Single board computers (SBCs) have made a comeback in the face of the huge success of the Raspberry Pi. And there are models of all kinds, most under the ARM platform but not all, and the UP 4000 is a sample.

Developed by the manufacturer AAEON is a ultra compact board size (85.6 x 56.5 mm – similar to a credit card) and in essence very similar to Raspberry Pi, but with x86 architecture, which increases the possibilities of using operating systems, whether Windows or Linux.

UP 4000 versions

Don’t look for maximum performance with these boards, as they are based on Intel’s Apollo Lake boards, which were released in 2016 as a low-cost and energy-efficient processor solution. Since then, Intel has released several generations up to the current Jasper Lake. The price is certainly binding and for this reason the integrator decided on the previous solution.

With that in mind, you should know that AAEON offers versions with up to 8GB of memory LPDDR4-2400, up to 64 GB eMMC storage and three processor options:

• Intel Celeron N3350 – 2 cores, 2 threads, 1.1GHz base/2.4GHz turbo, 6W TDP, Intel HD Graphics 500.
• Intel Pentium N4200: 4 cores, 4 threads, 1.1 GHz base/2.5 GHz turbo/6 W TDP, Intel HD Graphics 505.
• Intel Atom x7-E3950 – 4 cores, 4 threads, 1.6GHz base/2GHz turbo, 12W TDP, Intel HD Graphics 505.

Options connectivity yes, they are completely complete and will provide a game for many uses:

• 1 Gigabit Ethernet
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (compatible with DisplayPort 1.2).
• 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A.
• 2x USB 2.0 type A
• 1x HDMI 1.4b.

The board also includes a 12V power input, a 40-pin GPIO header, a six-pin module for audio input and output, and other support for an upcoming board that would add solutions like M.2 for storage, wireless connectivity, mobile connectivity. networks or other accessories.

The UP 4000 comes in half a dozen versions, with prices ranging from $129 to $255, depending on configuration. All models are on sale with a 10% discount (from $116) for customers who pre-order by July 15, 2022. You can find them on the AAEON website.