Looking for an alternative to the ultra-popular Raspberry Pi? The brand has had difficulties recently getting its hands on certain components, making it hard to know what to do when choosing a good SBC system. Below is a list of the best options currently available on the market to help you: ODROID-M1, ODROID-XU4 and the JN30D NVDIA Jetson Nano Pack.
ODROID-M1: a RK3568B2
This single-board computer, which comes in a 4 GB or a 8 GB version, features a Rockchip RK3568B2 processor and four ARM Cortex-A55 processors with a Mali-G52 MP2 GPU. Although larger (122 x 90 x 16 mm) than the Raspberry Pi, it’s nonetheless smaller and cheaper than a desktop computer. The RK3568B2 SoC can also drive AI applications, thanks to a dedicated module that will deliver up to 0.8 TOPS.
The ODROID-M1 includes a number of input and output features:
- 1 micro USB 2.0 port
- 2 USB 2.0 ports
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
- 1 RJ45 Ethernet port (10/100/1000)
- 1 HDMI 2.0 port
- 1 x 3.5 mm phone jack port
- 1 eMMC port
- 1 microSD port
ODROID-XU4: superior power and speed
Another strong contender is the ODROID-XU4 with its Exynos5422 processor by Samsung, which delivers almost exactly the same performance as the Raspberry Pi 4. In fact, data transfer and start-up are significantly faster. Like the ODROID-M1 and RasPi 4, it has 40 GPIO pins, offering considerable potential for developers. The board’s only drawback is that it operates at 1.8 V (vs. 3.3 V for the Pi), which will pose potential compatibility issues with accessories that operate at 3.3 V or 5 V. Although you can of course use a Shifter Shield to choose a voltage.
Input and output features of the ODROID-XU4:
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
- 1 USB 2.0 port
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet network port
- 1 full-screen HDMI 1.4 port
- 1 HDMI digital audio output
- 1 microSD port
- 1 eMMC module port
- ODROID vs. Raspberry Pi
If we had to mention one main flaw, it would be that the ODROID-M1 and ODROID-XU4 do not have in-built Bluetooth or WiFi. But you can easily solve this problem by using an add-on module on one of their many USB ports. For example, you can use this WiFi dongle to connect your ODROID board to the internet.
JN30D NVIDIA Jetson Nano 4 GB Developer Kit: lots of possibilities
Despite being more expensive, the JN30D NVIDIA Jetson Nano kit is one of the most popular Raspberry Pi alternatives. It has several USB ports and runs on a 128-core Maxwell graphics processor and a quad-core ARM A57 1.43 GHz microcontroller. The two boards have a lot in common: 40-pin GPIO, Ethernet support and Linux-based operating system. This development kit comes with a NVIDIA Jetson Nano 4 GB module, a heat sink, an Auvidea JN30D carrier board and a USB-C power port.
It’s a powerful nanocomputer, which makes it particularly suitable for robotics applications.
The JN30D carrier board comes with the following connectivity:
- 1 USB 3.0/3.1 port
- 1 USB 2.0 port (JST-GH)
- 1 RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port
- 1 micro USB port
- 1 HDMI port
- 1 eMMC module port
Full comparison of the different boards
Unfortunately, the latest news is that the Raspberry Pi shortages and price hikes are set to last. This difficult situation has encouraged us to take action and find alternatives, so we can all continue working on our projects.
| Raspberry Pi 4 | ODROID-XU4 | ODROID-M1 | NVIDIA Jetson Nano 4 GB | |
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2711 Quad-Core Cortex (ARM v8) 64-bit @1.5GHz SoC | Samsung Exynos5422 8-Core SoC: Cortex A15 Quad 2 GHz, Cortex A7 Quad 1.4 GHz | Rockchip RK3568B2 Quad-Core Cortex-A55 32-bit 1.992 GHz SoC (ARM v8) | 128-Core Maxwell, NVIDIA Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 MPCore SoC |
| Memory | 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB or 8 GB | 4 GB |
| Display | 2 HDMI | 1 HDMI | 1 HDMI | 1 HDMI |
| Ports | 2 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 | 2 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 | 2 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0 | 1 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0 |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Start-up | Partition on microSD | Integrated eMMC module | Integrated eMMC module | Integrated eMMC module |
| Operating system | Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu MATE, LibreELEC | Linux (Ubuntu, Kali Linux), Android | Linux, Android | Linux Kernel Version 5.10.87 |
Unfortunately, the latest news is that the Raspberry Pi shortages and price hikes are set to last. This difficult situation has encouraged us to take action and find alternatives, so we can all continue working on our projects.
ODROID-M1
Starts from 114 € (inc. VAT)
- Rockchip RK3568B2 cortex
- RAM: 4 GB or 8 GB
- Many ports
- Different possibilities of external storage
ODROID-XU4
90,50 € (inc. VAT)
- Samsung Exynos5422 cortex
- RAM: 2 GB
- Fast and powerful
- 40 GPIO pins
KIT JN30D Jetson Nano
255,60 € (inc. VAT)
- NVIDIA Maxwell 128 cores cortex
- Mémoire : 4 Go
- Includes an Jetson Nano module , a heatsink and JN30D carrier board