Rockchip RK3588
The flagship. Octa-core with four Cortex-A76 performance cores, a 6 TOPS NPU, 8K video and four independent displays. This is the chip for edge AI, multi-camera systems and the highest-resolution signage.
Boards using it: KTM-S88CD.
At a glance
| Process | 8 nm |
| CPU | 4×Cortex-A76 + 4×Cortex-A55 (octa-core) |
| GPU | Mali-G610 MP4 — OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.2, Vulkan 1.2 |
| NPU | 6 TOPS, triple-core (independent or co-work) |
| Video decode | 8K@60 H.265/VP9/AVS2; 8K@30 H.264; 4K@60 AV1 |
| Video encode | 8K@30 H.264/H.265 |
| ISP | 32 MP, HDR, 3DNR, multi-camera |
| Displays | 4 independent, up to 8K@60 |
| Storage | eMMC 5.1 (no UFS) |
| Memory | Up to 32 GB LPDDR5 |
What it means for your product
The 6 TOPS NPU is the reason to choose this chip
Six TOPS across a triple-core NPU is an order of magnitude beyond the RK3568/3566 class. It runs real models in real time — multi-camera analytics, simultaneous face recognition on several streams, ANPR/ALPR, retail shelf analytics, defect detection. The cores can work independently (three models at once) or together on one heavy model.
If your product's value is the AI — not a feature bolted on, but the point — this is the chip. For lightweight inference, the cheaper RK3568 is enough and runs cooler.
8K and four displays
The RK3588 decodes 8K at 60 fps and can drive four independent displays, up to 8K@60. In practice that means one device running a video wall, or several 4K screens with different content, or a single 8K panel. Nothing else in the KTM range does 8K or four screens.
It also encodes 8K@30 — relevant if the product captures or streams high-res video, not just plays it.
Multi-camera vision
A 32 MP ISP with HDR, 3DNR and multi-camera input pairs with the NPU for vision-heavy builds: several camera streams processed simultaneously, dashboards rendered locally while models run at the edge. No discrete GPU card needed.
Trade-offs to know
Storage is eMMC 5.1, not UFS. The RK3588 does not support the faster UFS flash interface. For signage and most edge workloads eMMC is fine; only storage-bandwidth-bound applications will notice.
Thermals. Four A76 cores plus a busy NPU produce real heat. In a sealed enclosure, confirm the thermal design — this is not a fanless-in-any-box chip the way RK3566 is.
Cost. It is the most expensive option in the range. Choose it when you need the AI or the 8K/four-display capability; do not pay for it to play 1080p on one screen.
RK3588 vs RK3568
| RK3588 | RK3568 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4×A76 + 4×A55 | 4×A55 |
| NPU | 6 TOPS | ~1 TOPS |
| Video | 8K decode / 8K encode | 4K decode / 1080p encode |
| Displays | 4 @ up to 8K | 3 @ up to 4K |
| Cost / power | Higher | Lower |
Software
Runs the same firmware and API as every KTM board. For the NPU, Rockchip's RKNN toolchain deploys converted models. See the RKNN guide.
Related
Chip capability figures are from Rockchip published specifications and may vary by firmware and board configuration. Board-specific values are on each board page.