Are you trying to find single board computers among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling single board computers on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 10 hours of research and did 22 single board computers tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best single board computers you can buy today
- LATEST SOFTWARE SUPPORT: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Debian 12, and CoreELEC support with hardware-accelerated video playback and 3D graphics. Upstream software stack featuring the latest Linux 6.x with open source graphics and video libraries.
- ADVANCED UEFI BIOS: Full featured scriptable BIOS with the ability to customize logo and messages. Supports booting from eMMC, MicroSD card, USB flash drive, and USB hard drives that are separately powered.
- EXTREME POWER EFFICIENCY: Designed for 24/7 operation with idle power usage of just 1W. LED light bulbs use 20 times the power of this board. Enough processing power to encrypt and max out network throughput for VPN operations.
- HARDWARE ACCELERATED 4K CODEC SUPPORT: Watch videos in Ultra HD 4K 10-bit goodness with CoreELEC OS designed for media playback. Capable of decoding H.264 H.265 and VP9 natively in 60 FPS.
- USB TYPE-C POWER: Standardize power input compatible with most power supplies with and without USB Power Delivery capability. Designed to draw up to 3A with 2A available for peripherals.
- USB HEADER FOR EXPANSION: Standard PC style USB header provides internal connectivity for wireless devices like WiFi and Bluetooth (sold separately) as well as webcams and more.
- POE CAPABLE WITH SEPARATE MEZZANINE: Provide single cable power and data for installation is hard to reach places. Efficient power consumption is ideal for battery backed remote deployments.
- LATEST SOFTWARE SUPPORT: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Raspbian 11 support with hardware-accelerated video playback and 3D graphics. Upstream software stack featuring the latest Linux 6.x with open source graphics and video libraries. UEFI support with GRUB sofware behaves like PCs. Direct first software support and community hub for third party help to get started. Video tutorials on YouTube for commonly asked questions.
- COMPATIBILITY AND EXTENSIBILITY: Great RPi alternative with same form factor as Pi 3 Model B for re-use with existing cases and power supplies. Identically designed 40-pin header enables hardware re-use by maintaining same pins for functions like SPI, I2C, PWM, UART, and more. Powerful GPIO wiring tool, libretech-wiring-tool, is available on Github that can quickly toggle GPIOs and dynamically control dtoverlays for faster design, testing, and learning.
- HIGH PERFORMANCE LOW POWER: AML-S905X-CC performs faster than a Pi 3 B+ while using half the power. It is designed with power optimizations to increase sustained performance under load and reduce failures due to input voltage and current. It is one of the first SBCs to support 4K multi-codec hardware decoding and features a highly performant OpenGL ES 2.0 GPU for accelerated 2D/3D.
- FASTER CPU AND DOUBLE THE MEMORY: Quad 64-bit 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 Processors, 4K Ultra HD ARM Mali-450 750MHz GPU, 2GB of High Bandwidth DDR3, 4K 60FPS High Dynamic Range Display Engine for H.265 HEVC, H.264 AVC, VP9 Hardware Decoding and more. The top performing SBC in its price class.
- OPEN SOURCE COMMITMENT: Libre Computer collaborates with software partners to create upstream infrastructure, drivers, and libraries for open-source projects such as Linux and u-boot that power our products. This enables us to support the latest software innovations created by the community and ensures that our products have the necessary security and software performance innovation for long term support.
- The Orange Pi Zero 3 1.5G uses a full-memory H618 64-bit high-performance quad-core Cortex-A53 processor, Arm Mali-G31 MP2 GPU, and supports OpenGL ES 1.0/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1, etc.
- Orange Pi Zero 3 1.5GB Microcontroller has four memory specifications of 1GB /1.5GB/2GB/4GB to choose from, support a variety of video formats codec, Micro-HDMI output support 4K display, can be widely used in TV boxes, smart projection equipment and so on. Suitable for Building Mini PC/Smart Robot/Game Console/Workstation/Media Center/VR/Etc.
- The Orange Pi Zero 3 Mini PC Computer can also extend the functions of headphones, TV-Out, USB2.0, and infrared reception through the 13Pin expansion port and adapter board.
- The Orange Pi Zero 3 26Pin expansion function port on this board further enrichis the functional interface of the motherboard and enhances the potential for development.
