Sentinel Core: New board turns Raspberry Pi into desktop computer

The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer that is now available in different versions, including the so-called Compute Module. This is an especially sleek board that does not include connectors in their usual form and therefore generally has to be used with a carrier board. The Sentinel Core is one such carrier board that provides many connectors. In effect, the Sentinel Core is a Mini-ITX motherboard and therefore a comparatively large carrier board, measuring 6.7 x 6.7 inches.

Power is supplied through an ATX connector, so a regular power supply can be used. The typical 40 GPIO pins are available, but there is also what is essentially an integrated prototyping area on the motherboard. That means suitable prototypes could be built directly on the motherboard, although how much added value there is in plugging LEDs directly into the board is another matter.

There is also what is effectively a full-length PCIe slot. That full-size design refers primarily to its length and physical dimensions. Officially, however, the Raspberry Pi limits data transfer to a single PCIe 2.0 lane. In principle, though, it is possible to install a graphics card, which means AI acceleration on a GPU would be conceivable, for example. The Sentinel Core board supports video output via two HDMI ports, and wired networking is also available. The board can effectively be pre-ordered on Crowd Supply for $129, but this is a crowdfunding campaign that involves financial risk.