There are a number of reasons why one might be interested in a single-board computer with low board consumption. For one, portable projects are usually designed to run from a battery for as long as possible, which brings the need for a controller that requires little power to operate. Low power consumption is also perfect for projects where you need a combination of a microcontroller's low-power consumption and a complete computer's functionality.
The single-board computers listed below are the best fit for your portable, powered projects.
1. Raspberry Pi 4B
The Raspberry Pi 4 is a relatively powerful single-board computer from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It has a quad-core CPU typically clocked to 1.8GHz, up to 8GB of RAM, and a microSD card slot for storage.
The Raspberry Pi 4B is a low-cost SBC that strikes a balance between functionality and low power consumption. The Raspberry Pi 4 is powerful enough to mine cryptocurrency and act as a media server, but it still consumes so little power that it can be powered by a 20,000mAh power bank for about 23 hours, under low load. Take a look at some of the wonderful projects you can do with a Raspberry Pi 4.
If you don’t need the power of a Raspberry Pi 4B, you can opt for the Raspberry Pi 3B+ instead for more energy savings at a likely more affordable price. Unsure about buying such an old Raspberry Pi model? Check out whether the Raspberry Pi 3B+ is still worth It in 2023.
2. Khadas VIM1S
The Khadas VIM1S is a new take on the older VIM1 with an upgraded SoC clocked at 2.0GHz and a more powerful GPU that is capable of simultaneous multi-video encoding. It retains the 40-pin GPIO header, the VIN port for an additional 5V power source, and an onboard real-time clock.
It is a minimal board at 3.23 x 2.28 x 0.51 inches and weighs only 27g. It features a quad-core ARM Cortex A35, 16GB eMMC, and 2GB LPDDR4 RAM. It includes a multifunction USB-C port that powers the board and provides USB 2.0 OTG, 2 x Type-A USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port (4K@60fps), and a megabit Ethernet port.
The Khadas VIM1S is economical about power use and consumes less than 2W under heavy load. It is available for around $65 from the official website.
Some users might consider the lack of Gigabit Ethernet and USB 3.0 a dealbreaker, but the Khadas VIM1S is an altogether nice package with minimal power consumption.
3. Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is the smallest and cheapest Raspberry Pi, one that builds on the successes of the initial Raspberry Pi Zero. It is more powerful than the Raspberry Pi 3A+ with overall less power consumption, all at a size of 2.56 x 1.18 x 0.51 inches.
The Pi Zero 2 W comes with a quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor and a VideoCore IV GPU. It features 512MB SDRAM which should be sufficient for most portable projects. You will find the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W in handhelds, mechanical keyboards, security systems, and projects. Check out our list of the best Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W projects.
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is also very affordable at an official retail price of $15. It is pretty much the cheapest single-board computer. Unfortunately, given the scarcity of Pis, you might not be able to find it at that price. If you do manage to get your hands on one, be sure to take a look at our review of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W.
The Zero 2 W is also the most power-efficient Raspberry Pi. According to Jeff Geerling, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W uses about 0.6W with HDMI and LEDs off, and nothing else connected.
4. Rock64
The Rock64 is a popular single-board computer from Pine64, the makers of the PineBook Pro and the Star64 RISC-V SBC. It is a credit card-sized board that features the Rockchip RK33288 SoC with a quad-core ARM Cortex A-53 and an ARM Mali-450 MP2 GPU. It provides up to 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM and supports an optional eMMC module.
The Rock64 is designated as a media board, and it features an HDMI port that is capable of 4K video output at 60fps, a USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and a microSD card slot that supports up to 256GB of storage.
Power consumption at a CPU frequency of 1296MHz by using the stress utility was found to be around 2.64W (for the CPU) and 2.95W (for the memory), pretty low for a computer of this size. It also uses less power than the Raspberry Pi 3B+ while idle.
The Rock64 however lacks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and you will need to buy separate modules which brings the cost further up. Although official support has dwindled over the years, Rock64 still has a large and active community of users.
5. Rock Pi S
The Rock Pi S is a tiny single-board computer from Radxa (and unrelated to the Rock64, except for the fact that it uses a Rockchip SoC). The S in the name stands for "small square," which is appropriate for a board that is only 1.7 x 1.7 inches.
This board is powered by a Rockchip RK3308 SoC that integrates a 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A35 CPU designed for intelligent voice interaction and audio input/output processing. It comes in two RAM variants, 256MB or 512MB DDR3, and has a microSD card slot for storage.
The Rock Pi S is mainly aimed at Internet of Things applications and features a megabit Ethernet port, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, a USB Type-C OTG port, and two 26-pin GPIO headers. It is available for under $20 and has onboard Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NAND flash in some variants.
Power consumption is minimal with the Rock Pi S, with a maximum draw of around 2W under 100% CPU load, according to a review by Thanassis Tsiodras. You can further minimize power consumption by disconnecting peripherals and running the board headless.
The Rock Pi S is well-documented for an alternative board, and you will find detailed technical specifications about the board, compatible software, and also a basic guide for beginners in the wiki.
Choose a Low-Power SBC for Your Portable Projects
The above single-board computers allow you to power your projects without draining your batteries or running up your energy bill. They manage power efficiently and still pack quite a punch for projects that require some heavy lifting. There are also certain measures you can take to further conserve power, such as disconnecting unneeded peripherals, turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and disabling HDMI and LEDs.
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