Single-Board Computer (SBC)

The 8-inch Raspberry Pi and Raspbian tablet is almost ready for mass production, according to its creators. The CutiePi project has not only finalised the board design, giving it a massive overhaul from initial designs, but also has published design files for the tablet should you wish to build the tablet yourself.

The LattePanda is now available to purchase worldwide. The powerful single-board computer (SBC) incorporates an Intel Celeron N4100 processor, 4 GB of LPDRR4 RAM and 32 GB of eMMC 5.0 flash storage. The SBC supports USB Power Delivery via Type-C, has two M.2 PCIe slots and has an Arduino co-processor on board, along with two 50-pin headers and three USB 3.0 ports. The LattePanda Delta 432 is compatible with Windows, Linux and other OSes and retails for US$188.00.

The Rock Pi X is like a cross between an Atomic Pi and a Raspberry Pi, but even more affordable. Radxa equips the 85 x 52 mm developer board with an Intel Atom x5-Z8300 processor, up to 4 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, along with a host of ports and connections including an HDMI 1.4 that can output in up to 4K. The Rock Pi X has a 40-pin Raspberry Pi compatible header too and supports several OSs including Android, Windows 10, Ubuntu 18.04 and other Linux distributions. The Rock Pi X will start at US$39 and rise to US$75 for the most expensive model.

The NanoPi M4V2, as its name suggests, is a new revision of the NanoPi M4, which FriendlyElec launched last year. The Rockchip RK3399 powered single-board computer (SBC) includes 4 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, one USB 2.0 Type-C ports and a 40-pin GPIO header. The board also supports Gigabit Ethernet and up to 802.11 ac Wi-Fi. The M4V2 includes power and recovery buttons too. The NanoPi M4V2 is available to order now for US$70.00 from FriendlyARM, which ships worldwide.

A dedicated modder has managed to create a working portable game console by utilizing the motherboard from a slimline PlayStation 2 in conjunction with the capabilities of a Raspberry Pi 2 single-board computer. Although it has taken a long time to build the device, the end product has been shown offering impressive results in a video shared on YouTube.

The tablet integrates an 8-inch touchscreen and is powered by a Compute Model 3 Lite carrier board coupled with 1 GB of RAM. It runs on a version of Raspbian specifically customized for touchscreen use and supports PIXEL apps through XWayland. There is support for USB-A and HDMI ports, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Shenzhen Xunlong Software is bringing a new, compact SBC to market. The Orange Pi Zero2 is slightly larger than its predecessor and more powerful to boot. The board comes with an Allwinner H6 SoC that integrates four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 512 MB of LPDDR3 RAM, 4 GB of eMMC flash storage and a host of interfaces, while still weighing just 34 g. Pricing and availability are still unconfirmed but expect it to cost around US$20.

The Allwinner H2+ powered SBC runs Armbian's Debian and Ubuntu images and measures just 52 x 46 mm. The tiny board features 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Ethernet, up to 512 MB of RAM, USB 2.0 Type-A and a microSD card slot. There is a 26-pin unpopulated GPIO header too, along with a 13-pin header for headphone, USB 2.0, TV-out, microphone and IR signals. The Orange Pi Zero LTS currently costs between US$8.49 and US$10.49 depending on the version you buy and is available to order on AliExpress now.

Think of the Creoqode LYRA as a more affordable version of a Smach Z, GPD Win or GPD Win 2. The 5-inch handheld packs a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 Lite that integrates a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and 1 GB of LPDDR2 SDRAM, giving it the power to emulate practically any retro games console. The Creoqode LYRA costs £149 (~US$186) and has already reached its funding goal on Kickstarter, with Creoqode aiming to ship to backers in December.

The internet celebrated the arrival of the Raspberry Pi 4 last month, with its more powerful SoC, USB Type-C port, dual 4K HDMI and up to 4 GB of RAM. However, a few issues are rearing their head, with the Pi Foundation being quick to shut one of the more concerning down.

