Aaeon UP WCL: Powerful single-board computer and Raspberry Pi alternative supports Windows

We’ve reported several times here on the manufacturer Aaeon, which also offers compact computer systems. With the UP WCL, the company is now offering a new single-board computer that could very well serve as an alternative to the Raspberry Pi. However, there are still some differences in terms of specific focus: the UP WCL is significantly more powerful than the Raspberry Pi (when comparing prices) and is said to be capable of accelerating AI models with up to 40 TOPS. Accordingly, even highly demanding AI workloads can be run directly on the UP WCL.

Depending on the model version selected, the UP WCL comes with the Intel Core 7 350, Intel Core 5 320 or Intel Core 3 304 and up to 24 gigabytes of LPDDR5 RAM. It supports up to 256 gigabytes of UFS storage and features a single M.2 2230 slot (Key E). Video output is available via HDMI 2.1, supporting 4K resolution. Compared to a Raspberry Pi, the UP WCL lacks the virtually iconic 40-pin header. A 10-pin connector provides access to eight GPIO pins, I2C, PWM, and SPI, allowing for the connection of sensors and actuators. Connecting peripherals or external mass storage devices should be completely hassle-free via three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports. The 85 x 56-millimeter board is powered by 12 volts. Network connectivity is available via Ethernet at speeds of up to 2.5 Gbit/s. According to Aaeon, the supported operating systems are Windows 11 LTSC and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Aaeon has not commented on pricing. The company is primarily targeting professional customers or, more simply, businesses.