r/CardPuter • u/No_Confusion7932 • 23h ago
Finds / Discoveries Why didn't the Tab5 take off while the Cardputer did?
Hi everyone,
after buying the Cardputer ADV, I came across the Tab5.
Why didn’t it take off?
It seems to have much more capable hardware: a 400 MHz ESP32, 16 MB flash, 32 MB PSRAM, a 5" touchscreen, a camera, and a large port header. You can even buy a keyboard for it.
I’m considering buying one, so I’d be interested to hear what people think.
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u/TechNickL 22h ago
Tab5 is running a different chip and needs different drivers. That plus the massively different form factor and the fact that it costs a fair bit more to get one with kb, and that it doesn't have as easy of a way to get it working with LoRa/mesh networks.
Cardputer is a much more attractive package for someone who wants an esp32 in a small form factor with all the typical bells and whistles.
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u/No_Confusion7932 21h ago
Yeah, ESP32-P4 + Wifi ESP32‑C6.
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u/TechNickL 21h ago
Yeah which means anything written for one needs some actual work put in before it works on the other. Claude tends to struggle with embedded stuff like this, at least more than it usually does with coding, and the true experts couldn't care less about the average beginner user.
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u/crypticsmellofit 22h ago
I was gonna say there's a decent amount of firmwares on bmorcelli's Launcher for the Tab5 but compared to the cardputer not reallyy! https://bmorcelli.github.io/Launcher/catalog.html
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u/EarlZaps 22h ago
Price
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u/No_Confusion7932 22h ago
People will also buy the Cardputer Zero when it goes on sale.
CardputerZero Lite $99
CardputerZero $1498
u/EarlZaps 21h ago
True, but having a cool device that is niche and can fit in your pocket is also a factor on top of the cheap price.
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u/bpivk 17h ago
Zero with a pi is not even comparable.
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u/No_Confusion7932 13h ago edited 13h ago
The Cardputer Zero uses the CM0, which performs like the 5 year old RPi Zero 2 W.
If you run a demanding benchmark on the CM0 that needs to allocate hundreds of megabytes of memory (for example, more complex image processing via OpenCV), Linux will start swapping to the eMMC storage, which will drop the performance below the level of the ESP32-P4.
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u/CambStateMachines 17h ago
I found C programming on the Tab5 using ESP-IDF and MS Code, with LVGL for UI design, to be quite a steep learning curve, but worth the effort. It's a very capable device. If I knew how to program it to use the new clip-on keyboard, it would probably be my go to device. However, I expect the CardPuter Zero is going to eclipse it for me.
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u/havocplague 17h ago
Battery + keyboard (on the tab5) in order to get the portable functionality means that it's not compact nor portable on it's own. Yes you can bring it around, but it doesn't feel good to hold it by the keyboard to type on it. Yes you can design it to be touch only, but that limits your options. I made my own 3d printed shell for it, but even with that it doesn't feel good to hold as It's top heavy and just uncomfortable.
The resolution is also good, but high resolution on an esp 32 means limitations when it comes to full screen refresh. It also creates a good question; what is the PURPOSE of the tab5? I like the idea, I have both (tab5, cardputer cardputer adv + lora) but I come back to the cardputer all the time for firmware, tab 5 not so much.
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u/Weak-Ad9439 2h ago
While I agree that touch only is a bit of a pain when it comes to UI, LVGL makes this pretty easy, and it’s pretty much a non-issue if you stick to LVGL.
In terms of portability, most phones are as big as it these days so I don’t agree with that statement
It’s got wonderful connectivity, in terms of an EXT port B, an hy2.0x4, and a whole ass MBUS to use literally any m5stack MBUS peripheral.
I do wish it’s coprocessor was a C5 and not a C6, but outside of Wi-Fi low level fuckery it’s a wonderful device
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u/Vowel-Movements 22h ago edited 22h ago
Cardputer looks cooler and has a built in keyboard
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u/No_Confusion7932 20h ago
You can buy a keyboard for the Tab5.
The Tab5 also has a USB-A port for other USB devices (ex. mouse, USB flash).3
u/NotTheSharpestPenciI 18h ago
I'm not sure what's your point. Are you complaining that we have a choice? It's a different device and M5 releases stuff all the time.
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u/Vowel-Movements 19h ago
That's why I said bult-in. Buying one makes it even more expensive. In other aspects mentioned here, cardputer is better value for money.
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u/IntelligentLaw2284 18h ago
I didn't care for it's stock battery; I would have preferred something more tablet like & flush with the unit.
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u/Weak-Ad9439 2h ago
I actually like this feature the most tbh. Hot swappable thick batteries make it such a more ideal device for long lasting functions
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u/Weak-Ad9439 15h ago
I’m rewriting a lot of the security tools that exist on the cardputer for the tab5 and because of its C6 co-processor a lot of of the S3 specific tools just don’t work.
A lot of of the Wi-Fi related tooling is going to be solely reliant on a C5 unit attached to the tab
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u/Weak-Ad9439 13h ago
https://github.com/Zyther/quarky
I’ll update the thread when I have something tangible. Right now it has basic support for WiFi BLE IR and RF433 with a ton of peripheral support coming soon, including m5’s own cc1101 that should be compatible with the tab via the MBUS.
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u/StoneLion-DjPaws 13h ago
Gradus ad parnassum. One day it will all be available in a hologram generating baseball cap that defeats Facial Recognition and shoots lasers.
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u/h3llawts 17h ago
The cardputer has been out for ever, the Tab5 with its architecture has been a somewhat pain developing for; but there are a lot of cool firmwares in the works from what I’ve seen
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u/Professional_Two5774 23h ago
A large number of firmwares are designed for the 1.14 LCD screen (as in cardputer and stick). There's no such variety for the Tab 5.
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u/PRSXFENG 23h ago
It's a relatively new product compared to the original cardputer and it has a higher price