Laptops & Desktops

The Best Single Board Computers

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Our picks are based on Amazon bestseller rankings, verified customer ratings, and product availability. We update our recommendations regularly to ensure accuracy.

Single Board Computers (SBCs) offer a versatile and compact computing solution, ideal for hobbyists, educators, and professionals alike. Selecting the appropriate SBC depends heavily on your project's demands, from processing power and connectivity to power consumption and physical size. This guide will help you navigate the key considerations to make an informed decision for your next electronic endeavor.

No. 2
NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit
  • The NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit sets a new standard for creating entry-level AI-powered robots, smart drones, and intelligent cameras,and simplifies getting started with the Jetson Orin Nano series. Compact design, lots of connectors and up to...
  • The developer kit comprises a Jetson Orin Nano 8GB module and a reference carrier board that can accommodate all Orin Nano and Orin NX modules, providing an ideal platform for prototyping your next-gen edge AI product. The Jetson Orin Nano 8GB module...
  • Jetson runs the NVIDIA AI software stack, with available use-case-specific application frameworks, including NVIDIA Isaac for robotics, DeepStream for vision AI, and Riva for conversational AI. You can save significant time with NVIDIA Omniverse...
  • Ecosystem partners offer additional AI and system software, developer tools, and custom software development. They can also help with cameras and other sensors, as well as carrier boards and design services for your product.
  • Jetson Orin modules are unmatched in performance and efficiency for robots and other autonomous machines, and give you the flexibility to create the next generation of AI solutions with the latest NVIDIA technology. Together with the world-standard NVIDIA...
No. 3
Arduino® UNO™ Q 4GB [ABX00173]- Hybrid Board, Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 microprocessor (MPU) & STM32U...
  • Dual-Brain Hybrid Power: Combines the Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 MPU (Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz CPU, Adreno GPU, AI acceleration) and the real-time, low-power STM32U585 MCU for advanced applications like object recognition, voice commands, and...
  • AI & Linux Capabilities: Unlocks AI-powered vision and sound solutions; runs Linux Debian OS for coding in Python and supports the Arduino ecosystem with libraries and Sketches; quick start with Arduino App Lab.
  • Advanced Features: Equipped with 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM, 32 GB eMMC built-in storage, ideal for single-board computer (SBC) mode, running multiple simultaneous high-level processes, more complex AI or ML models, extensive logs. Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (2.4/5 GHz...
  • Seamless Expansion & Connectivity: Features the classic UNO form factor for shields compatibility, an 8x13 LED matrix, and a Qwiic connector for easy expansion with Modulino nodes; power and connect via the USB-C connector.
  • Intended Use & Development: The perfect platform for prototyping robotics or IoT projects, empowering innovators with a unified development experience to mix Arduino Sketches, Python scripts, and containerized AI models in a single interface.
No. 5
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit PRO - Turbine Black (128GB Edition) (8GB RAM)
  • Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 2.4Ghz 64-bit quad-core CPU (8GB RAM)
  • Includes 128GB Micro SD Card pre-loaded with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, USB MicroSD Card Reader
  • CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Raspberry Pi 5
  • CanaKit Low Noise Bearing System Fan
  • Mega Heat Sink - Black Anodized
  • CanaKit 45W PD Power Supply for the Raspberry Pi 5
  • 2 x Display Cables - 6 foot (Supports up to 4K 60p)
No. 6
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Starter PRO Kit - 4GB RAM
  • Includes Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Model B with 1.5GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU (4GB RAM)
  • Includes Pre-Loaded 32GB EVO+ Micro SD Card (Class 10), USB MicroSD Card Reader
  • CanaKit Premium High-Gloss Raspberry Pi 4 Case with Integrated Fan Mount, CanaKit Low Noise Bearing System Fan
  • CanaKit 3.5A USB-C Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (US Plug) with Noise Filter, Set of Heat Sinks, Display Cable - 6 foot (Supports up to 4K60p)
  • CanaKit USB-C PiSwitch (On/Off Power Switch for Raspberry Pi 4)
No. 7
Raspberry Pi 4 Computer Model B 8GB Single Board Computer Suitable for Building Mini PC/Smart Robot/Game...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
No. 8
Orange Pi 4 Pro 4GB LPDDR5 8 Core 64 Bit Single Board Computer, 3TOPS AI NPU Allwinner A733 WiFi 6 & Bluetooth...
  • High Performance CPU - 2×Cortex-A76 + 6×Cortex-A55, clocked at up to 2.0GHz, ensures smooth and efficient multitasking. Featuring an octa-core processor, a dedicated NPU, rich I/O, and extensive expansion capabilities—all integrated onto a compact...
  • Dedicated NPU - The 3 TOPS NPU accelerates real-time processing for tasks like face recognition and behavior detection. Supports INT8/INT16/FP16/BF16 multi-precision hybrid computing and is compatible with mainstream frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch...
  • GPU + RISC-V Co-Processor - Orange Pi 4 Pro 4G Combines efficient graphics processing with real-time control capabilities for smarter system resource allocation and faster response times. Whether for robotics, smart gateways, industrial control systems...
  • Wi-Fi 6+Bluetooth 5.4 - Faster, more stable transmission,even in high-interferenceenvironments. Gigabit Ethernet + PoE Support, Simplifies deployment bydelivering both power and dataover a single cable.
  • Open Software - Supports multiple operating systems including Android, Debian, Ubuntuand OpenHarmony. Comes with complete driver support and development toolchains, enabling rapid model migration, application development,and system customization.
  • 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.
No. 9
LattePanda 3 Delta x86 Single Board Computer | Intel N5105 Quad-Core Windows 10/11 SBC | Built-in Arduino...
  • [NATIVE WINDOWS & FULL LINUX SUPPORT] Stop struggling with ARM compatibility limits! Unlike traditional ARM boards, this pocket-sized x86 single board computer smoothly runs full Windows 10/11 and mainstream Linux distributions natively. Powered by the...
  • [INTEGRATED ARDUINO LEONARDO COPROCESSOR] Eliminates the need for separate PCs and microcontrollers. Features an onboard ATmega32U4 coprocessor (Arduino Leonardo compatible), perfectly bridging the gap between high-level software processing and physical...
  • [DUAL M.2 SLOTS FOR NVME & 5G EXPANSION] Break free from limited onboard storage and Wi-Fi boundaries! This x86 SBC features dual M.2 slots to unleash limitless expansion. Utilize the M.2 M Key for lightning-fast NVMe SSDs, and the M.2 B Key for SATA SSDs...
  • [ULTRA-FAST WI-FI 6 & 2.5GbE ETHERNET] Say goodbye to network latency and dropped packets! Built for data transfer, this board is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi 6 (up to 2.4Gbps) and a dedicated 2.5GbE Gigabit LAN port. This dual high-speed network...
  • [INDUSTRIAL-GRADE BIOS & TRIPLE DISPLAY] Eliminate downtime anxiety for mission-critical projects! Features a cooling fan and pro-level BIOS supporting Auto Power-On and Watchdog Timer for 24/7 unattended operation. Furthermore, it supports triple...
No. 10
Libre Computer Le Potato Mini Single Board Computer with USB WiFi 4 and Heatsink (2GB WiFi 4, Libre Blue)
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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.

