Single-Board Computer (SBC)

Desalvo Systems has introduced a new version of its Maker Block Raspberry Pi 4 case, which it has machined from a solid block of copper. Appropriately called the Solid Copper Maker Block Case, the case is likely to draw attention with its striking design. However, the use of a copper block is also practical as it supposedly delivers superior passive cooling than many other cases for the Raspberry Pi 4.

Raspberry Pi has launched a case fan for its popular Raspberry Pi 4 single-board computer. The new fan kit works with the official Raspberry Pi case accessory and giving current and future owners an upgrade path should they choose to get into more intensive processing tasks.

Waveshare has put together two kits for the Raspberry Pi 400, the Pi Foundations's new keyboard-cum-computer. The kits are available with 7-inch or 13.3-inch touchscreen displays and start at US$179.99 with the Pi 400 included.

The DevTerm Kit takes the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 and utilises it as a portable mini-PC. The DevTerm has a 6.8-inch IPS display, a battery module, a keyboard and an optional thermal printer.

ASUS has unveiled the Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S, its latest single-board computers (SBCs) designed to challenge the Raspberry Pi. The Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S have a Rockchip RK3399 chipset, up to 4 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM and plenty of connectivity. The Tinker Board 2S comes with 16 GB of eMMC storage too, though.

The latest Raspberry Pi SBCs can all be overclocked, but Hackaday has revealed that not all of them are created equal. It turns out that the Compute Module 4 and Pi 400 are more efficient than the regular Raspberry Pi 4, too.

The NanoPi R4S is the latest single-board computer (SBC) by FriendlyElec, and one that packs dual Gigabit Ethernet. The device also includes a Rockchip RK3399 chipset, up to 4 GB of RAM and two USB 3.0 Type-A ports - all on a 66 x 66 mm board.

The Novasom M9 is a new alternative to the Raspberry Pi that not only supports M.2 drives, but supports three display outputs. The board has 128 GB of flash storage too, along with Gigabit Ethernet and four USB connections.

StereoPi has introduced a new version of its stereoscopic camera expansion board, the StereoPi V2. The company has designed its new expansion board for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, which also brings a USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports and Gigabit Ethernet to the pocket-sized board.

Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced the launch of the Pi 400 — a complete PC within a keyboard aimed at getting users up and running without much hassle. The Raspberry Pi 400 is much similar to the Pi 4 in terms of specs but comes with a slightly faster CPU. The Pi 400 is available as a standalone keyboard-PC for US$70 or as a PC desktop kit with all accessories for US$100.

The Orange Pi Zero2 has finally made it to market, over a year after Shenzhen Xunlong Software unveiled it. The Raspberry Pi Zero competitor has been upgraded to a new chipset that supports Android 10 and multiple Linux distributions, including Debian and Ubuntu.

With OmniROM, owners of the Raspberry Pi 4 can now install the latest Android 11 on their small computer. Only a few features like screencast or the ability to open a hotspot are missing.

Canonical has brought Ubuntu Desktop to the Raspberry Pi. The humble single-board computer can now be pre-loaded with Ubuntu 20.10, albeit only on the Raspberry Pi 4.

A simple project has shown that the Raspberry Pi can, in conjunction with a Bluetooth speaker, become an Alexa-enabled device. There is no restriction on what type of Bluetooth speaker can be used, allowing a great deal of customisation with the project.

Turing Pi has announced a new cluster board, this time for the recently-announced Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. The Turing Pi 2 promises high performance, despite its compact mini-ITX form factor.

With the ODROID-HC4, one can create a dual NAS setup without having to break the bank. Priced at US$65 with a plastic housing, the ODROID-HC4 supports two 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives and comes with other features, such as an IR receiver.

The new Raspberry Pi Compute Module is here, heralding a new era for the series. The Compute Module 4 features a faster CPU than its predecessor, along with more RAM, storage and the option to add Wi-Fi connectivity. The Compute Module 4 also sports a new design for the Compute Module series and is available from US$25.

Google's latest developer board is available to pre-order, at long last. The Coral Dev Board Mini features a quad-core processor, 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and has a Google Edge TPU coprocessor.

A new HAT has brought 5G and GPS connectivity to the Raspberry Pi. Designed for any single-board computer with a 40-pin header, the Waveshare SIM8200EA-M2 5G HAT supports up to Sub-6 5G. The HAT should be compatible with Android, Linux and Windows.

The humble Raspberry Pi can be used as a music server, a simple project has shown. The single-board computer combines with a VU meter and a DAC to stream music from local or network-attached storage.

The Vizy is an AI camera based on the Raspberry Pi 4. The camera can shoot in up to 300 FPS, supports interchangeable lenses and has already raised over US$90,000 on Kickstarter.

The Banana Pi BPI-EAI80 is an affordable single-board computer that packs a dual-core AI accelerator. The board could also be used as an alternative to a Raspberry Pi thanks to its 40-pin GPIO header, albeit with some limitations.

The Argon ONE M.2 brings native M.2 SSD support to the Raspberry Pi 4, along with full-sized HDMI ports and a software-controlled fan. The useful features from the Argon ONE remain too, including its stylish design. The Argon ONE M.2 is available for US$45.

NVIDIA has released a cheaper version of the Jetson Nano Developer Kit, its developer board with a 128-core GPU. The new model has 2 GB of RAM and retails for just US$54. There are a few compromises from the US$99 Developer Kit, though.

With the DeskPi Pro, Seeedstudio has created a case for the Raspberry Pi 4 that turns the single-board computer into a fully-fledged PC. The DeskPi Pro offers 2.5-inch HDD/SSD support and provides two full-sized HDMI ports, among other innovations.

