After three years since the launch of the original VisionFive 2, StarFive has introduced another device, the VisionFive 2 Lite. The company has launched a campaign on Kickstarter for this cost-effective RISC-V single board computer, aimed at applications in education, AIoT, smart home, and IIoT.

According to the product page, the VisionFive 2 Lite is powered by the StarFive JH-7110S quad-core processor running at up to 1.25GHz and is available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB LPDDR4 memory configurations, with optional Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4. Storage options include a reserved onboard eMMC, a MicroSD slot, and SPI flash for the bootloader.

VisionFive 2 Lite Block Diagram
(click image to enlarge)

The board offers Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, three USB 2.0 ports, and an M.2 M-Key slot (2242) supporting PCIe 2.0 x1 expansion. Display capabilities include HDMI 2.0 and MIPI DSI interfaces, while a MIPI CSI port enables camera input. Video decoding supports H.264 and H.265 at up to 4K@60fps.

Measuring 85 by 56 millimeters, the VisionFive 2 Lite integrates a 40-pin GPIO header with up to 28 GPIO lines at 3.3V. Power can be supplied via USB-C, the GPIO header, or PoE.

StarFive notes that the VisionFive 2 Lite will support major Linux distributions including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and OpenKylin, along with development tools such as GCC, LLVM, and GDB. Documentation, SDKs, and accessory guides will be available on the RVspace community site in August.

VisionFive 2 Lite Peripherals
(click image to enlarge)

Some use cases range from running Python/OpenCV for AI vision algorithms in educational settings, to supporting OpenPLC with IgH EtherCAT Master Stack in industrial automation. In smart home deployments, GPIO and USB can connect to automation devices, while AIoT tasks can leverage USB-based accelerators such as the Hailo-8.

Specifications for the VisionFive 2 Lite:

• Memory / Storage:
  
  • Up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
  • onboard eMMC
  • 1× MicroSD card slot
  • 1× SPI flash for bootloader
• Video Output:
  
  • 1× HDMI
  • 1× MIPI DSI (2-lane)
• Video Input:
  
  • 1× MIPI CSI (2-lane)
• Connectivity:
  
  • 1× RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet
  • 1× M.2 M-Key (size: 2242)
  • Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.4 (on Wi-Fi models)
• USB:
  • 1× USB 3.0 / USB 2.0 combo port
  • 3× USB 2.0 ports
• Power:
  
  • USB-C port 5V DC (minimum 3A+)
  • 5V DC via GPIO header (minimum 3A+)
  • PoE
• GPIO:
  
  • 40-pin GPIO header
  • Up to 28× GPIO lines, 3.3V logic
• Other:
  
  • 2-pin 5V slot for fan
  • 1× Recovery button (switch to UART mode)
• Dimensions:
  • 85mm × 56mm

Further Information

Kickstarter pricing starts at $19.9 for the 2GB version and ranges up to $37 for the 8GB Wi-Fi variant. CE and FCC compliance testing is scheduled for completion in September.