Single-board computer systems (SBCs) current a good way for tinkerers and hobbyists to make their initiatives a actuality with out spending numerous money or coping with a number of computing elements. They provide all the pieces you may want on one tiny board.

What to Search for When Selecting Your Subsequent Single Board Laptop in 2025

Crucial a part of this equation is the challenge you want an SBC for. You’ve received to put in writing down your wants and specs, such because the efficiency degree you are after and the quantity of reminiscence you suppose you’ll want, whether or not you want a GPIO (general purpose input output) or not, the velocity and kind of networking you’ll use, whether or not you need one thing that may host NVMe SSDs, to resolve between the kind of OS you intend on utilizing, and extra.

When you write all of it down, it’s time for some window buying and brushing by way of opinions. SBCs fluctuate drastically regarding their computing energy, for instance. You’ve received finances choices that value simply a few dozens of greenbacks, powered by low-power and low-tier ARM CPUs, mid-range choices with newer ARM Cortex-A76 designs, in addition to high-end options with potent—in comparison with their ARM-powered counterparts—x86 CPUs that may change a desktop PC.

One other factor to concentrate on contains further bills. You may want to purchase an influence provide in your SBC, a heatsink or an energetic fan for higher thermal dissipation, perhaps purchase or print a case when you want one, a Wi-Fi card or a Wi-Fi adapter when you plan on utilizing a wi-fi connection as a result of numerous fashions that help Wi-Fi include empty Wi-Fi M.2 slots, and different project-specific stuff.

That is why I like to recommend clearly stating your targets, wants, and a ballpark estimate of the computing energy and additional options you want earlier than on the lookout for an acceptable SBC.

Final however not least, relying on the kind of challenge you want an SBC for, you is perhaps higher off getting a Mini PC, an previous NUC, or a used SFF (small type issue) workplace PC as an alternative, particularly when you don’t want GPIO. For instance, when you plan to show your own home sensible and want one thing to run Home Assistant on, a tiny workplace workstation beats most SBCs concerning the price-to-performance ratio. Equally, when you want one thing for retro gaming, take a look at the retro handheld market that has a number of super-affordable gadgets that work out-of-the-box and include video outputs, that means you possibly can hook them to a TV or monitor.

How Did We Analysis
Fashions Evaluated	Hours Researched	Critiques Analyzed
17	6	21

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The Orange Pi 5 Plus is the gold customary in SBCs proper now, so long as you are not attempting to spend far an excessive amount of on high-end options. The machine packs fairly a robust Rockchip RK3588 CPU, 4 Cortex-A76 cores operating at 2.4GHz, and 4 low-power Cortex-A55 cores boosting as much as 1.8GHz. The GPU is the Mali-G610, which helps 8K@60fps video output, and you may decide between 4, 8, 16, or 32 gigs of RAM. You even have slots for MicroSD cards, eMMC flash storage, and a single PCIe 3.0×4 M.2 slot that helps 2280 NVMe SSDs.

The I/O contains two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, and a single USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode, twin HDMI 2.1 ports, a single HDMI enter, and one MIPI DSI interface for show modules. The specs proceed with a 1xMIPI CSI 4 Lane for digital camera modules, twin 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, a 40-pin growth port with help for GPIO, and an M.2 E key connector for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules. You may as well discover a humble Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that gives 6TOPS of efficiency.

The Orange Pi 5 Plus is a flexible SBC you need to use for numerous initiatives, at the same time as a PC substitute. It could possibly run quite a lot of Linux distros, Windows on ARM, and Android and is highly effective sufficient for use as a Plex, House Assistant, File Server, and retro console combo with out breaking a sweat.

On the flip facet, there’s the comparatively excessive worth of admission, the necessity to get a separate Wi-Fi card when you want wi-fi connectivity, and the truth that you’ll want a heatsink in case you intend on maxing the CPU and GPU.