The Rock Pi X Model B is now orderable for US$59. The Raspberry Pi alternative features an Intel Atom processor and is available with up to 4 GB, along with 128 GB of eMMC storage.

The latest member of the Geniatech XPI family packs a Rockchip RK3128 chipset, along with up to 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. A Wi-Fi module can be added to go with the board's four USB Type-A ports, HDMI port and 40-pin GPIO header. The Geniatech XPI-3128 starts at US$25 and can currently be configured up to US$35.

The MaaXBoard Mini is an affordable single-board computer that is about the size of a Raspberry Pi. The board also includes a 40 pin header, a 14 nm quad-core ARM chipset, Gigabit Ethernet and five USB ports. The MaaXBoard Mini sells for US$72.50.

A single-board computer by Iconikal promises to offer more performance than the Raspberry Pi 3 but a fraction of the cost. Iconikal also includes a few accessories, while the board should be compatible with software for the Pine ROCK64.

A new project utilises the Raspberry Pi as a portable mobile computer with a built-in screen, keyboard and trackpad. Housed in a 3D-printed case, the YARH.IO has been designed for hackers.

A new project utilises the current Raspberry Pi 4 into a powerful mini-server. The project can run off an M.2 SSD and should be fairly simple to build.

With the ClusterCTRL Stack, one can harness the power of up to 5 Raspberry Pi boards simultaneously. The ClusterCTRL Stack can control up to two fans to keep the clustered Raspberry Pi SBCs cool too.

The Zero Terminal 3 is a compact mini-PC based on a Raspberry Pi. The device has a 1080p touchscreen, a built-in battery and a keyboard.

The Rock Pi E is the latest single-board computer by Radxa. Based on the Rockchip RK3328, the Rock Pi E is available with up to 2 GB of RAM and features dual Ethernet ports. The Rock Pi E starts at US$24.00.

Hardkernel has released its latest single-board computer (SBC), the ODROID-N2 Plus. Equipped with a new Amlogic S922X processor and up to 4 GB of RAM, Hardkernel claims that the ODROID-N2 Plus can offer twice the performance of a Raspberry Pi 4. The SBC is overclockable, too.

FriendlyARM has now made the NanoPi NEO3 available to purchase. Starting at US$20.00, the NanoPi NEO3 comes with up to 2 GB of DDR4 RAM and is based on the Rockchip's RK3328 quad-core ARM chipset. The tiny SBC is smaller than the Raspberry Pi Zero W but offers Raspberry Pi Model 3 levels of performance.

A project has shown how to utilise the Raspberry Pi as an NFC-powered music player. Bringing a degree of tactility to digital music, the project combines an NFC reader with NFC tags to play specific albums, playlists or radio stations on Spotify.

Cooler Master has torn through the funding target of its new Raspberry Pi case, the Pi Case 40. Apparently offering better cooling performance than "any other passively cooled Pi case on the market", the Pi Case 40 retails for just €23 (~US$27).

Fancy making use of a Raspberry Pi as a smart speaker? Well, two projects have demonstrated the steps for getting the popular single-board computer working with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The realised projects support wake words and may be a cheaper option than purchasing an Echo Dot or a Nest Home Mini if you have a Raspberry Pi lying about.

Akasa has released the Gem Pro, having announced the case in May. Available for £24.75 or US$30.95, the Gem Pro features apertures for the GPIO and microSD card slot of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, along with full access to its other ports.

A project has transformed the Raspberry Pi, some LEGO, an Arduino and a few other components into a working microscope. Presented by IBM Research, the project can deliver results that are accurate enough for reports, papers and presentations.

A project has transformed the Raspberry Pi into a portable synthesizer. Called the nanoPi, the project utilizes a Raspberry Pi Zero W, a KORG nanoKEY and FluidSynth.

The NanoPi NEO3 is another small single-board computer (SBC) produced by FriendlyELEC. The NEO3 includes a quad-core ARM processor, up to 2 GB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet and a microSD card reader.

The project was slightly delayed by the pandemic, but it is now up on Kickstarter offering the tablet for just under US$200, along with a microSD card and cables for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ Lite. The tablet itself integrates an 8-inch IPS touchscreen with 1280 x 800 resolution and even features an attachable handle that acts as a stand.

A simple project has demonstrated how to utilise a Raspberry Pi as an Ethernet bridge for the Nintendo Switch. The project can yield dramatic improvements in internet performance and may reduce online multiplayer lag too.

Thanks to a straightforward project, the Raspberry Pi can be used as the basis for a pocket-sized vintage radio. Featuring playlists for every decade from the 1920s to the present day, the so-called Radio Time Machine utilises a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, an Arduino Nano, some RGB LEDs and the shell from a vintage Bluetooth radio.

Fancy upping the gaming capabilities of your Raspberry Pi? Well, a simple project can bring Google Stadia to the single-board computer. Even titles like Destiny 2 are reported to play well on the Raspberry Pi using Stadia.

The Odroid-H2 Plus is a new alternative to the Raspberry Pi. The single-board computer is well suited for different applications thank to its powerful processor. The single-board computer is already available for pre-order.

The CrowPi2 transforms the Raspberry Pi into a compact laptop with a removable wireless keyboard and trackpad. The device, which has an 11.6-inch and 1080p IPS display, is compatible with multiple operating systems and the STEAM Education platform.

Adlink has announced the ROScube Pico, its latest single-board computer. The machine comes with an Intel Atom or a Rockhip processor, up to 8 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 40-pin GPIO.