At its 2025 Investor Conference, Rockchip officially announced the R&D plan for its next-generation flagship SoC, the RK3688. Positioned for "high-performance AI computing + full-scenario expansion," this chip is scheduled for mass production in 2026. As the successor to the RK3588, it features comprehensive upgrades in process technology, computing power, and interfaces while continuing the advantages of domestic high-performance SoCs in scenario adaptation. It is expected to further penetrate high-end industrial, medical, edge AI, and other fields.

I. Core Specifications of RK3688: 8nm Process + 32TOPS NPU, 5x Computing Power Leap

Centered on "breaking performance bottlenecks," the RK3688 delivers leapfrog improvements in key parameters compared to the previous generation, with the following highlights:

• Advanced Process: Adopts an 8nm LPP process (expected to be manufactured by TSMC or Samsung), further optimizing energy efficiency compared to the RK3588’s 8nm process—reducing power consumption by 25% at equivalent computing power.
• CPU Architecture: 8-core big.LITTLE design—8×Cortex-A730 (big cores) + 4×Cortex-A530 (little cores) (or may integrate ARM’s unreleased Cortex-A735 big cores), with a maximum frequency of 3.2GHz. The CPU computing power reaches 300K DMIPS, 40% higher than the RK3588’s A76/A55 architecture, and energy efficiency is improved by 35%.
• AI Computing Power: Equipped with Rockchip’s self-developed RKNN-P3 NPU, it delivers 32TOPS (INT8) computing power—nearly 5x that of the RK3588’s 6TOPS. It supports multi-modal AI tasks (vision + voice + sensor fusion) and is compatible with mainstream frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch.
• GPU Performance: Integrates ARM’s Mali-Magni series GPU (presumed to be the Mali-G720) with computing power >2.0TFLOPS. It supports GPU virtualization and ray tracing, adapting to 8K game rendering and industrial graphics acceleration.
• Multimedia Processing:
  • ISP supports 8K@60FPS capture, with a built-in AI-ISP algorithm and a dynamic range of 144dB, adapting to complex environments such as strong/weak light.
  • VOP (Video Output Processor) supports 8K@60FPS output + 8K AI-PQ image quality optimization, enabling multi-screen heterogeneous display.
  • VPU supports 16K@30FPS decoding and 8K@60FPS encoding, meeting needs for ultra-high-definition video surveillance, medical imaging, and other scenarios.
• Memory & Interfaces: Supports LPDDR5/5x/6 memory (8 channels, maximum speed 8400Mbps) with a bandwidth of 200GBps. Expansion interfaces include PCIe Gen5 x16, UCIe 1.0, HDMI 2.1a, MIPI C-PHY, and UFS 4.0, adapting to high-speed storage and multi-sensor access requirements.

Note: Currently, you can scan the QR code to apply for free RK3688 samples and technical specifications. The final parameters are subject to the official mass-produced version.

II. RK3688 vs. RK3588: Core Parameter Comparison

III. Application Reference of RK3588: A Benchmark for Domestic High-Performance SoCs

As the current flagship of domestic SoCs, the RK3588 has been deeply implemented in multiple fields thanks to its 8nm process, 6TOPS NPU, and full-interface advantages—providing a reference for the RK3688’s scenario expansion:

1. Industrial Control & Automation

• Visual Inspection System: RK3588 + IMX415 industrial camera module enables real-time detection of welding defects (0.1mm precision) and screen scratches on electronic components. The misjudgment rate is reduced by 70%, and the detection speed reaches 120 frames per second. Core support: HDR + 3D noise reduction of the 48MP ISP, and NPU acceleration of the ResNet50 model to 450fps.
• Industrial Robot Swarm Control: RK3588J core board + LiDAR + SLAM algorithm enables multi-robot collaboration for e-commerce warehouse AGVs. The dynamic obstacle avoidance delay is <50μs, and logistics efficiency is improved by 35%. Key interfaces: Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports (real-time communication), PCIe 3.0 (multi-sensor expansion), and CAN FD (servo motor compatibility).

2. Power IoT

• Smart Substation Edge Gateway: RK3588J industrial gateway integrates Modbus and IEC61850 protocols to monitor power grid harmonic parameters in real time. Local AI analysis of faults (6TOPS NPU) reduces fault location time from hours to minutes. Reliability: -40℃~85℃ wide temperature range, IP65 protection, and 2000-hour high-humidity aging test.

3. Medical Equipment

• Surgical Robot Control Terminal: RK3588 three-screen heterogeneous display motherboard (OpenHarmony system) synchronously outputs 4K endoscopic images and vital sign data with a delay ≤20ms. It integrates an ultraviolet lamp disinfection control module, and the NPU optimizes the sterilization path algorithm, complying with medical equipment EMC certification.

4. Mature Solution Products

• RK3588 Industrial Computer Development Board: Supports four-screen heterogeneous display and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, adapting to AGVs, edge computing, and smart large screens. It provides an Android/Linux secondary development environment.
• RK3588 Live Streaming All-in-One Machine: 6TOPS NPU supports AI beauty effects, with dual USB3.0 + Type-C interfaces for peripheral expansion. Suitable for teaching and training, and live streaming e-commerce.
• RK3588 Edge Computing Box: LPDDR4X 8GB + EMMC 128GB, supporting WiFi6 + Gigabit Ethernet and driving 4K displays. It covers advertising machines, retail machines, and courier lockers.

IV. Potential Applications of RK3688: High Computing Power Unlocks New Scenarios

With its 32TOPS NPU and 16K multimedia capabilities, the RK3688 will expand into higher-end scenarios based on the RK3588:

• Industrial Field: 0.05mm-precision microchip inspection, and factory digital twins for multi-robot collaboration (relying on NPU multi-modal fusion).
• Medical Field: 16K pathological section analysis, and real-time AI-assisted decision-making for surgical robots (relying on high-bandwidth memory and low-latency interfaces).
• Edge AI Field: 8K intelligent surveillance with multi-camera stitching (supporting simultaneous analysis of 16 channels of 4K video), and edge nodes for vehicle-road collaboration (PCIe Gen5 connecting LiDAR).

ICgoodFind Perspective

Rockchip’s RK3588 and RK3688 represent the benchmarks of current and next-generation domestic high-performance SoCs, respectively. ICgoodFind has built a targeted support system:

1. In-Stock & Samples: Core boards and development boards of the RK3588 are available in stock, and the RK3688 sample application channel is open simultaneously to meet customers’ preliminary testing needs.
2. Selection & Technical Support: For industrial, medical, power, and other scenarios, we provide "chip + peripheral solution" selection recommendations (e.g., RK3588 for industrial gateways, RK3688 recommended for high-end medical imaging) and assist in solving driver debugging and AI model migration issues.
3. Supply Chain Guarantee: Relying on a global warehousing network, we ensure long-term stable supply of the RK3588 while following the mass production progress of the RK3688. This helps customers smoothly upgrade from existing solutions and seize opportunities in high-computing-power scenarios.