If you would like a much less dear various, there’s the common model of the Orange Pi 5. You’ve additionally received the ODROID-H3, which packs an Intel x86 CPU and might be an awesome resolution when you want numerous storage, contemplating it comes with a full-sized M.2 slot and two SATA III ports.

The tiny Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W brings again the unique spirit of Raspberry Pi, which was all about humble computing gadgets able to tackling quite a lot of DIY merchandise that did not break the financial institution.

The Zero 2 W is predicated on the Raspberry Pi 3 platform. It’s powered by the identical CPU (quad-core Cortex A53) discovered within the Pi 3, with the one distinction being that this variant is underclocked to 1GHz to not overheat. The CPU is paired with 512MB of SDRAM and an iGPU with help for OpenGL ES 1.1 and a pair of.0. These specs are sufficient for light-weight initiatives that may profit from Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W’s tiny footprint of solely 2.55in x 1.18in (65mm x 30mm).

Ports discovered on the minuscule pc embody a microSD card slot for the OS, a single microUSB port for powering the machine, one USB 2.0 (OTG) port, and a mini-HDMI video out. The compact board additionally hosts an 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi chip (Wi-Fi 4) that solely helps the two.4GHz band, together with Bluetooth 4.2. You’re additionally getting a 40-pin GPIO header that may work with numerous gadgets and a CSI-2 digital camera connector.

Whereas in concept you need to use the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W as a tiny PC, its humble specs, particularly solely 512MB of reminiscence, are too little for contemporary, memory-heavy browsers. What it is best to goal for as an alternative are DIY initiatives that don’t require numerous computing energy. Say Pi-hole, Kodi, retro gaming consoles, Klipper, or for powering light-weight house and media servers.

If you would like one thing beefier and pricier, take a look at the Libre Computer Board AML-S905X-CC (Le Potato). It packs much more computing energy, however it additionally received’t work with something lower than a Class 10 MicroSD card. Le Potato helps Ubuntu 22.10, Debian 11, and Raspbian 11.

Whereas most ARM-based SBCs can run Home windows on ARM, an x86-based mannequin is a greater possibility in the intervening time. And top-of-the-line choices available on the market, however high-end fashions that value as a lot as a good finances laptop computer, is the LattePanda Mu.

That is an x86-based single-board pc powered by an Intel N100 quad-core CPU with a lift clock of three.4GHz, 8GB of reminiscence, and 64GB of eMMC storage. Due to its beefy Intel CPU, the LattePanda Mu blows equally priced SBCs out of the water when it comes to brute efficiency.

The package deal features a tiny compute module filled with elements, together with three HDMI or DisplayPort connections, a 64-pin GPIO, help for as much as 4 USB 3.2 10Gbps ports, 9 PCIe 3.0 lanes, and two SATA III connections. The package deal contains open-source provider board information, permitting you to design a provider board that fits your wants and finances.

You may as well order the LattePanda Mu with two variations of provider boards, and even the Lite model packs numerous connectivity and growth potential. This fashion, you possibly can successfully flip it right into a potent SBC that may run any OS that helps x86 CPUs, together with Home windows.

The lite provider board contains Gigabit Ethernet, two M.2 slots—one for an SSD and one for a Wi-Fi module—two USB 3.2 10Gbps ports, an HDMI 2.0, USB Kind-C for energy provide, and a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot for growth playing cards.

Whereas it packs a hell of a computing punch, it’s fairly dear when coupled with the Lite provider board. If you would like an all-in-one resolution with a barely slower x86 CPU, take a look at the ODROID-H3. It’s received a Celeron N5105 that makes use of extra energy and is slower than the N100, however you’ve received all of the ports with out the necessity of a provider board, expandable RAM slots—however no pre-installed RAM—and a built-in heatsink for about the identical worth as the bottom LattePanda Mu package deal.

