Three-Way Hardware Comparison
These are the three most interesting OpenWrt-capable router platforms available in 2026. The table covers every spec that affects your buying decision.
| Spec | BPI-R4 Pro | BPI-R4 | OpenWrt One |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoC | MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A) | MediaTek Filogic 880 (MT7988A) | MediaTek Filogic 820 (MT7981B) |
| CPU cores | 4× Cortex-A73 @ 1.8 GHz | 4× Cortex-A73 @ 1.8 GHz | 2× Cortex-A53 @ 1.3 GHz |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 | 4 GB DDR4 | 1 GB DDR4 |
| Onboard storage | 8 GB eMMC + 128 MB SPI-NAND | 8 GB eMMC + 128 MB SPI-NAND | 256 MB SPI-NAND |
| Ethernet (high-speed) | 2× 10GbE SFP+ + 1× 2.5GbE RJ45 | 2× 10GbE SFP+ | 2× 2.5GbE RJ45 |
| Ethernet (1GbE) | 4× RJ45 | 4× RJ45 | None (2.5GbE ports handle gigabit) |
| PCIe for NVMe | PCIe 3.0 ×2 M.2 (Key M) | PCIe 3.0 ×2 M.2 (Key M) | None |
| Wi-Fi expansion | 2× M.2 (Key B+E), supports Wi-Fi 7 | 2× M.2 (Key B+E), supports Wi-Fi 7 | 1× M.2 (Key E), Wi-Fi 6/6E |
| USB | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 2.0 |
| Serial console | 3.3 V header | 3.3 V header | 3.3 V header + USB-C serial |
| Enclosure | Metal case (included) | Board only (no case) | Plastic case (included) |
| Street price (2026) | ~$130-150 USD | ~$90-110 USD | ~$70-90 USD |
OpenWrt Support Status
| Platform | OpenWrt Target | Mainline Since | Support Tier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPI-R4 Pro | mediatek/filogic | 24.10 | Full | Same DTS as R4 with minor additions |
| BPI-R4 | mediatek/filogic | 23.05 | Full | Well-tested, active maintainers |
| OpenWrt One | mediatek/filogic | 24.10 | Full (reference board) | Official OpenWrt hardware, first-class support |
All three boards are under the same mediatek/filogic target, which is one of the best-maintained targets in OpenWrt. The OpenWrt One has a special advantage: it's the official reference hardware, so regressions get caught and fixed fastest on that platform.
Performance Benchmarks Summary
Compiled from dedicated benchmark sessions. WireGuard numbers are from the WireGuard benchmarks article.
| Test | BPI-R4 (Pro) | OpenWrt One |
|---|---|---|
| NAT forwarding (HW offload) | ~9.4 Gbps | ~2.35 Gbps |
| NAT forwarding (SW only) | ~3.1 Gbps | ~2.35 Gbps |
| WireGuard (4 streams) | ~2,450 Mbps | ~610 Mbps |
| WireGuard (single stream) | ~1,580 Mbps | ~490 Mbps |
| DNS forwarding (dnsmasq) | ~45,000 qps | ~18,000 qps |
| SQM (cake) at 1 Gbps | 960 Mbps shaped | 890 Mbps shaped |
NVMe and Storage Expansion Differences
BPI-R4 / R4 Pro
PCIe 3.0 ×2 M.2 slot — supports standard NVMe SSDs. Practical sequential read speeds around 1,500 MB/s. Useful for:
- Extroot (expanding OpenWrt's root filesystem)
- Package storage when you need dozens of packages
- Log storage to avoid NAND/eMMC wear
- Local caching proxy or DNS sinkhole databases
OpenWrt One
No NVMe slot. The 256 MB SPI-NAND is all you get for onboard storage. For most pure-router use cases this is fine — OpenWrt's base image with LuCI is under 30 MB. But if you want to run Adguard Home, a Prometheus exporter, or significant logging, you'll hit the wall.
Wi-Fi Expansion Slots
None of these boards have Wi-Fi built-in. All rely on M.2 expansion cards.
| Feature | BPI-R4 / R4 Pro | OpenWrt One |
|---|---|---|
| M.2 slots | 2× Key B+E | 1× Key E |
| Max Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 7 (MT7996) | Wi-Fi 6/6E (MT7915/7916) |
| Dual-band with one card | Yes (one card per slot) | Yes (one dual-band card) |
| Tri-band possible | Yes (two cards) | No (only one slot) |
Use Case Recommendations
Home lab / power user router
Pick: BPI-R4. The 10GbE SFP+ ports connect to a lab switch or NAS. NVMe storage handles logging and packages. Two Wi-Fi card slots let you run dual-band or segregated IoT WiFi. The open board (no case) is fine in a home lab rack or shelf.
ISP gateway / small business edge
Pick: BPI-R4 Pro. Same guts as the R4 but ships in a case with better thermal management. The extra 2.5GbE RJ45 port is useful as a dedicated management interface. Worth the premium if uptime matters more than cost.
Budget home router replacement
Pick: OpenWrt One. Two 2.5GbE ports are enough for any residential internet connection up to 2 Gbps. Official OpenWrt reference hardware means updates land first and break least. The lower price leaves budget for a good Wi-Fi 6E card. See the full setup guide.
VPN concentrator (WireGuard)
Pick: BPI-R4 if you need > 600 Mbps encrypted throughput. OpenWrt One is sufficient for ≤ 500 Mbps VPN. Neither handles multi-gigabit VPN — use x86 for that. See the benchmark results for exact numbers.
VLAN-heavy segmented network
Pick: Either BPI-R4 variant. More physical ports mean more direct-connect options without a managed switch. The OpenWrt One works fine for VLAN trunking on its two ports, but you'll need an external managed switch for anything beyond two segments. See the VLAN segmentation guide.
Price and Value Analysis
| Item | BPI-R4 Pro | BPI-R4 | OpenWrt One |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board / unit | $130-150 | $90-110 | $70-90 |
| Case (if needed) | Included | $10-20 (3D print or buy) | Included |
| SFP+ module (×2) | $20-50 | $20-50 | N/A |
| NVMe SSD (256 GB) | $25-35 | $25-35 | N/A |
| Wi-Fi 6E card | $25-40 | $25-40 | $25-40 |
| Total (typical build) | $200-275 | $170-255 | $95-130 |
Verdict by Buyer Profile
| You are… | Buy this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home user replacing an ISP-provided router | OpenWrt One | Cheapest, easiest to set up, 2.5GbE is plenty, first-class support |
| Home lab enthusiast with 10GbE gear | BPI-R4 | 10GbE SFP+ and NVMe at $100, can't beat it |
| Small business needing reliable edge routing | BPI-R4 Pro | Metal case, extra 2.5GbE, same guts, worth the premium for deployment |
| VPN-heavy user under 500 Mbps | OpenWrt One | Handles the crypto load, lower power, lower cost |
| VPN-heavy user at 1+ Gbps | BPI-R4 | Only ARM option that can push ~2.5 Gbps encrypted |
| Someone who wants maximum Wi-Fi flexibility | BPI-R4 (either) | Two M.2 Wi-Fi slots, Wi-Fi 7 capable |
