Electronics Guide

BeagleBoard Foundation and Philosophy

The BeagleBoard family, developed by BeagleBoard.org Foundation, stands apart in the SBC landscape through its commitment to open hardware design. Unlike many competitors that provide limited hardware documentation, BeagleBoard releases complete schematics, bills of materials, and PCB layout files under open licenses. This transparency enables users to understand their hardware at the deepest level, modify designs for specific applications, and manufacture derivative products without licensing restrictions.

BeagleBoard.org operates as a non-profit organization focused on embedded computing education and development. This educational mission influences board design decisions, emphasizing accessible documentation, extensive tutorials, and integration with educational programs. The organization collaborates with Texas Instruments, leveraging their Sitara processor family and providing students and developers with exposure to professional-grade embedded processors.

BeagleBone Black and Its Evolution

The BeagleBone Black established itself as the flagship platform of the BeagleBone family, built around the Texas Instruments AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 processor running at 1 GHz. With 512 MB of DDR3 RAM and 4 GB of onboard eMMC flash storage, the BeagleBone Black provides a capable platform for embedded Linux development. The board includes micro-HDMI output, USB host and client ports, Ethernet connectivity, and headers exposing the processor's extensive peripheral capabilities.

What truly distinguishes the BeagleBone Black are its two Programmable Real-time Units (PRUs). These 200 MHz, 32-bit RISC processors operate independently from the main ARM core, providing deterministic, real-time I/O capabilities impossible to achieve with the Linux operating system alone. The PRUs can toggle GPIO pins with nanosecond precision, implement custom communication protocols, generate precise PWM signals, and interface with sensors requiring strict timing. This architecture makes BeagleBone particularly valuable for robotics, motor control, CNC machines, and industrial automation where timing jitter is unacceptable.

The BeagleBone Black Wireless variant adds integrated WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, removing the need for external dongles in portable or space-constrained applications. The BeagleBone Black Industrial extends the operating temperature range to -40 to +85 degrees Celsius and provides enhanced reliability for demanding environments.

BeagleBone AI Series

The BeagleBone AI represents a significant performance leap, featuring the Texas Instruments AM5729 dual-core Cortex-A15 processor at 1.5 GHz along with dual C66x digital signal processor cores and four embedded vision engine cores. This heterogeneous computing architecture enables sophisticated image processing, computer vision, and machine learning applications directly on the board. The included PowerVR SGX544 GPU supports OpenCL, enabling parallel computing workloads.

BeagleBone AI-64 further advances the platform with the TI TDA4VM processor, incorporating dual Cortex-A72 cores at 2 GHz, C7x DSP with matrix multiply accelerator, and dedicated deep learning accelerator capable of 8 trillion operations per second. This processing capability enables real-time object detection, semantic segmentation, and other AI inference tasks at the edge. The board includes USB 3.0 Type-C, dual gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort output, and extensive expansion headers, positioning it for advanced robotics, autonomous systems, and industrial AI applications.

Cape Ecosystem

BeagleBone expansion boards, called capes, plug into the board's headers to add functionality. Available capes include motor controller interfaces, CAN bus transceivers, industrial I/O, GPS receivers, LCD touchscreens, and prototyping breakouts. The cape identification system uses onboard EEPROM chips to store configuration data, enabling automatic driver loading and hardware identification when a cape is connected.

Hardkernel and ODROID Development

South Korean company Hardkernel develops the ODROID family of single-board computers, consistently targeting the higher-performance segment of the SBC market. ODROID boards typically feature faster processors, more RAM, and additional connectivity options compared to similarly-priced competitors. Hardkernel maintains active software support with regular kernel updates and official Android and Linux distributions.

ODROID-XU4 and N2

The ODROID-XU4 gained popularity as a powerful yet affordable SBC based on the Samsung Exynos 5422 octa-core processor combining four Cortex-A15 cores at 2 GHz with four Cortex-A7 cores at 1.4 GHz in big.LITTLE configuration. With 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, and eMMC 5.0 support, the XU4 delivered performance significantly exceeding contemporary Raspberry Pi models. An active cooling fan ensures sustained performance under heavy loads.

The ODROID-N2 and N2+ models advanced the platform with Amlogic S922X and S922X-J processors respectively, featuring quad Cortex-A73 cores at up to 2.4 GHz plus dual Cortex-A53 cores. Available with 2 GB or 4 GB of DDR4 RAM, these boards provide 4K video playback capability, PCIe expansion potential, and native eMMC storage. The large integrated heatsink enables passive cooling in most scenarios, reducing noise and mechanical complexity.

