Rockbox vs Rockbox PLUS

rk3328 vs rk3566

Introducing an upgraded retro emulation media center – the Rockbox PLUS!

This article breaks down the technical detail and sets performance expectations between between:
Rockchip RK3328 vs RK3566


⚙️ CPU Comparison

SpecRK3328RK3566
CPU Architecture4 × Cortex-A53 (ARMv8-A 64-bit)4 × Cortex-A55 (ARMv8.2-A 64-bit)
Clock Speedup to 1.5 GHzup to 1.8 GHz
Process Node28 nm22 nm
Cache / EfficiencySmaller L2, older µarchLarger L2 per core, +15 % IPC gain
CPU Benchmark Gain (est.)≈ 40 – 50 % faster overall in synthetic tests

➡️ Summary:
The RK3566’s Cortex-A55 cores are roughly 15–20 % faster per clock than the RK3328’s A53s, and it also runs at a slightly higher frequency. Combined, that yields a ~40–50 % overall CPU performance increase in typical workloads (browsing, emulation, streaming, system responsiveness).


🧮 GPU Comparison

SpecRK3328RK3566
GPUMali-450 MP2Mali-G52 2EE (Bifrost architecture)
Shader Cores2 fragment cores2 execution engines (≈ 4–5× perf)
OpenGL ES SupportUp to 2.0Up to 3.2
3D Performance GainBaseline≈ 3–4× higher fill rate + modern API support

➡️ Summary:
GPU performance is where the biggest leap happens — the Mali-G52 absolutely outclasses the old Mali-450 MP2, delivering 3–4× faster graphics throughput and enabling far better emulator and video-shader performance.


📊 Real-World Gains (Typical)

WorkloadRK3566 vs RK3328
Retro Emulation (PS1/N64/DC)+40–60 % higher FPS
1080p / 4K Video PlaybackHardware decode smoother and more efficient
Power Efficiency≈ 25–30 % lower power draw at same load

In Addition:
The Rockbox PLUS includes more RAM, more onboard storage, Bluetooth 4.0, faster Wired and Wireless networking options, as well as an LCD screen which shows the time and current connections.


In Summary:

The Rockchip RK3566 CPU is roughly 150% faster than the RK3328 and the GPU is 300%–400% faster, while also running cooler and consuming less power.

This translates that the RK3566 performs roughly twice as fast overall as the RK3328 in realistic mixed workloads.

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