Last update on 2026-06-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Choose the Best Single Board Computers

Comparison Tips

  • Match I/O to Your Peripherals: Ensure the SBC has the right number and type of USB ports, display outputs, and networking options for your planned hardware.
  • Prioritize Performance for Demanding Tasks: If your project involves video processing, machine learning, or running multiple applications, opt for an SBC with a more powerful CPU and ample RAM.
  • Consider Form Factor and Durability: For embedded or mobile projects, a smaller, more robust SBC might be necessary.
  • Factor in Power Efficiency: Battery-powered projects will benefit from SBCs designed for low power consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Single Board Computer?
A Single Board Computer (SBC) is a complete computer built on a single circuit board. It typically includes a microprocessor, memory, input/output (I/O), and other features required of a functional computer.
What are the most common uses for SBCs?
SBCs are used for a wide range of applications, including DIY electronics projects, robotics, home automation, media centers, learning programming, prototyping, and lightweight server tasks.
Do I need a separate graphics card for an SBC?
No, most SBCs have integrated graphics processing capabilities directly on the main board. They typically feature HDMI or other video outputs for connecting displays.
How do I install an operating system on an SBC?
The operating system is usually installed onto a microSD card. You'll download an OS image, flash it to the card using specific software, and then insert the card into the SBC to boot.
Are SBCs powerful enough to replace a desktop computer?
For basic tasks like web browsing and word processing, some high-end SBCs can suffice. However, they generally lack the processing power and expandability for demanding applications like gaming or professional video editing.
What does GPIO mean in the context of SBCs?
GPIO stands for General Purpose Input/Output. These are pins on the SBC that allow it to communicate with external electronic components such as sensors, LEDs, buttons, and motors, making them ideal for DIY electronics.