ODROID-M1 and Modern Variants

The ODROID-M1 introduced Rockchip RK3568 processing with quad Cortex-A55 cores at 2 GHz, Mali-G52 graphics, and neural processing unit support. The board features genuine SATA 3.0 connectivity for direct hard drive or SSD attachment without USB conversion, native NVMe SSD support via M.2 slot, dual gigabit Ethernet, and available configurations with 4 GB or 8 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. This feature combination makes the M1 particularly attractive for network-attached storage, media server, and edge computing applications requiring fast local storage.

Hardkernel also produces compact ODROID variants like the ODROID-C4, HC4 (optimized for NAS applications with dual SATA ports), and specialized boards targeting specific use cases within the maker and embedded computing communities.

Shenzhen Xunlong and Orange Pi Development

Shenzhen Xunlong Software produces the Orange Pi family of single-board computers, competing primarily on price while offering substantial feature sets. Orange Pi boards span from ultra-low-cost entry-level models to high-performance platforms with advanced connectivity. The product line includes dozens of variants targeting different market segments and application requirements.

Orange Pi 5 Series

The Orange Pi 5 represents the high-performance tier, built around the Rockchip RK3588S processor. This powerful SoC integrates quad Cortex-A76 cores at 2.4 GHz plus quad Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, Mali-G610 graphics with Vulkan support, and a 6 TOPS neural processing unit for AI inference. Available configurations include 4 GB, 8 GB, or 16 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, accommodating demanding applications. The board provides M.2 NVMe SSD expansion, multiple USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.1 output supporting 8K resolution, and a MIPI CSI camera interface.

Orange Pi 5 Plus expands upon this foundation with dual gigabit Ethernet, additional M.2 slots for both NVMe storage and WiFi modules, onboard eMMC, and expanded GPIO. The 5B variant adds integrated WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 with onboard eMMC storage. These boards run various Linux distributions including Debian, Ubuntu, and Android, with active community development providing additional operating system options.

Budget Orange Pi Models

The Orange Pi Zero, One, Lite, and PC series provide extremely affordable entry points into single-board computing. These boards typically feature Allwinner H-series processors, reduced RAM (256 MB to 2 GB depending on model), and streamlined connectivity, but maintain the fundamental capability to run Linux operating systems. The Orange Pi Zero and Zero 2 series, in particular, offer remarkably compact form factors suitable for IoT applications, headless servers, and embedded projects where space and cost constraints dominate design considerations.

While software support for budget Orange Pi models varies in quality and timeliness compared to premium offerings, the community has developed robust Armbian images providing stable, well-maintained Linux distributions for most Orange Pi hardware.

Radxa and Rockchip Partnership

Radxa, based in China, designs and manufactures the Rock Pi family of single-board computers featuring Rockchip processors. The company maintains close collaboration with Rockchip, often being among the first to release development platforms for new Rockchip SoCs. This relationship provides early access to silicon and close support for software development, benefiting the broader community with mature driver support.

Rock Pi 4 and Rock 4 SE

The Rock Pi 4 established itself as a compelling Raspberry Pi alternative, built around the Rockchip RK3399 with dual Cortex-A72 cores at 2 GHz plus quad Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5 GHz. The board offers configurations with 1 GB, 2 GB, or 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, along with M.2 NVMe support, optional onboard eMMC, USB 3.0, USB-C power delivery, gigabit Ethernet, and 4K HDMI output. The Rock 4 SE provides an updated revision with improved component layout and enhanced stability.

Rock Pi 4 supports multiple operating systems including Debian, Ubuntu, Android, and various community distributions. The form factor closely matches the Raspberry Pi, enabling compatibility with many Raspberry Pi cases and accessories while providing superior raw performance.

Rock 5 Series

The Rock 5B leverages the Rockchip RK3588, one of the most powerful ARM SoCs available in the SBC market. The processor combines quad Cortex-A76 cores at 2.4 GHz with quad Cortex-A55 cores, Mali-G610 graphics, 6 TOPS NPU, and extensive multimedia capabilities including 8K video encoding and decoding. The board supports up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, features PCIe 3.0 x4 via M.2 slot for NVMe SSDs, dual HDMI outputs, 2.5 gigabit Ethernet, and comprehensive expansion headers.

