Overclocking the Odroid-N2 and N2+
Overclocking the Odroid-N2 or N2+ requires your system to be updated with all packages to date (2021-02-23 in the case of Ubuntu Mate at the time of writing)
Code:
sudo apt update --fix-missing
sudo apt dist-upgrade
sudo reboot
Reboot is required after the upgrade!
Now you can edit /media/boot/config.ini and select the desired frequency:
N2
Supported Frequencies for Big Cores (Cortex-A73): 500, 667, 1000, 1200, 1398, 1512, 1608, 1704, 1800 (Stock), 1908, 2004
Supported Frequencies for Small Cores (Cortex-A53): 100, 250, 500, 667, 1000, 1200, 1398, 1512, 1608, 1704, 1896 (Stock), 1992
N2+
Supported Frequencies for Big Cores (Cortex-A73): 500, 667, 1000, 1200, 1398, 1512, 1608, 1704, 1800, 1908, 2016, 2100, 2208 (Stock), 2304, 2400
Supported Frequencies for Small Cores (Cortex-A53): 500, 667, 1000, 1200, 1398, 1512, 1608, 1704, 1800, 1908 (Stock), 2016
Note: Any frequency marked in RED is an overclock and stability may be at an issue. The N2+ needs the optional 80mm fan for these values! Once the fan is placed and set to run always the CPU temperatures remain below 40 degrees at my home (ambient temperatures between 15 degrees centigrade (winter) and 35 degrees centigrade (summer).
If you try a frequency that isn't supported it will default to stock!
While a fully overclocked (2147 MHz) Raspberry Pi4 will draw 11 Watt (or more), the overclocked Odroid-N2+ only draws about 6.2 Watt, according to Hardkernel.
T.Brada Experimental Grid
I am running T.Brada Experimental Grid on some ARM devices at the moment and my advice as of now is
make sure you have 1GB per thread T.Brada Experimental Grid!
All's fine on a nVidia Jetson Nano 4GB, all grinds to a halt on a nVidia Jetson Nano 2GB, and things go wrong on a Odroid-N2+ (unresponsive, not connecting to BOINC-tasks anymore) with 4GB (for its six cores).
I wish they bring out a 6GB model N2++ soon....
The alternative is of course to limit the number of WUs running at the same time. The 2GB model runs fine with just one T.Brada Experimental Grid WU and three WEP-M+2 WUs, so I suspeded four tasks on the Odroid-N2+ as well.
Odroids, present and future
Present Odroids compared, and some predicted future models
| Model |
Architecture |
CPU |
SOC |
Cores/Threads |
RAM in GB |
RAM GB/Thread |
Power consumption |
Power consumption/Thread |
|---|
| XU4 |
ARMv7-A |
Cortex-A15 (4)/Cortex-A7 (4) |
Samsung Exynos5422 |
8 |
2 |
0.25 |
13.20 Watt |
1.65 Watt/thread |
| N2+ -2GB |
ARMv8-A |
Cortex-A73 (4)/Cortex-A53 (2) |
Amlogic S922X |
6 |
2 |
0.33 |
6.20 Watt |
1.03 Watt/thread |
| N2+ -4GB |
ARMv8-A |
Cortex-A73 (4)/Cortex-A53 (2) |
Amlogic S922X |
6 |
4 |
0.66 |
6.20 Watt |
1.03 Watt/thread |
| M1-4GB |
ARMv8.2-A |
Cortex-A55 |
RK3568 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
4.44 Watt |
1.11 Watt/thread |
| M1-8GB |
ARMv8.2-A |
Cortex-A55 |
RK3568 |
4 |
8 |
2 |
4.44 Watt |
1.11 Watt/thread |
| C4 |
ARMv8.2-A |
Cortex-A55 |
Amlogic S905X3 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
3.64 Watt |
0.91 Watt/thread |
As other companies are getting their next models to market in 2023, Hardkernel will be pressed to upgrade their N2-line yet once more, or bring out a N3 model with at least more RAM and preferably a CPU that is ARMv8.2-A or better and includes a NPU. A 12GB Cortex-A710(4)/A510(2) model would secure their position, as that would mean a ARMv9-A architecture -but that is perhaps asking too much for 2023. Quicker would be to use the Amlogic A311D2, a Cortex-A73 (4)/Cortex-A53 (4) SOC as used in the Khadas-VIM4. The actual release leaves me a bit underwhelmed: the new Odroid-N2L -the 4GB model (there's a 2GB model too).
A possible future RK3588 equipped M2 could do with the better, more powerful NPU -and better OS and software support for such a feature.
If they would want a quick upgrade to their C4, let's say a C4+, they could think of using the Amlogic S905X4. For a future Odroid-C5 a Cortex-A510 SOC would also be an option.
