As versatile because the $35 Raspberry Pi is, it is only one of many single-board computer systems that can be purchased immediately.
The Pi strikes a fantastic stability between efficiency, worth, and value, however leaves loads of room for different boards to tweak that method. This Fall has seen the discharge of a swathe of latest boards, some ramping up the worth so as to add PC-like options — such assist for quick SSD storage and Intel Core processors — whereas others trim specs to chop prices. These boards are usually aimed toward software program builders, hackers and tech fanatics engaged on tasks like house media servers. Nevertheless, it is value mentioning that few boards are as accessible or provide the identical breadth of secure software program because the Pi. Listed below are essentially the most attention-grabbing single-board computer systems revealed or launched in current months:La Frite
Picture: Libre Laptop Venture
What it provides
The $15 La Frite comes near matching the $35 Pi three B+ in some key respects, utilizing the identical underlying Arm-based CPU and even providing sooner DDR4 reminiscence. On paper, the La Frite additionally guarantees comparable video playback efficiency to the Pi three B+, can output to 1080p shows by way of HDMI 1.four, and provides two USB 2.zero ports. As you’d anticipate there are numerous cutbacks. The board is lacking the Pi three B+’s Wi-Fi assist, provides a barely slower wired Ethernet connection, and has a barely slower processor. Specs The place to purchase The board is that can be purchased right here for $15.NanoPi NEO4
Picture: FriendlyElec
What it provides The most affordable six-core single-board pc to be launched, boasting comparatively trendy options like USB three.zero and assist for 4K shows.
However there is a catch, the board might solely value $45, solely $10 greater than the Raspberry Pi three B+, however it solely comes with 1GB of reminiscence, has slower Wi-Fi, and fewer Kind-A USB ports. For those who can work inside limitations of the reminiscence, the board additionally helps moderately quick knowledge switch by way of its USB three.zero and Gigabit Ethernet ports, in addition to one USB 2.zero Kind-C port. Moreover, there’s potential for including quick SSD storage by way of a PCIe x2 interface and 4K video out by way of HDMI 2.zero.SpecsWhere to purchase Accessible right here for $45.NanoPi M4
Picture: FriendlyElec
What it provides The NanoPi M4 is sort of double the worth the $35 Raspberry Pi however ups its specs throughout the board. Notable options embrace 4 USB three.zero ports, a USB Kind-C port, 2GB DDR3 reminiscence, a six-core processor, assist for 4K shows and hardware-accelerated 4K video playback, and 64 general-purpose input-output (GPIO) pins for hooking up . It additionally consists of an interface that helps two 13-megapixel cameras. Whereas the Pi helps a far wider vary of working techniques, the NanoPi M4 is listed as supporting Android 7.1, alongside Ubuntu 18.04 Desktop and Ubuntu Core. It is value noting that some customers of current NanoPi boards have additionally encountered driver issues and system setup points, so this board and the NEO4 could also be one for the extra technically proficient.Specs CPU Mannequin: Rockchip RK3399 Cores: Six cores, 2GHz 64-bit dual-core Cortex-A72 and 1.5GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 GPU Mali-T864, helps OpenGL ES1.1/2.zero/three.zero/three.1, OpenVG1.1, OpenCL, DX11, and AFBC Supported codecs 4K VP9 and 4K 10bits H265/H264 60fps decoding, Twin VOP Reminiscence Twin-channel 4GB LPDDR3-1866 (for a further $30) or dual-channel 2GB DDR3-1866 Storage eMMC: no Onboard eMMC, however has a eMMC socketMicroSD Slot: MicroSD for exterior storage as much as 128GB Connectivity Ethernet: Native Gbps Ethernet WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth four.1, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo module, twin antenna interface Audio three.5mm dual-channel headphone jack, or HDMI Audio Enter: microphone enter interface