The PanGu is an STMicroelectronics STM32MP1 powered single-board computer (SBC), which should offer good value for money for some developers. The board runs Debian Jesse and Yocto Linux and is available to order from Taobao for 499 RMB (~US$72.50).

The pi-top [4] allows you to code and program on the move thanks to its 5-hour internal battery life. The device comes with 14 electronic components including LEDs, buttons and programmable sensors, while it even works with an optional 2-in-1 screen and keyboard or an Advanced Vehicle Kit (AVK). The pi-top [4] is available to order on Kickstarter now for US$199 and will shop in November having already reached its US$100,000 funding goal.

Kali Linux is now compatible with the Raspberry Pi 4. Currently, the distro is only available as a 32-bit OS, but Offensive Security is planning on releasing a 64-bit version soon. In the meantime, security aficionados who have a spare Raspberry Pi 4 lying around can head over to the Kali Linux site and download the distro image.

Seeedstudio claims that the ICE Tower CPU Cooling Fan can reduce Raspberry Pi 4 core temperatures from 80 °C to 40 °C under load, which should eliminate thermal throttling. The ICE Tower is compatible with all previous RPi boards too and just requires 5 V power via a 40-pin GPIO. The ICE Tower is available to order now from Seeedstudio for US$19.90, which ships worldwide from July 19.

The Cluster HAT v2.3 does what it says on the tin. It allows you to combine a Raspberry Pi A+/B+/2/3 with up to 4 Raspberry Pi Zeros. The latter connect via a Controller Pi GPIO and are configured to use USB Gadget mode, making it easy to simulate or test small-scale cluster computing. The Cluster HAT v2.3 is designed by Pimoroni and is available to order from SB-Components for US$49.22.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released a USB firmware update for the Raspberry Pi 4 that reduces its SoC operating temperatures by up to 4 °C. The update is available to download now and should reduce throttling in multi-core tasks. Beware though, it will possibly reduce USB transfer speeds.

Based on the PiJuice HAT released in 2016, the PiJuice Zero allows the Raspberry Pi Zero to be used on the go away from a power outlet. Pi Supply has developed a software suite to help get you started and has included a low-profile to keep the overall build size small. The PiJuice Zero is available to order on Crowd Supply now for US$45 with orders shipping worldwide on October 31.

Running on a Python library, the Enviro+ can monitor indoor and outdoor atmospheric changes from air quality to temperature, humidity and noise. The board can contribute to big air quality projects like Luftdaten too. Pimoroni has developed the Enviro+ with The University of Sheffield and has included several sensors, along with a 40-pin header and a 0.96-inch colour LCD. The Enviro+ is available to pre-order now for US$47.63 and will ship worldwide from July 5.

Based on a Microchip MGC3130, the 3D Gesture & Tracking Shield brings gesture and motion tracking to the Raspberry Pi at a reasonable price. The Shield supports touch gestures and emits a short-range magnetic field to allow it to recognise gestures performed nearby it too. The 3D Gesture & Tracking Shield communicates with a Raspberry Pi via I2C and is available to purchase worldwide from Seeedstudio for US$12.90.

FriendlyElec has responded to the aggressive pricing of the Raspberry Pi 4 by cutting the MSRP of its NanoPi M4. The Rockchip RK3399 powered SBC originally started at US$65 for the 2 GB of RAM variant and has now received a 23% price cut to US$50. Similarly, the 4 GB model has come down by 21% to US$75 from US$95. The NanoPi M4 features a more powerful SoC than the Raspberry Pi 4, along with a host of ports, connectors and sensors. FriendlyElec ships worldwide.

The TUL PYNQ-Z2 is a single-board computer (SBC) designed for development with the open-source Python Productivity for Zynq (PYNQ) framework. The board has Arduino and Raspberry Pi headers along with a host of other ports and connectors. The TUL PYNQ-Z2 ships worldwide from Seeedstudio for US$119 or for US$114 from Newegg if you live in the US. The former is currently offering a US$5 discount on orders too.