Rock 5A provides a more compact alternative with the same RK3588S processor in a smaller form factor, trading some connectivity options for reduced size. Both boards support various Linux distributions, Android, and community-developed operating systems, with Radxa providing official Debian and Ubuntu builds.

ROCK 3 and Specialized Variants

The ROCK 3A uses the Rockchip RK3568 processor with quad Cortex-A55 cores, offering a balanced combination of performance, power efficiency, and features. The board includes native SATA support, NVMe expansion, 4K display output, and comprehensive GPIO. ROCK 3C provides a budget-conscious alternative with slightly reduced specifications.

Radxa also produces specialized boards including the Radxa Zero (compact Amlogic-based board similar to Raspberry Pi Zero), Radxa CM3 (compute module compatible with Raspberry Pi CM4 carrier boards), and various industrial variants with extended temperature ratings and certification for commercial deployment.

Pine64 Community and Philosophy

Pine64 operates as a community-driven organization with a distinctive approach to single-board computers and related devices. Rather than optimizing purely for profit, Pine64 prioritizes community engagement, open-source software development, and fair hardware pricing. The company works closely with open-source projects to ensure mainline Linux support for their devices, contributing driver development and actively engaging with the community.

ROCKPro64 and RockPro64

The ROCKPro64 built upon the Rockchip RK3399 platform to deliver substantial computing power with dual Cortex-A72 and quad Cortex-A53 cores, configurations up to 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, PCIe x4 slot for expansion cards, USB 3.0, USB-C display output, and gigabit Ethernet. The large form factor accommodates the PCIe slot and enhanced thermal solution, enabling sustained performance under heavy workloads. Community distributions including Manjaro ARM, Armbian, and various BSD variants provide well-maintained software options.

The standard PINE64 and PINE A64+ boards offered more affordable entry points with Allwinner A64 processors, while maintaining gigabit Ethernet, 4K video output, and expansion capabilities. These boards established Pine64's presence in the SBC market and built the community that supports their later products.

Quartz64 and Star64

The Quartz64 introduced Rockchip RK3566 processing with quad Cortex-A55 cores to the Pine64 lineup, offering a balance of performance and power efficiency. Model A provides extensive connectivity including PCIe, SATA, native NVMe support, and dual display outputs. Model B offers a more compact form factor with reduced expansion options. The boards feature Pine64's characteristic focus on mainline Linux support and community development.

Star64 represents Pine64's entry into RISC-V architecture, built around the StarFive JH7110 quad-core 64-bit RISC-V processor. While RISC-V software support continues maturing, the Star64 provides developers and enthusiasts access to this emerging architecture in a familiar SBC format, contributing to the growth of the RISC-V ecosystem.

Pine64 Broader Ecosystem

Beyond traditional SBCs, Pine64 has expanded into related products including the PinePhone and PinePhone Pro (Linux smartphones), PineTab (Linux tablet), PineTime (open-source smartwatch), PinePower (USB-C power supplies), and various accessories. This ecosystem approach creates synergies where software development for one device benefits others, and community members can engage with open hardware across multiple form factors.

Sinovoip and Banana Pi Development

Sinovoip develops the Banana Pi family of single-board computers, offering a diverse range of boards spanning from compact IoT modules to high-performance platforms. The Banana Pi lineup emphasizes variety, with models targeting router applications, NAS functionality, AI development, and general-purpose computing. Many Banana Pi boards feature SATA connectivity and multiple Ethernet ports, differentiating them from competitors focused primarily on multimedia applications.

Banana Pi BPI-M5 and BPI-M2 Pro

The Banana Pi BPI-M5 features the Amlogic S905X3 processor with quad Cortex-A55 cores at 2 GHz, 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 16 GB onboard eMMC storage. The board provides 4K HDR video output, USB 3.0, gigabit Ethernet, and expansion headers compatible with Raspberry Pi HATs. Software support includes Android TV, CoreELEC, LibreELEC, and various Linux distributions, making the BPI-M5 particularly suitable for media center applications.

The BPI-M2 Pro updates this platform with the Amlogic S905X3 in a revised design with improved thermal management, PoE header, and refined layout. Both boards target users seeking capable media playback with straightforward Linux or Android setup.

