10 Best Single Board Computers in 2024

The best single-board computer in 2024 is used to handle large projects that require more computing intensity. These single board computers are also known as SBCs. They have undergone a series of evolution ever since the first Raspberry Pi got created. Currently, we have a system for almost anything we do with our PC. Single-board computers come in all shapes and sizes. Small boards are less expensive and come with domestic shipping alternatives; others can come with unexpected performance and power. These latter computers are widely used in making home entertainment systems.

Many available single-board computers are beneficial to hackers, developers, designers, and PC enthusiasts moving away from the home front. If you need a particular single-board machine for your tasks, you need to know how to look for it.

The following lists will help you select the best options for a system when it comes to the best in 2024. The following are the best single-board computers:

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1) Arduino Mega 2560

One of the best single-board computers for general activities is the Arduino Mega 2560. It has similar properties and specifications, like every other Arduino PC we have in the market. However, the Mega 2560 was created to be used on more significant and more massive projects for professionals.

The single motherboard comes with a quad-core, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, USB 3.0, 64 bit, and a host of other features. It also sports a more significant memory and more pins to offer enhanced performance. The Arduino PC is powered with the 8-bit AVR microcontroller ATmega2560. It also has 54 digital I/O pins, 16 analog inputs, and a bigger space reserved for sketches.

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2) ASUS Tinker Board

The Asus Tinker Board is another best single computer board available for PC users. This Board resembles the ODROID-XU4. It could be used as a PC for everyday tasks like standard image editing, clear and Full HD video streaming, browsing of the web, listening to music, and playing casual PC games. This Board comes with the Rock chip RK3288 specification. The RK3288 is a developed quad-core processor based on the ARM processor. This is typically spotted right inside most Chinese-made multimedia players and tablets.

It has a 2GB memory capacity while having a Mali-T764 GPU for the graphics. The single-board PC can play both UHF and HD videos at about 30 fps, which also comes with the added media player and hardware acceleration support. Additionally, a feature established this from Asus as an excellent brand for a home multimedia center.

The single Board is equipped with one single beat feature that is barely present in most other boards. This is the HD codec that plays audio files up to a rate of 24-bit/192kHz. However, it is necessary to state that the Tinker Board was not designed for gaming stuff and fun only; this also comes with premium features that make this single board computer the best out of the best.

It comes with the 40-pin GPIO interface, the DSI MIPI connection used for displays, the gigabit LAN connection, touchscreens, and the CSI MIPI connection, which is used to connect to the camera that is compatible with the single Board. This single feature makes the PC an excellent choice to be used for the IoT.

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3) The BBC micro:bit

The BBC micro:bit is still the best single Board computer in terms of its size. It is a pocket-sized computer that is programmable. It comes with an incorporated motion sensor device, a compass or magnetometer, a Led display, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The BBC micro:bit is a unique single-board PC connecting to different computers like the luttleBits, Galileo, Kano, Raspberry Pi, and the Arduino.

This Board may not be as potent as every other board; it is essential to state that it still holds its own. It is a less expensive method of getting young learners into the world of coding.

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4) Raspberry Pi Zero W

This is a single-board computer that takes the Pi Zero series’s performance to another level with its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology. In so many ways, this PC is pretty perfect for any task involving the Internet of Things. Taking its miniature size into perspective, people will not expect to see the Broadcom BCM2835 CPU as an added feature.

This comes at 1 GHz. This also has a 512MB LPDDR2 SDRAM. This is an excellent feature for an extremely affordable, super versatile, and Wi-Fi-supported single board PC . The Raspberry Pi Zero is among the best single boards currently available in the market.

The board comes with a measurement of 6cm x 3cm x 0.5cm. It still uses pretty low energy that it only needs a moderate battery to run for as long as it can. Additionally, the device comes with a great solar panel, making this a good alternative for a weather station.

It can also be used as a smart GPS tracker or maybe a personal robot. The Pi Zero is such a popular that it has an online forum where people learn how they can get started with reasonably large projects using it.

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5) The Odroid-XU4

The Odroid-XU4 comes across as the best single-board PC that can replace standard PCs and computers for home theatre systems. This is one reason people love Odrois-XU4. It is evident that this is cheaper than the higher Raspberry Pi 3; it has several specifications, such as the highly-rated Samsung Exynos 5422, the Cortex-A15 quad-core GPU that clocks at 2GHz. It also sports the Mali-T628 MP6 GPU and also supports OpenGL ES 3.1. The also supports OpenCL 1.2 Odroid-XU4, which also has a memory of 2GB. Other features are a dual USB 2.0 ports, a single gigabit Ethernet port, a 1.4a HDMI display, a power adapter, and an active cooler.

This can be operated with the most recent edition of the Ubuntu software, the Android 4.4 KitKat, the 7.1 Nougat, and the 5.0 Lollipop. This gives users many alternatives to transform this into a complete PC or use it as a supporting device. If you insert the Odroid-XU4 inside a suitable case, it can act as an excellent PC for toddlers, mainly if it runs on the Android system.