- Orange Pi Single Board Computers can builed a computer, a wireless server, Games, music and sounds, HD video, a speaker, Android, Scratch. Pretty much anything else, because Orange Pi is open source.
- Notice before order: By default, we won't responsible for customs clearance fee charged by your local. If you have any questions, Please feel free to contact us.
- powful cputhe cpu of the raspberry pi 4 model b adopts the latest arm cortex-a72 architecture, which is also used in high-performance smartphones, and has evolved into a real pc.the operating clock has been changed from pi3's 1.2ghz to 1.5ghz, and the speed has become a different dimension with the updated architecture.
- video output/gputhe on-board gpu of the raspberry pi 4 supports 4kp@60 and newly supports h.265 decoding, opengl es 3.0, etc.as for the video output, two micro hdmis with smaller connectors are installed, and the raspberry pi 4 also supports dual screen output.
- usb 3.0with a new soc, the speed of the raspberry pi 4 around i/o has been improved, and finally usb 3.0 is supported.usb boot is faster and more convenient.
- network&bluetoothgigabit ethernet (wired lan) has also been significantly speeded up from 300mbps of pi 3b + to 1000mbps (logical value).in addition, bluetooth supported version has been upgraded to 5.0, and the transfer speed of pi 4 has been doubled.
- power input connectorthe power input connector of the raspberry pi 4 has been changed to usb type c. it is easier to use than micro usb and can supply a larger current reliably.the power requirement of raspberry pi 4 model b is 5v 3.0a, which is higher than the previous model.
- AML-S905X-CC WITH HEATSINK AND WIFI: Le Potato is a powerful SBC platform capable of handling many computing tasks while consuming less than a watt. This bundle adds a bespoke heatsink and plug and play WiFi dongle for getting the most from your board.
- BESPOKE ANODIZED HEATSINK: The anodized heatsink provides a protective oxide layer that resists environmental corrosion while offering significantly better thermal performance. Dramatically increase sustained performance while increasing reliability via reduced temperature cycling. Two push pin anchors securely attach heatsink for vibration resistance.
- PLUG AND PLAY USB WIFI: Get a no-hassle WiFi dongle that offers great performance and feature set including AP mode, ad-hoc mode, monitor mode, packet injection, and more. It is fully integrated into the Linux kernel and is perfect for embedded applications that require low power consumption, memory usage, and software support.
- ADDITIONAL PERIPHERALS REQUIRED: MicroSD card or eMMC flashed with the correct image. Proper bootloader or image is required to have HDMI video output. The green LED will turn on once the bootloader is detected. Please use a 5V 2A or higher MicroUSB power supply. Power supplies with insufficient power will experience voltage drops that cause instability and random application crashes or boot issues. For additional assistance, please use hub.libre.computer for guides and end-user support.
- PERIPHERAL COMPATIBILITY: Most USB based peripherals are directly supported. The GPIO header maintains the same layout for hardware I2C, SPI, PWM, and UART compatibility. I2S, PCM, and SDIO do not share the same pins so most audio peripherals will need to be re-routed. Le Potato features additional GPIOs and SARADC pins on separate headers.
- RASPBIAN COMPATIBILITY: Software made for Raspberry Pi is not compatible out of the box. Libre Computer provides the libretech-raspbian-portability tool on GitHub to convert existing Raspbian images to standard EFI images so that they can run on Libre Computer boards. Pre-converted Raspbian images are also available. Non-standard software libraries for interfacing with hardware will need to be updated since GPIO numbering are not the same across different platforms.
- SUPPORT OPEN-SOURCE: Libre Computer is a major sponsor of software contributions to upstream Linux and U-Boot including support for adopted Allwinner, Amlogic, and Rockchip SoCs. For technical support, please use hub.libre.computer.
- High Performance N5105 Mini PC: Featuring an an Intel Celeron N5105 processor with speeds up to 2.9GHz, this mini PC offers significantly improved performance.
- 8GB RAM+64GB eMMC: This pocket-sized, hackable x86 single board computer measures just 125 x 78 x 16mm and is equipped with 8GB of high-bandwidth RAM and 64GB eMMC for smooth multitasking and fast storage in a compact form factor
- Multiple OS Support: The LattePanda 3 Delta mini PC is compatible with Windows (Win 10 and Win 11) and Linux OS.