Router and Network-Focused Boards

Banana Pi's BPI-R series targets router and network appliance applications. The BPI-R3 features MediaTek MT7986 with quad Cortex-A53 cores, dual 2.5 gigabit Ethernet ports, dual SFP+ cages for fiber connectivity, WiFi 6 (802.11ax), and multiple expansion options. This hardware combination enables building high-performance custom routers, firewalls, and network monitoring appliances with open-source software like OpenWrt.

BPI-R4 advances this platform with improved specifications and additional connectivity options, maintaining focus on network infrastructure applications where commodity router hardware proves insufficient but enterprise equipment remains cost-prohibitive.

Specialized Banana Pi Variants

The Banana Pi lineup includes numerous specialized boards: BPI-M4 Zero (compact form factor similar to Raspberry Pi Zero), BPI-CM4 (compute module format), BPI-W3 (Rockchip RK3588 high-performance platform), and various industrial variants. This breadth enables finding purpose-matched hardware for specific applications without forcing compromises inherent in general-purpose designs.

Jetson Platform Overview

NVIDIA's Jetson platform occupies a unique position in the SBC landscape, specifically targeting artificial intelligence and machine learning applications at the edge. Rather than competing on price or general-purpose computing features, Jetson modules integrate NVIDIA GPU architectures with ARM processors, providing massive parallel processing capability for neural network inference and computer vision workloads. The platform ranges from the entry-level Jetson Nano to the data center-class Jetson AGX Orin.

Jetson boards benefit from NVIDIA's comprehensive software ecosystem, including JetPack SDK with optimized CUDA libraries, TensorRT for inference acceleration, DeepStream for video analytics, and Isaac for robotics development. This software stack enables deploying models trained on NVIDIA data center GPUs directly to edge devices with minimal modification, dramatically simplifying the path from development to deployment.

Jetson Nano

The Jetson Nano provides an accessible entry point for AI at the edge, featuring a quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 processor and 128-core Maxwell GPU delivering 472 gigaflops of compute performance. With 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and support for multiple camera inputs, the Nano enables real-time image classification, object detection, and other computer vision tasks that would overwhelm traditional SBCs. The developer kit includes a carrier board with GPIO, CSI camera connectors, multiple USB ports, gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI output.

Power consumption of 5-10 watts makes Jetson Nano practical for battery-operated applications like drones and mobile robots while maintaining AI inference capabilities. The platform supports running popular machine learning frameworks including TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Caffe with GPU acceleration, making it valuable for both learning AI concepts and deploying practical applications.

Jetson Orin Nano and Orin NX

The Jetson Orin Nano succeeds the original Nano with dramatically improved AI performance, reaching up to 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second) compared to approximately 0.5 TOPS from the original Nano. Built on NVIDIA's Ampere GPU architecture with 1024 CUDA cores and 32 Tensor cores, the Orin Nano handles modern transformer models, complex multi-stream video analytics, and demanding vision applications within a similar power envelope to its predecessor.

Jetson Orin NX steps up to 100 TOPS performance with 1792 CUDA cores, 56 Tensor cores, and 8 GB or 16 GB memory options. This capability enables simultaneous processing of multiple high-resolution camera streams with sophisticated deep learning models, supporting applications in autonomous machines, industrial inspection, and smart city infrastructure.

Jetson AGX Orin

At the performance apex, Jetson AGX Orin delivers up to 275 TOPS of AI compute, approaching workstation-class capability in an embedded form factor. The module integrates a 12-core ARM Cortex-A78AE processor, 2048 CUDA cores, 64 Tensor cores, and up to 64 GB of unified LPDDR5 memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth. Industrial variants extend operating temperature ranges and provide long-term availability commitments for commercial deployments.

The AGX Orin targets demanding applications including autonomous vehicles, advanced robotics, medical imaging, and industrial AI where substantial on-device computing power eliminates latency and connectivity constraints inherent in cloud-based processing. The development kit provides extensive connectivity including 10 gigabit Ethernet, multiple PCIe slots, USB 3.2, and display outputs.

Ecosystem and Carrier Boards

Beyond NVIDIA's official developer kits, a robust ecosystem of third-party carrier boards adapts Jetson modules for specific applications. Companies produce compact carrier boards for drones and robots, industrial carriers with specialized I/O, camera-focused carriers with multiple CSI inputs, and rugged carriers rated for extreme environments. This carrier board flexibility allows deploying Jetson compute capability in application-optimized form factors while leveraging common software development across different implementations.

