Modern technologies tirelessly surprise us. We used to use computers, whose hard drives cost tens of thousands of dollars, and were transported exclusively by plane. Everything is changing, now such a computer can fit on one baby’s hand, there will still be room for another. This article will discuss the topic of single-board computers, what are their pros and cons, which is worth buying for personal use, and in general - is it worth it? This article is recommended for novice users of the Linux operating system. If you do not know such an operating system , then you will be faced with great difficulties.
Most popular mini computers
First, it’s worth deciding what a computer is like. A single-board computer consists of the following elements: processor, RAM, pin pins, various controllers, for example, Ethernet - they are only auxiliary, therefore their equipment from different manufacturers is also different.
The processor uses a mobile, usually ARM architecture. Why so? All due to considerations of energy efficiency, speed and price / performance ratio. Such processors not only win in the market of mobile devices, but also here, because a single-board computer does not have a video card, there is only an integrated graphics core directly in the processor itself. The most common is Mali-400ml (in many 2013 phones this is the case).
The RAM is ordinary, usually DDR3, if you're lucky, then DDR4, it all depends on the price of the computer. In the market for these devices, it all depends on how much you plan to spend, so in the next paragraph of the article we will talk about the main competitors of this market.
Windows Single Board Computer
So, as already mentioned, the most popular competitors in this market are not so many, since this product is very specific. Imagine a board with electronic components, and it has a gold-plated output. Many people from this just go crazy, they say, what to do about it? Therefore, such things are taken exclusively by either novice programmers or geeks, although the difference between them is only in the time spent at the computer.
There are two major competitors in the single-board computer market:
- Raspberry Pi. A line of programmable microcomputers capable of performing work of any complexity. The cheapest version costs about one thousand Russian rubles.
- Orange Pi. A direct analog of the above board, but the advantage of this company is that there is a very large line of computers - from ultra-small to full-sized. The cheapest image costs 400 rubles, and almost does not concede to the main competitor in everything.
On any of these computers, you can install a special version of Windows under ARM (Architecture TSISK). Which is more suitable for you is up to you, because a single-board computer is not only a specific thing, but also very intimate, because a certain model is tailored, again, to a specific task. You can order both on the official website, and on any intermediary site in Russia.
Can I create a single-board computer with my own hands?
Perhaps a lot of people asked a similar question. Let's say right away: yes and no. It is possible that you are a very skilled technician and can create something similar, but it will occupy much more space. Small size is precisely the advantage of such computers.
Finally
We hope you enjoyed this article about single board computers. It is also worth noting the following. Such devices based on the TsISK architecture work quite well only on the server version of Linux, and with Windows it is still not so smooth, so if you are ready for the difficulties associated with learning a new OS, then a single-board computer is definitely for you.