In electronics, small is always big. Now computers are getting even smaller as the market for mini PCs and embedded computers gets bigger.
Intel Corp. is a market leader in this area with its NUC (Next Unit of Computing) mini PCs that feature a general-purpose PC, including processors all the way up to the i7, into a 4.59- x 4.4- x 1.36-inch box. For the ultra-mini PC the size of a credit card, Raspberry Pi is the leader with more than a million boards shipped.
“This is still a new space, with lots of changes over the last couple of years,” says Dan McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. “Since a basic Raspberry Pi costs around $35, vendors are writing their own operating systems or using some of the Linux variants available because Windows is too expensive.” Microsoft has tools now to cut down the size of the Windows OS, but it still remains a challenge.
Rob Enderle, principal analyst for the Enderle Group, cautions resellers looking into the ultra-mini PC market: “For the most part, these are embedded systems, added to something else like medical or manufacturing equipment.”
Most system builders today aren’t equipped to sell into firms as components suppliers. Successful projects leverage low-power, low-cost, light-duty PCs for projects such as digital signage, kiosks, or single-purpose applications.
Intel’s low-power Bay Trail core processor family is rolling out, and the next version, Cherry Trail, promises to save more power and cost less money. AMD Inc.’s Kabini processor family competes with Intel’s Bay Trail, while its Tamash processors mostly go into tablets.
Scores of companies are now in this market, and the condensed chip sets and even Systems on Chip (SoC) have reduced the barriers to entry. Look for hundreds of options by next year.
Ultra-mini PCs always have a CPU and GPU, system memory (or a slot), and SATA support. Various models add Ethernet (10/100 or Gigabit), USB ports, micro-SD interfaces, cameras, PCI-e slots, and even video engines.
A Sampling of Ultra-Mini PCs
|
VENDOR |
MODELS |
PROCESSOR |
SIZE |
PRICE |
URL |
|
ADL Embedded Solutions Inc. |
ADLE3800HD and many more |
Intel E3800 Atom |
4 x 5.8 inches |
Contact ADL |
|
|
Arduino |
UNO, YUN, DUE, Mega 2560, and many more |
ATmega328, ATmega 32u4, Cortex-M3, ATmega2560, and similar |
2.7 x 2.1 inches |
$26–$74
|
|
|
Banana Pi |
Banana Pi |
ARM Cortex-A7 dual core |
Credit card |
$65–$75 |
|
|
BeagleBoard.org |
BeagleBoard, BeagleBoard-xM |
ARM Cortex-A8 |
3.0 x 3.1 inches |
$125, $149 |
|
|
|
BeagleBone, BeagleBone Black |
ARM Cortex-A8 |
3.4 x 2.1 inches |
$89, $55 |
|
|
GHI Electronics LLC |
G120HDR Rev2 |
ARM Cortex-M3 120MHz |
1.5 x 1.05 inches |
$40 |
|
|
Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. |
BRIX (multiple models) |
Intel family |
Multiple NUC-size boxes |
$120–$800 |
|
|
Intel Corp. |
Multiple NUC versions |
Atom, Celeron, i3, i5, i7 |
4- x 4-inch motherboard |
$150–$400 |
|
|
MinnowBoard.org |
Max |
Intel Atom |
2.9 x 3.9 inches |
$99–$139 |
|
|
Olimex |
A13-SOM-256 |
Allwinner A13 Cortex-A8 1GHz |
Credit card |
About $23 |
|
|
Phytec America LLC
|
phyCORE-Vybrid/VF6xx SOM Cosmic+ |
ARM Cortex A5 500MHz |
4 x 2.8 inches |
$65 |
|
|
Raspberry Pi Foundation |
Model B |
ARM 700MHz |
Credit card |
$35 and up |
|
|
SolidRun Ltd. |
HummingBoard-i1, HummingBoard-i2 |
GC880 GPU |
Credit card |
$45–$65, $75–$95 |
|
|
|
HummingBoard-12ex |
GC2000 GPU |
Credit card plus |
$100–$120 |
|
|
Stealth Computer |
Little PCs |
Intel i3, i5, i7, Xeon |
4 x 6.1 inches and up |
$1,190 and up |
|
|
Tangent Inc. |
Qbit Mini PC |
Intel Celeron or i3 |
4.5 x 4.4 x 1.5 inches |
$700 and up |
|
|
Tiny Green PC |
Fit PC2 |
Intel Atom |
3.9 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches |
$420 |
|
|
UDOO (SECO USA Inc. and Aidilab) |
Dual Basic, Dual |
Freescale ARM i.MX 6 DualLite |
4.33 x 3.35 inches |
$99, $115 |
|
|
|
Quad |
Freescale ARM i.MX 6 Quad |
4.33 x 3.35 inches |
$135 |
|
Images
About the Author
JAMES E. GASKIN is a ChannelPro contributing editor and former reseller based in Dallas.