- Ultra-Fast Connectivity and Data Transfer: The Mini Desktop Computer has Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit Ethernet for quick streaming and downloading. It also has USB3.2 gen2, USB 3.2 gen1, and USB Type C ports for speeds up to 10X faster than USB2.0.
- Superb Flexibility and Compatibility: This Single Board Computer supports Dual 4K HDR and 3-way video output, including HDMI, Display port over USB-C, and eDP. It also features rich IOs and an integrated Arduino Coprocessor ATmega32U4, compatible with 200+ sensors and actuators.
- 🍊[Incredibly Powerful]: Orange Pi Zero 2W is a powered by Allwinner H618 quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 SBC with 1GB/1.5GB/2GB/4GB LPDDR4 RAM memory, embedding a larger 16MB SPI flash. And features Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
- 🍊[Practical Design]: Despite Orange Pi Zero 2W has only a small size of 30mmX65mmX1.2mm, but it is equipped with 2*USB 2.0, 1Micro HDMI, 1*MicroSD card slot, 1*24 pin functional interface, 1*40 pin headers.
- 🍊[Support Expansion Board]: Orange Pi Zero 2W can be extended with USB2.0, 100M Ethernet, IR receiver, audio output, TV-out, power button via 24 pin functional interface with adapter board. In addition, the 40 pin expansion port on the board further enriches the motherboard's functional interfaces and enhances the development potential.
- 🍊[Small But Powerful]：Orange Pi Zero 2W adheres to the compact and exquisite design concept of the Zero series, and can be widely used in TV boxes, smart screen casting devices, smart home, smart gateway, IoT and other fields. Orange Pi Zero 2W supports Android 12 TV, Debian11, Debian12, Ubuntu22.04, Ubuntu20.04 ，Orange Pi OS（Arch）and other operating systems.
- 🍊[Genuine Guarantee and Official Authorized]: 👉100% original guaranteed: Our products are all genuine , guaranteeing the highest quality.👉100% quality guaranteed: Our all products that have undergone rigorous quality checks.👉100% satisfaction guaranteed: Please contact us if you have any concerns about the product, we will do our best to offer 100% satisfaction for all our customers. NOTE: Buyer needs to assist local authorities to handle customs clearance if have customs issue.
- 🍊🍊[High Performance] - Orange Pi 3B 4G is powered by Rockchip RK3566 quad-core 64-bit processor with 22nm advanced process, up to 1.8GHz main frequency, integrated ARM Mali G52 2EE graphics processor with OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1 support, embedded high-performance 2D acceleration module.
- ✨✨[4k Video Codes Support] - Orange pi 3B 4GB Microcontroller built-in AI accelerator NPU with 0.8Tops computing power; VPU can achieve 4K@60fps H.265/H. 264/VP9 video decoding and 1080P@100fps H.265 video encoding, 1080P@60fps H.264 video encoding, support 8M ISP and HDR.
- 🎁🎁[Multiple Combinations] - This single board computer with 4GB (LPDDR4/ 4X), supports 32GB/64GB/256GB eMMC module, 16MB/32MB SPI Flash, has WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, with BLE support.
- 💽💽[Rich Extensibility] - Orange Pi 3B Mini PC Computer references a wealth of interfaces, including HDMI output, M.2 M-KEY, TF card slot, Gigabit LAN port, USB2.0, USB3.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, MIPI DSI port, eDP port, MIPI CSI camera port, multifunctional 40 Pin expansion port, etc., which can be widely applied to TV boxes, high-end tablet, edge computing, face recognition, smart security, smart home and other fields, empowering rich AI applications and IoT scenarios.
- 🌈🌈[Run Multiple Systems] - Orange Pi 3B supports Android 11, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 11, Debian 12, OpenHarmony 4.0 Beta1, Orange Pi OS (Arch), Orange Pi OS (OH) based on OpenHarmony and other operating systems.
- 🍓🍓[Support Open Source] - Orange Pi Single Board Computers can builed a computer, a wireless server, Games, music and sounds, HD video, a speaker, Android, Scratch. Pretty much anything else, because Orange Pi is open source. The perfect alternative to the Raspberry Pi.
- Orange Pi Zero 2W is powered by Allwinner H618 high-performance quad-core Cortex-A53 processor with up to 1.5GHz, integrated Mali G31 MP2 graphics processor, supporting OpenGL ES 1.0/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1. It has 1GB /1.5GB / 2GB /4GB LPDDR4 memory specification options, supports 16MB SPI Flash. Outperform the Raspberry Pi Zero 2W.
