Updated | Atomic Pi: A Raspberry-Pi alternative with an Intel processor that costs less than US$35

At the heart of the Atomic Pi is an Intel processor, unlike many ARM-powered Raspberry Pi alternatives. Specifically, Digital Loggers has opted for the Atom x5-Z8350, a quad-core chip that has a 1.44 GHz base clock, which it can boost up to 1.92 GHz across all cores. The 14 nm CPU integrates Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), which Intel bases on Intel HD Graphics 5300.

The Atomic Pi also has 2 GB of DDR3 RAM on board along with 16 GB of eMMC flash storage, which can be expanded with up to 256 GB microSD cards. Moreover, there are USB 3.0 and 2.0 Type-A ports for connecting additional mass storage or peripherals. The developer board has an HDMI output that also supports audio out and a Qualcomm CSR8510 chipset that supplies the Atomic Pi with Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. There is also a MediaTek RT5572 that supports up to IEEE 802.11 n Wi-Fi and can connect to 2.4 or 5 GHz networks. There is a Realtek RTL8111G-CG chip too for Gigabit Ethernet should you need a wired connection.

The board has a total of 26 GPIO pins for connecting actuators and sensors and a 9-axis inertial navigation sensor with a compass too. The Atomic Pi packs in a real-time clock and battery too along with a comparatively huge heatsink despite its small size. The board measures just 130 x 100 x 50 mm with the heatsink attached or 20 mm with it removed, for reference.

The Atomic Pi is compatible with Windows and Linux, the latter of which Digital Loggers pre-installs. The company provides Debian and Ubuntu images too, which you can download here. The Atomic Pi is available on Amazon US or via Digital Loggers directly for US$34 and can be shipped worldwide (via Amazon). You must factor in shipping though, which can add up. You will also need a 5V/4A power supply that can deliver 4-15 W of power. Digital Loggers sells the Atomic Pi with a large breakout board too for US$49.