Video Enter One or two four-Lane MIPI-CSI, twin ISP, as much as 13MPix/s, helps simultaneous enter of twin digicam knowledge Video Output HDMI 2.0a, helps 4K@60Hz, HDCP 1.four/2.24-Lane MIPI-DSI*1 USB four x USB three.zero Kind-A ports USB Kind-C: Helps USB2.zero OTG and Energy enter 2 x USB Host, included in GPIO2 2.54mm pitch pin header Pin-headers 40-pin GPIO, 2.54mm pitch pin-header three x 3V/1.8V I2C, as much as 1 x 3V UART, 1 x 3V SPI, 1 x SPDIF_TX, as much as eight x 3V GPIOs, 1.8V eight channels I2S 24-pin GPIO, 2.54mm pitch pin-header 2 x unbiased native USB 2.zero Host interfaces, PCIe x2, PWM, PowerKey Serial Debug Port: 2.54mm pitch four-pin-header, 3V stage, 1500000bps LED Energy LED(Crimson), GPIO Managed LED(Inexperienced) Others RTC: Two-pin 1.27/1.25mm RTC battery enter connector. Working Temperature: -20℃ to 70℃ Energy DC 5V/3A The place to purchase In the stores right here for $65.LattePanda Alpha
Picture: LattePanda
What it offersNot a Pi competitor, however the $358 LattePanda Alpha does use the identical class of Intel processor as discovered within the $1,200 12-inch MacBook.The board’s excessive worth buys you PC-like specs, together with 8GB of DDR3 reminiscence and 64GB of quick eMMC v5.zero Flash storage, alongside Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, USB three.zero ports, a USB Kind-C port, 4K video out and twin M.2 connectors that may very well be used for hooking up quick NVMe SSD storage. The board is accessible with Home windows 10 Professional, which pushes the worth as much as $398, in addition to being appropriate with a broad vary of Linux-based working techniques. The Alpha additionally has 2 x 50-pin headers for hooking up , in addition to an Arduino Leonardo co-processor. Specs CPU：Intel seventh Gen Core m3-7y30 Core：1.6-2.6GHz Twin-Core，4-Thread Graphics：Intel HD Graphics 615, 300-900MHz RAM：8GB LPDDR3 1866MHz Twin-Channel Connectors: 1x M.2 M Key, PCIe 4x, helps NVMe SSD and SATA SSD. 1x M.2 E Key, PCIe 2x，helps USB2.zero, UART, PCM Connectivity： WIFI 802.11 AC, 2.4G & 5G Twin Band. Bluetooth four.2. Gigabyte Ethernet USB Ports： 3x USB three.zero Kind A. 1x USB Kind C, helps PD, DP, USB three.zero Show： HDMI Output Kind-C DP Help Extendable eDP contact shows Co-processor：Arduino Leonardo GPIO & different options：2x 50 GPIOs together with I2C, I2S, USB, RS232, UART, RTC. Energy Administration. Extendable energy button OS：Home windows 10 Professional, varied Linux The place to purchase Accessible right here from $358.Odroid-H2
Picture: Hardkernel
What it offersWith specs extra akin to a low-end PC, the Odroid-H2 will virtually actually value greater than the $35 Raspberry Pi three B+.As an x86 Intel Celeron primarily based board it will possibly run a wider vary of Linux-based working techniques than a typical Arm-based, single-board pc.Its specs stand out from the gang too, with the flexibility so as to add quick SSD storage by way of its four x PCIe 2.zero NMVe interface and SATA three.zero ports, and assist for as much as 32GB of DDR4 RAM. Moreover, there may be quick community connectivity by way of the 2 gigabit Ethernet ports, though no point out of Wi-Fi assist. Nevertheless, it does not seem like focusing on hackers, with solely a 20-pin growth header.The board’s 2.3GHz Intel J4105 processor — a “Gemini Lake” system-on-a-chip courting from 2017 — can also be sooner than the Arm Cortex A53 / A72-based CPUs present in current SBCs.SpecsCPU: 2.3Ghz Quad-core processor J4105 (14nm) with 4MiB cache.Reminiscence: Twin-channel Reminiscence DDR4-PC19200 (2400MT/s), assist for as much as 32GB RAM with two SO-DIMM slots.Enlargement: four x PCIe 2.zero for one NVMe storage, 2 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 2 x SATA three.zero.GPU: Intel UHD Graphics (Gen9.5) 600 (GT1) 700Mhz. Help for SSE4.2 accelerator (SMM, FPU, NX, MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AES).Show: HDMI 2.zero and DP 1.2 a number of video output.The place to buyHardkernel says the H2 will ship from late November for an unannounced worth.