The LattePanda V1 is one other fascinating x86 alternative that prices as a lot as the bottom LattePanda Mu module however features a Home windows 10 House license. When you’re on the lookout for a robust x86 SBC and the worth isn’t a difficulty, you can’t go mistaken with the LattePanda Sigma.

The little cousin of the Orange Pi 5 Plus, the common Orange Pi 5 is one other extremely versatile and highly effective SBC that prices about $80 for the 4GB model. The Pi 5 includes a barely much less feature-rich SoC, however the efficiency is identical, each within the CPU and GPU departments. The 2 fashions additionally are available in the identical reminiscence dimension flavors, with 4, 8, 16, or 32 gigs of RAM.

The common Pi 5 has fewer connectivity choices, particularly solely a single Ethernet port that tops out at 1Gbps, a single M.2 slot that may work with an SSD or a Wi-Fi/BT module, a 26pin GPIO header as an alternative of a 40-pin one, and a single HDMI 2.1 port with help for 8K 60Hz output. There’s additionally solely a single USB 3.0 port as an alternative of two.

Alternatively, when you’re on the lookout for one thing with excellent Linux support however aren’t enthusiastic about having a number of HDMI outs or a number of M.2 ports, the Orange Pi 5 is a superb and extra reasonably priced various to the Plus mannequin.

In reality, the common Pi 5 might be a greater possibility for sure initiatives. For example, the Pi 5 options three digital camera inputs as an alternative of 1 discovered on the Plus, takes much less house, and is noticeably lighter.

As for the downsides, you’ve solely received a single M.2 port, the worth continues to be pretty excessive in comparison with many different SBCs—however you’re getting numerous computing energy—and also you’re restricted to a single Ethernet port that tops out at 1Gbps.

Alternate options right here embody the ODROID-H3, a pricier SBC with nice growth potential as a result of expandable RAM slots, a full-sized M.2 slot, twin SATA III ports, an Intel x86 Celeron N5105 CPU, and a built-in heatsink. There are additionally equally priced LattePanda choices, together with the barebone LattePanda MU and the tremendous tiny LattePanda V1.

The Raspberry Pi 5 is the newest entry within the Raspberry Pi line of single-board computer systems, and it is by no means been higher. The Pi 5 has remedied a lot of the shortcomings of the earlier mannequin whereas preserving a comparatively low worth of admission, particularly for the 4GB mannequin.

One of many greatest benefits of the Pi 5 in comparison with different equally priced SBCs is the built-in Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. You’re additionally getting a Broadcom BCM2712 CPU—2.4GHz Arm Cortex-A76—that’s fairly highly effective for an SBC CPU however nonetheless noticeably slower in comparison with the one discovered within the Orange Pi 5 and Pi 5 Plus, together with a reasonably strong VideoCore VII GPU that may output 4K@60 movies.

Connectivity contains twin USB 3.0 ports, twin USB 2.0 ports, a 40-pin GPIO, two micro HDMI ports with 4K@60 help, twin 4-lane MIPI digital camera/show transceivers, a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface that requires an M.2 HAT ({Hardware} Hooked up on High) to attach quick storage, and a 1Gbps Ethernet port.

As a package deal, this can be a lot for the worth however nonetheless a bit under what the Orange Pi 5 affords. A correct M.2 port would’ve been good to see right here, in addition to full-sized HDMI ports and a model with 16GB of RAM.

FAQ

What’s a single board pc?

A single board pc, also called SBC, is a tiny pc that has all its elements—CPU, reminiscence, GPU, enter output, ports, and so forth—positioned on a single printed circuit board (PCB).

Is a Raspberry Pi a single board pc?

Sure, a Raspberry Pi is a single board pc.

What ought to I exploit a single board pc for?

Technically, you need to use a single board pc for all the pieces you’d use an everyday PC for. That stated, single board computer systems are principally used for DIY initiatives that embody retro gaming stations, media and residential servers, sensible house integration, and so forth.