Khadas has changed the VIM3 slightly from when we previously reported on it earlier this month. The single-board computer (SBC) now features a more powerful Amlogic SoC, the hexa-core A331D, which can output up to 5.0 TOPS. The VIM3 now starts at US$99.99 and will ship worldwide from August 10.

Raspberry Pi Relay HATs are two a penny, but few come with a dedicated mobile app. Meet the PiRelay, a HAT that can manage up to 240 VAC/7 A or 125 VDC/10 A loads across four relays. The PiRelay costs US$17.06 via SB-Components, which ships worldwide.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has delivered its next single-board computer a year early. The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B comes with a quad-core CPU, up to 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, Gigabit Ethernet dual 4K HDMI and USB Type-C. It should deliver 3x the performance of its predecessor while remaining backwards-compatible with older boards. Better still, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B costs just US$35 and is available to order worldwide now.

According to a U.S. Office of Inspector General report published Tuesday, a cyberattack on NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in April 2018 was due to a severe lack of security oversight. The attack was made possible via an unauthorized Raspberry Pi that was connected to JPL's network without any knowledge of the security team. Additionally, a lack of proper network segmentation allowed the hackers to access NASA's Deep Space Network, which is responsible for managing interplanetary missions.

The company behind the Rock Pi 4 is back, this time with a tiny SBC powered by a Rockchip RK3308 quad-core SoC. The board comes with either 256 MB or 512 MB RAM, a built-in voice activity detector (VAD) along with a host of ports and connectors. The Rock Pi S measures just 3.8 x 3.8 cm and will sell for US$9.90.

The Strawberry4Pi 2 is an IoT HAT designed for the Raspberry Pi with a difference. The HAT costs just US$29 but comes pre-installed with its own OS and a mobile app that can control your internet connected devices. No coding required. The Strawberry4Pi 2 is available to order on Kickstarter and will ship in August.

The Banana Pi BPI-M4 is a mouthful, but it packs a punch thanks to its quad-core Realtek RTD1395 SoC with ARM Mali-470 MP4 graphics, 1 GB of DDR4 RAM and 8 GB of eMMC flash storage. The developer board is a dead ringer for the Raspberry Pi 3B+ and is compatible with most HATs too. The Banana Pi BPI-M4 currently ships worldwide from AliExpress for US$35.

The Rock Pi 4 comes in two variants, the base model of which has 1 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. All versions have a similar layout to the Raspberry Pi and feature a hexa-core Rockchip RK3399 processor along with a 40-pin GPIO among other connectors. The Rock Pi 4 ships worldwide.

The single board computer comes with up to 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32 GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. The Khadas VIM3 will launch on June 24 and runs Android 9.0 Pie, LibreELEC or Ubuntu.

Home security camera systems can be expensive. But where there is a Raspberry Pi, there is a way. All you need is a Raspberry Pi Zero W, a Raspberry Pi camera module, some free software and an enclosure that you can buy for as little as €5 (~US$5.57).

The Chatterbox is a DIY smart speaker that even children can build. The device has a chipboard case and is built around a Raspberry Pi 3B. The speaker can be taught new commands using the Chatterbox app too. The Chatterbox is currently available for US$119 on Kickstarter and ships worldwide in December.

Who needs an Amazon Kindle when you can build one yourself? The Waveshare e-paper HAT comes in numerous display sizes ranging from 1.54-inches to 9.7-inches. The HAT communicates with a Raspberry Pi via SPI, UART or USB depending on the model and comes in a choice of two, three or four supported colours. The Waveshare e-paper HAT costs between US$15.99 and US$169.99 and ships worldwide.

Ever fancied having a small home server? Well now you can with the NODE Mini Server V2. Caution: soldering skills required.

