networking

• keyboard

• HDMI output

into a single device. [5]

Open-source Phones

Orange Pi has introduced Linux-focused smartphones intended primarily for enthusiasts and developers, emphasizing software freedom and privacy rather than mainstream consumer features. [6]

Tablets

The company has also released Linux-compatible tablets aimed at developers and open-source users. [7]

Industrial & OEM Solutions

Beyond retail products, Orange Pi provides:

• OEM services

• ODM services

• hardware customization

• embedded solutions

• industrial computing platforms

These services allow businesses to build commercial products using Orange Pi hardware. [8]

Orange Pi boards support a wide variety of operating systems.

Official

• Orange Pi OS

Linux

• Ubuntu

• Debian

• Armbian

• Arch Linux

• Manjaro

• OpenWrt

• Kali Linux (selected models)

Android

Many boards support Android versions depending on chipset support.

Others

Certain models support specialized operating systems for networking, AI, or embedded development. [9]

Unlike Raspberry Pi, which primarily uses Broadcom processors, Orange Pi employs SoCs from multiple vendors.

These include:

• Allwinner

• Rockchip

• MediaTek

• Amlogic

• RISC-V processors

This diversity allows Orange Pi to offer boards optimized for different workloads, from low-power IoT devices to high-performance AI applications. [10]

Orange Pi boards are commonly used for:

• robotics

• embedded Linux development

• smart home systems

• IoT gateways

• AI edge computing

• NAS (Network Attached Storage)

• media centers

• retro gaming

• educational programming

• web servers

• VPN servers

• Kubernetes clusters

• Docker hosts

• 3D printer controllers

• industrial automation

Orange Pi provides:

• official firmware

• Linux images

• Android images

• documentation

• SDKs

• source code

• tutorials

• community forums

• developer wiki

The ecosystem includes an official wiki, download center, and user forum for documentation and support. [11]

Orange Pi maintains an international community of developers, makers, educators, and hardware enthusiasts. Users share:

• operating system images

• tutorials

• hardware modifications

• software projects

• troubleshooting guides

• benchmarking results

The company also supports documentation and educational resources around its hardware. [12]

Orange Pi is known for:

• competitive pricing

• broad product lineup

• high-performance ARM processors

• multiple operating system options

• support for Linux and Android

• modern interfaces (USB 3.0, PCIe, NVMe, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, depending on model)

• suitability for embedded and industrial projects

Compared with Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi has historically faced some challenges:

• software support can vary by model and chipset

• official documentation is sometimes less comprehensive

• long-term software maintenance differs across boards

• community resources may be less extensive for certain models

Many users address these issues by using community-supported operating systems such as Armbian, though support quality still depends on the specific board. [13]

Orange Pi is widely recognized as one of the leading manufacturers in the affordable ARM single-board computer market. Its products are used by:

• hobbyists

• students

• universities

• electronics engineers

• embedded developers

• startups

• industrial system integrators

The brand competes with platforms such as:

• Raspberry Pi

• Banana Pi

• BeagleBone

• ODROID

• NanoPi

According to the company, Orange Pi’s mission is to provide affordable, high-quality open-source hardware and software while fostering innovation through collaboration. The company emphasizes openness, community participation, and lowering the barrier to embedded computing and product development. [14]

1. Orange Pi

2. Wiki-Orange Pi

3. Orange Pi – Orangepi

4. Orange Pi – Orange Pi official website – Orange Pi development board, open source hardware, open source software, open source chip, computer keyboard

5. Shenzhen Xunlong Software Co., Ltd.

6. Orange Pi Website

7. www.orangepi.org – Orange Pi – Orange Pi official website – Orange Pi development board, open source hardware, open source software, open source chip, computer keyboard

8. ORANGE PI Trademark Application of Shenzhen Xunlong Software CO.,Limited – Serial Number 97662510 :: Justia Trademarks

9. 香橙派(Orange Pi)-Orange Pi官网-香橙派开发板,开源硬件,开源软件,开源芯片,电脑键盘

10. Find Your Favorite Brand

11. Orange Pi i96

12. Orange Pi PC

13. Orangepi.com – Distributor of Orange Pi products in Europe and the UK

14. Orange Pi 3