- Orange Pi Zero 2W mini pc can be extended with USB2.0, 100M Ethernet, IR receiver, audio output, TV-out, power button, etc. via 24Pin connector with adapter board. In addition, the 40Pin expansion port on the board further enriches the motherboard's functional interfaces and enhances the development potential.
- Orange Pi Zero 2W 1g adheres to the compact and exquisite design concept of the Zero series, with a PCB size of 30mm X 65mm X 1.2mm, and can be widely used in TV boxes, smart screen casting devices, smart home, smart gateway, IoT and other fields.
- Wi-Fi5+BT 5.0, with BLE support: 2.4G/5G dual-band Wi-Fi5 and Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE support, enjoy the wonderful network anytime, anywhere.
- Orange Pi Zero 2W 1gb supports Android 12 TV, Debian11, Debian12, Ubuntu22.04, Ubuntu20.04 ，Orange Pi OS（Arch）and other operating systems.
- Orange Pi Single Board Computers can builed a computer, a wireless server, Games, music and sounds, HD video, a speaker, Android, Scratch. Pretty much anything else, because Orange Pi is open source.
- LATEST SOFTWARE SUPPORT: Libre Computer provides the latest Ubuntu 23.04 and 22.04 LTS along with Debian 12/Raspbian 11 support with hardware-accelerated video playback and 3D graphics. Upstream software stack featuring the latest Linux 6.x with open source graphics and video libraries. Boards images features standardized bootloaders with UEFI support and behaves similar to a standard computer.
- HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGN: Quad 64-bit 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A53 Processors, 4K Ultra HD ARM Mali-450 GPU, 2GB of High Bandwidth DDR4, 4K 60FPS High Dynamic Range Display Engine for H.265 HEVC, H.264 AVC, VP9 Hardware Decoding and 1080P 60FPS H.264 Harware Encoding, Up to 40% faster than Raspberry Pi 3.
- UNMATCHED IO PERFORMANCE: Equipped with superfast Gigabit Ethernet and lightning speed 5Gbps USB 3, Renegade will power through mixed workloads unlike any sub $50 SBC can dream of. Turn it into a NAS, Kubernetes cluster, file server, wire speed encrypted router/VPN, and more! The performance and possibilities are endless.
- HARDWARE EXTENSIBILITY: 40 Pin header enables hardware re-use by maintaining RPi compatible alternate pin functions like SPI, I2C, PWM, UART, and GPIO. Additional design features include ultra high speed (UHS) Micro SD card support, onboard IR, ADC header, eMMC module expansion connector, and more. Form-factor compatible for easy migration from Raspberry Pi 3 designs. See libretech-wiring-tool for more.
- OPEN SOFTWARE STANDARD: Libre Computer platforms run standard ARMv8 (64-bit) code from all major Linux distributions. Pre-compiled open source bootloaders are provided to strap any distribution, Buildroot, or Yocto images for rapid design and deployment. This platform runs standard Linux distribution kernels and an optimized Linux tree is available on GitHub.
- RASPBIAN COMPATIBILITY: Software made for Raspberry Pi is not compatible out of the box. Libre Computer provides the libretech-raspbian-portability tool on GitHub to convert existing Raspbian images to standard EFI images so that they can run on Libre Computer boards. Pre-converted Raspbian images are also available. Non-standard software libraries for interfacing with hardware will not work and will need to be updated.
- NO ONBOARD WIFI: External USB WiFi/Bluetooth dongles (not included but available in kits) perform faster and with less interference than onboard WiFi/Bluetooth. Libre Computer boards do not feature onboard RF emitters for improved regulatory compliance. Bundles are available with external USB WiFi.
- SUPPORT OPEN-SOURCE: Libre Computer is a major sponsor of software contributions to upstream Linux and U-Boot including support for adopted Allwinner, Amlogic, and Rockchip SoCs. For technical support, please use hub.libre.computer.
How to choose a good single board computers
Does the idea of finding a fantastic single board computers make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in single board computers. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top single board computers products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top single board computers on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top single board computers brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top single board computers based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the single board computers were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good single board computers, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your single board computers.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting single board computers for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our single board computers. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what single board computers should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on single board computers.
