In this article we will discuss the Radxa Rock 5B SBC (Single Board Computers) that goes fanless with a metal case. It is one of the first Rockchip RK3588 SBCs. It came with a heatsink and a 5V fan that was always on. Let’s first discuss some general information about SBCs and fanless cases.

Single Board Computers (SBCs) are compact computing devices that integrate most of the components of a traditional computer onto a single circuit board. People use them for various purposes, including education, hobbyist projects, and even some light-duty industrial applications.

Fanless cases dissipate heat from the components of an SBC without relying on an active cooling fan. These cases often consist of metal, which aids in transferring heat away from the internal components.

Advantages of Fanless Cases:

1. Noise Reduction: Since fanless cases don’t use fans, they eliminate the noise generated by spinning fans. This can be particularly beneficial in quiet environments.
2. Reliability: Fans are mechanical components that can wear out over time. Fanless setups tend to have fewer moving parts, potentially leading to increased reliability and longer lifespan.
3. Dust and Dirt Resistance: Fanless cases can be more resistant to dust and dirt accumulation since there are no fans drawing air, which can carry debris, into the case.
4. Low Maintenance: The absence of fans to clean or replace often reduces maintenance requirements.

Radxa ROCK 5B SBC

The black part comprises metal, while the front and back plates consist of green plastic. In fact, it serves the purpose of cooling the processor. Users have already tested it out including Radxa forum’s user Deadmeat user . And confirmed the SSD and eMMC flash module fit well in the enclosure. And all other users confirmed a 2mm SSD thermal pad can be added to cool the storage device with the enclosure.Deadmeat tested the configuration above by building the Linux kernel, and none of the system’s temperatures go over 59°C, so it’s all good:

Every 2.0s: sensors rock-5b: Sun Dec 4 07:55:24 2022

gpu_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +51.8 C

littlecore_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +56.4 C

bigcore0_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +58.2 C

tcpm_source_psy_4_0022-i2c-4-22
Adapter: rk3x-i2c
in0: 12.00 V (min = +12.00 V, max = +12.00 V)
curr1: 2.25 A (max = +2.25 A)

npu_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +53.6 C

center_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +52.7 C

bigcore1_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +58.2 C

soc_thermal-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +56.4 C (crit = +115.0 C)

• Review for the Rock 5B SBC
• Rock Pi Boards | Rock Pi 4 | Rock Pi X | Rock Pi N10

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Anshul Pal

Hey there, I’m Anshul Pal, a tech blogger and Computer Science graduate. I’m passionate about exploring tech-related topics and sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired. With two years of industry expertise in blogging and content writing, I’m also the co-founder of HVM Smart Solution. Thanks for reading my blog – Happy Learning!