Orange Pi is a Chinese company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong. As per their website, www.orangepi.org, Orange Pi was established in 2005. However, it wasn’t until 2014 that the company launched its first open-source product, which may seem like a prolonged delay. During this nine-year period, Orange Pi focused on building crucial relationships and developing customized services in various industries. The company forged partnerships with corporations and educational institutions alike.

Companies and Universities listed below:

Orange Pi has gained minimal attention for their hardware’s price-to-performance ratio since they started selling it in 2014. They offer various models ranging from their high-end Orange Pi 5 and 5b to their lower-tiered Orange Pi 0, with prices ranging from $25 to $130. This pricing strategy makes them a highly appealing option in the small board computer community.

Orange Pi 5

The Orange Pi community took some time to gain momentum primarily due to the stiff competition from their mainstream rival, Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides an array of small board computers that are perfect for both fun and functional projects. However, there is a huge bite taken out of the raspberry pi right now. The older models of Raspberry Pi are currently selling for over $150 due to supply chain issues. Leaving an opening for new competitors to slide in.

Raspberry Pi 4B

Orange Pi is definitely looking like the tortoise in this race. Slow to start but may win out in the end. They have a consistent supply and low prices to boot. Also Linus Tech Tips stated that the Orange Pi 5 beats out the Raspberry Pi in all of their tests (Due to more cores and memory). Raspberry Pi will need to respond with better products and better supply chain logistics otherwise newcomers start to look for other options.

Overall, Orange Pi is a company that offers affordable/capable options for those looking to get the right small board computer for the job. With their partnerships and commitment to open-source technology, it will be interesting to see how Orange Pi continues to develop and grow in the future.