Bit-Brick Cluster K1 is a cluster board designed to mount up to four SSOM-K1 system-on-modules powered by a SpacemiT K1 octa-core RISC-V processor. The board targets developers, researchers, and system integrators working on edge computing, AI workloads, and high-performance embedded applications.
The Cluster K1 relies on an onboard Gigabit Ethernet switch chip to interconnect four core boards, giving each board an independent network port for fast and stable inter-node communication with automatic IP assignment. Other key features include USB 3.0/2.0 ports, HDMI output (master slot only), a USB Type-C debug port, an M.2 M-Key slot for storage expansion, a 3-pin fan power header, and dedicated power, reset, and download buttons.
The SSOM-K1 system-on-module features a K1 octa-core 64-bit RISC-V CPU with vector extension and AI acceleration up to 2 TOPS. It ships with up to 8GB dual-channel LPDDR4X memory, up to 64GB eMMC flash, and offers dual Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 1.4 output up to 1080p60, two MIPI CSI camera inputs, a MIPI DSI display interface, I2S audio, PCIe 2.0, USB 3.0/2.0, CAN Bus, and other I/Os. The module measures 82 × 50 mm, operates from a fixed 5 V supply with around 2 W typical power consumption, and is rated for –40°C to +85°C operation.
Bit-Brick Cluster K1 specifications:
- Supported SoMs – Up to 4x Bit-Brick SSOM-K1 core boards, each with
- SoC – SpacemiT K1
- CPU – 8-core X60 RISC-V (RV64GCVB) processor @ 1.6 GHz (roughly Cortex-A55 equivalent)
- GPU – Imagination IMG BXE-2-32 @ 819 MHz with support for OpenGL ES3.2, Vulkan 1.3, OpenCL 3.0; 20 GFLOPS
- VPU
- H.265, H.264, VP8, VP9, MPEG4, MPEG2 decoder up to 4K @ 60fps
- H.265, H.264, VP8, VP9 encoder up to 4K @ 30fps
- Support simultaneous processing
- 1080p60 encoding + 1080p60 decoding
- 1080p30 H.264/H.265 encoding + 4Kp30 H.264/H.265 decoding
- AI performance – 2.0 TOPS (INT8) through “CPU core fusion”
- RVA 22 Profile RVV 1.0 compliant
- System Memory – 4 GB or 8 GB RAM
- Storage – 16GB, 32GB, or 64 GB eMMC flash
- Networking – 2x RTL8211F Gigabit Ethernet PHY
- Carrier board interface – 260-pin SO-DIMM edge connector
- Display Interfaces
- HDMI 1.4 output up to 1920 × 1080 @ 60 fps
- 4-lane MIPI DSI
- Camera – 2x 4-lane MIPI CSI
- Audio – 2x I²S interfaces
- Networking – 2x Gigabit Ethernet
- USB – 1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 (Host and OTG)
- Expanson
- 2x PCIe 2.0 (2 lanes total)
- Up tox 16 GPIOs with 4x I²C, 3x SPI, 7x UART, 10x PWM, 2x SDIO, 1x CAN bus
- Display Interfaces
- Power
- Supply voltage – 5 V DC
- Typical power consumption – ~2 W
- Dimensions – 69.6 x 43 mm
- Operating temperature – −40 °C to +85 °C / -20 ~ 75 °C (Industrial-grade design for 24/7 operation) [Conflicting data from products and docs page]
- Operating humidity – up to 95% RH, non-condensing
- SoC – SpacemiT K1
- Interconnection – Onboard RealTek RTL8367S Ethernet switch chip (one independent port per core board)
- Storage – Support for M.2 NVMe SSD
- Display – HDMI port for the master core board slot only
- Networking – Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port (uplink)
- USB
- USB 3.0 host Type-A port
- USB 2.0 host Type-A port
- USB 2.0 OTG Type-C port
- Expansion – M.2 M-Key slot (storage or expansion modules)
- Debugging – USB Type-C debug port (serial/log output)
- Misc
- 4x power buttons, one for each SoM
- Reset and download buttons
- 3-pin fan power connector
- Power Supply – 12V DC via power barrel jack
- Dimensions – 129 mm x 105 mm (approx)
The company mentions that the SSOM-K1 is an industrial-grade SoM capable of operating in industrial temperature ranges, but the product page and the documentation page have conflicting data about the exact range.
Software support for the Bit-Brick Cluster K1 and SSOM-K1 includes Bianbu OS, OpenHarmony, and OpenWrt, with precompiled images and full source code. The software stack includes Linux kernel sources, device tree documentation, peripheral driver guides, cross-compilation toolchains, and debugging utilities. For AI and machine-learning workloads, the platform provides tools for model translation, optimization, testing, and deployment, along with support for large-model runtimes such as Ollama, llama.cpp, and Open-WebUI. Firmware can be flashed through official flashing tools, and all the information about the software tools and instructions is available on Bit-Brick’s documentation page.
The SSOM-K1 also supports Bianbu NAS, a lightweight operating system designed specifically for storage and server use. It removes the graphical desktop interface to save system resources and comes pre-installed with OpenMediaVault for file management and Docker for running containers, while still allowing you to use the hardware for video processing tasks.
Previously, we have seen the SpacemiT K1 used in SoMs like Banana Pi BPI-CM6 and Jupiter NX, SBCs such as the Banana Pi BPI-F3 and Sipeed LicheePi 3A. as well as a full-fledged 14-inch laptop. Cluster boards for Arm and RISC-V have been around for many years, and alternatives include the Sipeed NanoCluster, the Turing Pi 2.5 cluster, and Lichee Cluster 4A, which comes in a mini-ITX form factor.
The Bit-Brick Cluster K1 RISC-V cluster board is available on AliExpress for $125.67 without any module. Each module adds $82.51 to $140.06, depending on the configuration (2GB/16GB, 4GB/32GB, or 8GB/64GB), and a full kit starts at just under $400. Note this is sold through a third-party AliExpress seller, so pricing may not be optimal. More information can be found on the product page. including a link to the Taobao shop for readers based in China.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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