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6) The NVIDIA Jetson Nano Developer Kit

The NVIDIA is the best single-board system to be used to replace the Raspberry Pi. The board is of a higher specification that not everybody can use this. However, only a few people, such as developers and tinkerers, can use this excellent Raspberry Pi alternative.

The device is a small and excellent computer that allows the user to use several neural networks simultaneously for applications such as object detection, image classification, speech processing, and segmentation. The NVIDIA is a user-friendly that can be powered with just 5 watts. The NVIDIA Jetson Nano is the best single-board system for Artificial Intelligence-oriented Projects.

Therefore, PC enthusiasts involved in deep learning, and AI can use the developer kit. Some of the NVIDIA Jetson Nano Developer Kit’s key specifications are its Quad-core ARM A57, which clocks at 1.43 GHz. It uses the 128-core Maxwell GPU; for its RAN, it uses the 64-bit 4GB, it uses the HDMI 2.0 port for its display and four USB 3.0 ports and an eDP 1.4.

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7) The Banana Pi M64

The Banana Pi M64 is such a great alternative to the Raspberry Pi. One pivotal function that makes it such an excellent replacement for the Raspberry Pi is the 8 GB eMMC, a critical specification. This single-board system comes at an average cost, though. This can be used for 4K videos due to its included HDMI port. Furthermore, the single-board computer has more open-source single-board computers to replace the Raspberry Pi.

Some of the key specifications of the Bandana Pi M64 include a 1.2GHz quad-core ARM Cortex 64bit processor. Other features include a USB 3.0, a Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity.

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8) Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

Initially, the Raspberry Pi got released back in 2012. This was the first single-board machine that started this single board trend. It is good to see that the Raspberry model was able to sustain some of the original Raspberry Pi legacies. This particular PC comes with Broadcom’s BCM2837 CPU, which operates at 1.2GHz.

Its chip contains a robust integrated GPU that is known as Video core, which clocks at 400MHz. It also has a memory of 1GB, use a Bluetooth technology, four numbers if USB 2.0 ports, a video port, a display port, and a micro SD port used for data and operating system. The Raspberry is the model before the Raspberry Pi 4 but has more appeal than the Raspberry Pi 4.

This factor makes the Raspberry the best single-board PC for new users to computing. Furthermore, the Raspberry Pi 3 trumps the Raspberry Pi 4 since more third-party software tools and hardware accessories support it. Most system experts favor the Raspberry Pi 3 over the Raspberry Pi 4.

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9) Arduino Industrial 101

Similar to the Arduino YUN single-board computer, this single board is integrated with the ATmega32U4 as well as the Atheros AR9331 with Lining OS. This is delivered complete with a triple GPIOs, 1 USB port, four numbers of analog inputs, 1 row of Ethernet signals with pin headers, and an in-built DC/DC converter that needs 5V and 130mA.

The computer is the ideal alternative for compact applications that were programmed in Python, C, and other compatible languages that needs further processing power, better storage, and superior connectivity over what other microcontrollers come with. This board computer’s installation process is on the same level of complication with every other Arduino board PC.

The installation process for this board computer comes in several simple stages. This type of PC is all that people need to develop advanced, integrated instantaneous applications that will solve real problems. Furthermore, they could evolve into commercially desirable products in the near future.

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10) LoveRPi Raspberry Pi 3 B+

One more board useful floor Raspberry Pi computers. This computer also trumps the Raspberry Pi 4 in some features. LoveRPi created the Raspberry B+. Whereas it is apparent that we have had the Raspberry Pi for some time now, the Raspberry B+ contains some exclusive components that sustain the model’s operation for an extended period.

Apart from that single feature, this system comes with a 1.4GHz QA quad-core with the ARM Cortex-A53 processor. It also has a RAM size of 1GB, as well as a Broadcom Video core IV GPU. Additionally, this Raspberry Pi variant is equipped with four numbers of USB 2.0 ports. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack, an HDMI port, and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Also, there are so many more features with this computer. The prfboocessor of the PC is compatible with 64 bit. Alternatively, it is developed so that it can also work with 32-bit operating systems like Raspbian.

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Our verdict on the best single-board computers

Just like the lists show, we have lots of single board computers in the market currently. Due to the numerous amounts of computers we seem to have, it gets complicated trying to differ a particular computer from other single board computers.

Regardless of the number of computers in the market, one actual element that differentiates them all is their purpose. All computers have a unique purpose in performing g at the task that they are good at. This is how you choose the best single-board system for a particular job.

For instance, people looking to work significantly using a Robotics type of hardware can undoubtedly choose a board computer such as Arduino. Arduino, as one of the best single-board computers in this regard, will provide more functionality as hardware for Robotics. In the same vein, people looking to experiment with their system or install their Plex Server can choose the classic Raspberry Pi. This PC is the perfect option for those who need a board computer for their hobbies. Every single board PC serves a particular purpose.