The Jetson Nano Developer Kit is one mighty single-board computer (SBC). The device can churn out up to 472 GFLOPS of performance, despite its compact form factor, thanks to its quad-core CPU and 128 CUDA core GPU performance. The Developer Kit definitely gives other SBCs like the Raspberry Pi a run for their money.

The ToyBrick RK3399 Pro is a developer board that is powered by an RK399Pro SoC, which integrates an ARM Mali-T860MP4 GPU and an RK1808 NPU that can achieve up to 3.0 TOPS. The board can dual-boot Android and Linux out of the box and comes with up to 6 GB RAM and 32 GB of eMMC flash storage.

An interesting new custom kit has been discovered that can turn a simple-looking Raspberry Pi board into a handheld gaming console with keyboard and game controls. The Hyper Keyboard Pi is currently being sold for ¥6,980 (~US$64), although users will have to purchase the rest of the key components separately.

Khadas has announced its new single board computer, the VIM3. The company has based the board on the powerful Amlogic S922X SoC and will equip it with up to 4 GB of RAM along with 32 GB of eMMC storage. The VIM3 supports Wi-Fi 5 and PCIe NVMe SSDs too.

Have you been unable to source an Atomic Pi? Well, it is now available to order worldwide once again. The Raspberry Pi alternative comes with an Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash storage. Orders for the developer board will ship on May 20.

A Raspberry Pi enthusiast has managed to use one of the single-board computers as the basis of a mini laptop that looks amazing. The pocket RPi notebook features stripped-down components so that it could be assembled into its neat form, and the battery for the mini laptop was taken from a Xiaomi powerbank.

The RPI Relay Board allows the Raspberry Pi to control high current and voltage devices like home appliances. The expansion board supports up to 5A/250V AC or 5A/30V DC and comes with extensive development resources such as sample programs written in BCM2835, python, shell, WebIOPi and WiringPi. The RPI Relay Board is available worldwide for US$18.99.

The Bosstouch PM156 is more than your average portable display. The 15.6-inch 1080p touchscreen includes three video outputs and operates at 85 Hz. The PM156 is available to pre-order on Seeed Studio for US$169 and will ship on May 27.

The Grove AI HAT is designed to assist the Raspberry PI with running edge computing workloads. The board has a Sipeed MAix M1 module that integrates a Kendryte K210 dual-core processor along with numerous connectors, ports and sensors. The Grove AI HAT is available to pre-order on Seeed Studio for US$24.50 and will ship in mid-June.

The NanoPi NEO 4 is an affordable and compact Raspberry Pi alternative that FriendlyElec equips with a six-core processor and 1 GB RAM. The board has numerous ports and sensors including HDMI 2.0 and USB Type-C too. The NanoPi NEO 4 ships worldwide for US$50.

The Atomic Pi is an affordable Raspberry Pi alternative equipped with an Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash storage. The developer board has numerous expansion connectors, ports and sensors too. The Atomic Pi costs just US$35.
Update: Shipping information clarified.

The NexDock 2 takes the power of your smartphone or Raspberry Pi and creates a laptop experience with a Full HD display, a plethora of ports including a headphone jack, four USB ports and a HDMI port. The NexDock 2 is currently available for US$199 on Kickstarter and ships in September.

The extremely popular single-board computer, the Raspberry Pi, now has a set of official peripherals. Specifically, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has released a wired keyboard and mouse, which come in two colours. The peripherals can be bought as a combo for £22 (~ US$29) or £16 (~ US$21) and £7 (~ US$9) respectively from third-party resellers.

The Pine H64 Model B succeeds the Model A and adds onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Raspberry Pi competitor starts at US$25 and is now based on a Rock64 footprint.

Until now, the popular single-board computer has been specifically optimised for the Internet of Things version of Windows 10. However, there is now a tool that allows the installation of the full version of the OS on the Raspberry Pi 3. It is not all smooth sailing though.

Compact single-board computers can deliver excellent performance and fast file transfers. A new expansion board for the NanoPi M4 should allow it to be realised as network-attached storage (NAS).