Since the pandemic is now behind them, more people are keen on engaging in DIY projects at home. For this to work smoothly and without draining too much energy from their resources, a powerful single board computer with sufficient computing power may be required for these DIY endeavors. This list features SBCs that deliver excellent performance and connectivity options for your project, offering hardware, accessories and community support.
1. Orange Pi 5
The Orange Pi 5 is an ARM64 single board computer with impressive multimedia capabilities. It includes HDMI 2.1 output, gigabit LAN connectivity, M.2 PCIe 2.0 interface compatible with NVMe Hard Drives and external WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for optimal use.
This hardware is equipped with the Rockchip RK3588S cost-cut octa-core Cortex-A76/A55 processor, supporting up to two 8K display setups via HDMI 2.1. Additionally, its powerful Arm Mali-G610 GPU features OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan support as well as an embedded Neural Processing Unit with 6 TOPS computing power.
2. Tinker Board S R2.0
Asus has introduced an updated model of their Tinker Board series featuring onboard eMMC storage. This makes the board much simpler to setup - just plug in power, monitor and mouse before booting an OS from microSD card.
The PCB dimensions and placement closely resemble standard SBC boards, making it easy to use a wide array of compatible accessories. Even better, color-coded GPIO headers make for quick identification; and gigabit Ethernet connectivity adds another great benefit.
3. LattePanda 3 Delta 864
The LattePanda 3 Delta is an x86 minicomputer equipped with a powerful CPU that provides more raw power for machine learning and AI projects. Furthermore, its ample GPIO input/outputs offer flexibility when designing Arduino-compatible sensor and actuator projects.
Boot to Windows 10 in under 10 seconds while only using 1W at rest and 15W during stressful conditions, while providing high-speed interfaces like Gigabit LAN, HDMI 2.0b, M.2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 as well as dual 4K interactive touch displays. Equipped with an Intel Celeron N5105 quad-core CPU & integrated 800MHz Intel UHD graphics system for extra graphics power & efficiency.
4. VIM4 SBC
Single board computers (SBCs) are compact devices designed to provide computing power without taking up too much space. Most are powered by an ARM processor and feature connectivity options like USB ports, Wi-Fi connectivity and HDMI output.
The Khadas VIM4 is one of the latest single board computers available, sporting an octa-core Amlogic A311D2 CPU, 8GB RAM and Mali GPU - making it an excellent solution for video streaming, game emulation and media editing. Furthermore, 4K HDMI input capability, GPIO capabilities and various I/O ports make this an attractive proposition.
5. Odroid H3+
Odroid-H3+ comes equipped with a quad-core Intel Pentium Jasper Lake N6005 processor clocked between 2 and 3.3 GHz with 1.5MB L2 cache and 4MB L3 cache, plus two slots to add up to 64GB RAM as well as 2.5GHz gigabit Ethernet connectivity port for greater functionality.
Hardkernel offers an optional H3+ Net Card which adds four 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports, giving users a powerful tool for setting up firewall/router virtual machines without compromising network performance. Easy to setup and get running quickly out-of-the-box!
6. Up Squared V2
The UP Squared V2 is an upgrade of the world's fastest x86 maker board and features the latest Intel Celeron, Pentium, and Atom processors (codename Apollo Lake). The chip's internal GPU offers 4K decoding/encoding support as well as vector units, plus it features Precision Timing Management to synchronize CPU with I/O for improved determinism.
This board supports Windows 10, Linux (Ubilinux, Ubuntu and Yocto), and Android Marshmallow. It features 12V standard industrial power input, native mini-PCIe 2230 support as well as a 40-pin EXHAT expansion header and audio wafer expansion of microphone-in and line-out features.
7. UDOO Bolt V8
The UDOO Bolt is the ultimate single-board computer. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen Embedded processor and offering various connectivity options - including gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity. It can run any software available for PCs, from gaming and video streaming to office productivity programs.
Furthermore, its integrated mobile GPU. Similar to what's found in high-end desktop PCs, allows it to handle anything you throw its way. UDOO makes an ideal DIY platform, capable of driving four 4K monitors simultaneously; making it the world's first maker platform capable of doing this feat. Furthermore, it comes equipped with an Arduino Leonardo compatible microcontroller and various GPIOs.
8. LattePanda Delta 3
The DF Robot LattePanda 3 Delta is a powerful x86 SBC that supports both Windows and Linux operating systems, along with supporting various input/output devices and providing an Arduino coprocessor. The board is powered by an Intel Celeron N5105 processor with burst frequencies up to 2.9GHz and offers 2x greater CPU performance compared to previous models.
This board comes equipped with WiFi 6 that delivers transfer speeds 2.7 times faster than WIFI 5 and USB 3.2 Gen2 x1 interface that is up to 10X faster than previous generations, as well as watchdog timer and auto reboot functionality.
9. Asus Tinker Board 2
Asus Tinker Board 2 is an ideal single-board computer for PC DIY enthusiasts, makers and IoT developers looking for compact performance at class-leading speed with unparalleled mechanical compatibility. Tinker Board's ARM Cortex-A17 CPU and Mali GPU provide outstanding processing power for applications that demand speed, such as video editing or gaming. They're perfect for handling tasks like these with ease.
The Asus Tinker Board can be purchased online from numerous retailers; shipping options and prices will depend on where you reside. You may also be able to locate it in stores that specialize in electronics or hobbyist hardware.
10. Raspberry Pi Zero 2W
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2W is a pin-compatible replacement for the original Zero, offering significant performance upgrades with its BCM2710 silicon die housing four cores running at 1GHz each. Speed is of great benefit when using a Zero for embedded projects such as advanced robotics and image recognition, not to mention being smaller, cheaper and power-hungrier than its Raspberry Pi 3 / 4 counterpart. In fact, its weight allows it to fit into physically smaller projects than its competition! Also of note: each board comes equipped with its own datamatrix code on the back which uniquely identifies it.