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HiFive Unleashed, the world’s first RISC-V-based Linux development board

By on February 8, 2018
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SiFive is one of the most active companies with RISC-V architecture, and the new HiFive Unleashed provides further confirmation of it!

This SBC is built around the new RISC-V based, quad-core, 1.5GHz U540 SoC. It’s the first multi-core SoC featuring the open source RISC-V ISA, and the first to offer cache coherence. The processor is intended to run Linux for applications including AI, machine learning, networking, gateways and smart IoT devices. Fabricated with TSMC’s 28nm HPC process, the SoC integrates 4x U54 RV64GC cores at up to 1.5GHz, as well as an E51 RV64IMAC management core with Sv39 virtual memory support.

There are no GPUs or other coprocessors, but the open source hardware design is intended to encourage third parties to develop them.

The board is mostly for developers and enthusiasts and currently the main use cases including building a RISC-V computer, adding features to Linux, or port packages to a Linux distribution. It’s unlikely to be a plug and play board suitable for anybody, at least at the beginning.

HiFive Unleashed specifications are:

  • SoC – SiFive Freedom U540 with 4x U54 RV64GC application cores @ up to 1.5GHz with Sv39 virtual memory support, 1x E51 RV64IMAC Management Core, 2 MB L2 cache;  28 nm TSMC process
  • System Memory – 8GB DDR4 with ECC
  • Storage –  32MB Quad SPI Flash from ISSI, MicroSD card for removable storage
  • Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet port
  • Debugging – Micro USB port connector to FTDI chip
  • Expansion – FMC Connector for future add-in cards
  • Misc – On-off switch, various configuration jumpers
  • Power Supply – 12V DC input
  • Dimensions – TBD

You can find more information at the SiFive’s HiFive Unleashed product page or at the Crowd Supply page.



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  1. Pingback: HiFive Unleashed Expansion Board: Ready to Build Your Linux Development Workstation | Aquaiver IT Solutions

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