Intel NUC Background

Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) platform introduced compact x86 computing in small form factors, providing desktop-class x86 compatibility in systems roughly four inches square. While larger than ARM-based SBCs, NUCs offer the advantage of running standard x86 software without modification or recompilation, accessing the enormous library of existing applications, drivers, and operating systems developed for personal computers.

Intel discontinued NUC development in 2023, but the established ecosystem continues with existing inventory and third-party manufacturers like ASUS taking over NUC development and branding. The platform remains relevant for applications requiring x86 compatibility, Windows support, or specific Intel features unavailable in ARM alternatives.

NUC Architecture and Variants

NUC systems span from Celeron-based entry-level units to Core i7 and even Xeon-based workstation-class machines. Configurations include integrated Intel graphics for basic displays and video playback, discrete AMD Radeon graphics for gaming and content creation, and specialized variants for digital signage, point-of-sale, and embedded applications. Most NUCs accept standard SO-DIMM memory and M.2 storage, allowing user-configurable RAM and SSD capacity.

The compute element format provides a modular approach where the processor and core components occupy a replaceable card, enabling upgrades without replacing the entire system. This modularity appeals to applications requiring long deployment lifecycles where processing capability upgrades may become necessary.

Use Cases for x86 SBCs

Applications best served by x86 platforms include: software requiring x86 instruction set compatibility (many commercial and legacy applications), Windows-specific applications where ARM Windows support proves inadequate, development and testing environments mirroring x86 production systems, and situations requiring high single-threaded performance where x86 processors typically excel over ARM alternatives.

Industrial x86 SBCs from manufacturers like Advantech, Kontron, and congatec provide ruggedized alternatives with extended temperature ratings, industrial certifications, and long-term availability commitments suitable for professional embedded deployments where consumer-grade hardware proves inappropriate.

Performance Considerations

When selecting an alternative Linux SBC, performance requirements vary dramatically by application. Media centers and home servers benefit from fast storage interfaces (SATA, NVMe), adequate RAM (4+ GB), and hardware video decoding capabilities. AI and computer vision applications require dedicated neural processing units or GPU compute capability. Real-time control applications need deterministic I/O like BeagleBone's PRUs or FPGA-integrated platforms. Network appliances prioritize multiple Ethernet ports and packet processing throughput.

Benchmark comparisons between SBCs require careful interpretation, as synthetic benchmarks often fail to predict real-world application performance. Evaluation should consider the specific workload: database performance, compilation speed, video transcoding capability, neural network inference throughput, or whatever metrics actually matter for the intended application.

Software Support and Community

Hardware capabilities matter little without software support enabling their use. Before selecting an SBC, evaluate the availability of operating system images, driver maturity (particularly for hardware acceleration features), mainline Linux kernel support, and community activity. Platforms with strong mainline Linux support receive ongoing security updates and benefit from broader kernel development, while boards dependent on manufacturer-specific kernel forks may suffer delayed updates and eventual abandonment.

Community size correlates with available resources: tutorials, forum support, third-party software packages, and troubleshooting information. Larger communities around platforms like BeagleBone or ODROID provide extensive documentation and rapid answers to common questions. Niche boards may offer superior hardware but leave users struggling with limited information when problems arise.

Long-term Availability

Professional deployments require consideration of hardware availability over project lifetimes. Consumer SBCs may disappear from production with little notice, leaving deployed systems without replacement parts or upgrade paths. Industrial variants from vendors like BeagleBoard, Radxa, and Toradex offer longer availability commitments, supply chain transparency, and product change notifications enabling proactive design updates.

When long-term availability matters, evaluate the vendor's track record, published availability commitments, and the broader supply chain for critical components. Designs depending on a single SBC model face greater risk than those architected for portability across multiple hardware platforms.

Cost Analysis

Purchase price represents only one component of total cost. Development time differences between well-supported and poorly-documented platforms can dwarf hardware cost differences. Integration costs for accessories, cases, power supplies, and storage affect total system cost. Production volumes impact whether single-board computers or custom designs prove more economical. Ongoing costs including power consumption, maintenance, and software updates contribute to lifetime ownership costs.

For hobbyist and educational projects, entry-level boards minimize financial barriers to experimentation. For commercial products, higher-specification boards may reduce development time, enable premium positioning, or reduce per-unit costs at scale through improved manufacturing yield and support efficiency.