Section: // SBC Reviews (Posts: 35)
All SBC Reviews
Review sub-sections
// Banana Pi Reviews (Reviews: 1)
// Espresso Bin Reviews (Reviews: 1)
// Friendly ARM Reviews (Reviews: 6)
// Hard Kernel Reviews (Reviews: 0)
Hard Kernel Reviews
// Khadas Reviews (Reviews: 2)
// Latte Panda Reviews (Reviews: 3)
// Le Maker Reviews (Reviews: 1)
// Misc SBC Reviews (Reviews: 1)
// Next Thing Co Reviews (Reviews: 2)
// Onion Corp Reviews (Reviews: 1)
// Orange Pi Reviews (Reviews: 4)
// Pine64 Reviews (Reviews: 4)
// Raspberry Pi Reviews (Reviews: 5)
// UDOO Reviews (Reviews: 2)
// Up Board Reviews (Reviews: 1)
Reviews
The Raspberry Pi4: The good, the bad & the ooops! - Review
So, the Pi4 has been around for a while now, but has the Pi Foundation fixed all those nagging issues and does it live up to everyone’s expectations?
Nano Pi M4: Can an SBC get any better? - Review
The NanoPi M4 has been around for some time now. However, this is one SBC that I hadn’t gotten around to reviewing. So, what makes this board so special? Let’s find out.
NanoPi NEO4: Smallest RK3399 SBC. What is real, NEO? // Review
The NanoPi NEO4 is probably the smallest RK3399 based SBC on the market currently. Does it have enough to take on the competition? Find out in this video.
Orange Pi RK3399: HDMI recording on a budget // Review
The Orange Pi RK3399 is yet another board to join the ranks of other RK3399 based SBCs. In true Orange Pi fashion, they give you everything, but is this SBC worth it?
The C-Sky SBC: Pi in the Sky? // Review
An SBC that’s not really an SBC. Based on the NationalChip GX6605S, it can run a tiny Linux with a very small component count, but is it too cool to be usable?
The Khadas Edge: A new captain with an edge // Review
In this review I take a look at one of the newer members of the Khadas family; The Khadas Edge and Khadas Captain.
This board has some pretty interesting power management but, unfortunately, I saw the return of the magic smoke genie.
LattePanda Alpha: The big mistake? // Review
The LattePanda Alpha SBC is a bit of a beast not only in horse power, but in price. In this video I look at benchmarks on Windows, Linux and OSX and give my perspective on why LattePanda made a big mistake.
NanoPC-T4: No room for anything else. // Review
In this article I’ll be taking a look at the newly released NanoPC-T4 from the friendliest SBC makers on the market. I’ll be running through the usual lineup of tests that I do, but I reckon this board deserves two articles. So, this is Part 1.
ODROID XU4: An SBC on `roids // Review
The ODROID XU4 is one of the few octo-core SBCs, that’s been around for a while now, but how good is it?
Raspberry Pi 3B+: Should you upgrade? // Review
So, I’ve been playing around with a bunch of the new Pi 3B pluses for a week now. Do I think the upgrade is worth it? Find out in this quick review.
Rock64: Cheap and rock solid // Review
It’s been a while since the Rock64 was released into the wild for hackers, but 8 months on, how good is this board looking? Let’s find out.
The EspressoBin: Something completely different? // Review
The EspressoBin is being marketed as a different type of SBC. How different is it and is that difference what you want? Find out in this video.
UDOO-X86 Part 2: Roaring performance // Review
In Part 1 of this video I looked at the UDOO-X86 from the electronics Maker perspective.
In Part 2 I’ll be looking at the CPU and graphics performance of the board on Linux as well as RemixOS.
UDOO-X86: No RISC slice of the X86 Pi // Review
Another X86 based SBC hits the market. What’s this new board like? How good is it?
In Part 1 of the UDOO-X86 review, I take a look at how this board performs for the electronics Maker.
TinkerBoard: Shedding the "Pi clone" stigma // Review
So, I finally managed to get my hands on the TinkerBoard.
Does it do everything the company claims? Will it make a dent on the Raspberry Pi market share?
Find out in this video collaboration with NovaSpirit Tech.
The C.H.I.P. Review Update: Power, WiFi, SPI and 3D
This is a review update of the C.H.I.P, taking a look at power consumption, WiFi performance, SPI and 3D acceleration.
LeMaker HiKey: A very cool 8 core SBC // Review
The LeMaker HiKey seems to be one of the better 8 core SBCs around. Here’s why…
Raspberry Pi Zero W: Resonating cavities // Review
The Pi Zero W’s resonant cavity is an interesting design feature. How does this affect WiFi performance? What about current drain?
Orange Pi PC2: A 64bit gremlin? // Review
So, yet another Orange Pi board called the PC2. It’s sporting the new 64bit quad core Allwinner H5 MCU. Is this really a good idea?
Omega2: Providing your daily intake of IoT. // Review
In this review I’ll be taking a first look at the Omega2 and Omega2+. I managed to get in tests on GPIO, I2C, SPI, performance and came across issues like the dreaded 2mm pin spacing, solo powering and the micro-Linux O/S problems.
NanoPi-M3: 8 blazing cores, but... // Review
The NanoPi-M3 has 8 1.4GHz ARM cores. That’s all well and good, but can you actually use this small SBC?
Orange Pi+ 2: Now with Magic Smoke! // Review
The Orange Pi+ 2 is a step up from the previous generation. In this brief review I look at what it offers us… right before the magic smoke genie appeared. Damn!
Orange Pi Zero: Better than the Raspberry Pi Zero? // Review
The Orange Pi Zero is here. How good is it in comparison to the competition? Find out in this video.
LattePanda Update: Cool it! // Review
This is an update on my initial LattePanda review, where I tackle the over-heating problem and look at power supply and network performance testing.
LattePanda 32bit: Too hot to handle? // Review
The LattePanda is one of the few x86 based SBCs on the market. Is it too hot to handle?
Banana Pi Router: NAS, router or trash? // Review
The Banana Pi has been around for a while now, but I thought I’d review one of the models that isn’t so common.
The Banana Pi Router.
NanoPi2: Any advantage over the real Pi? // Review
Unboxing FriendlyARM’s NanoPi2. It’s smaller than the Raspberry Pi, but what advantages are there over the real Pi? Is it good for the Maker? Can it support a desktop for those wanting a tiny mobile computer? Find out in this MickMake review.
Pine64: Will it ever be ready? // Review Update 2
4 months later. Is the Pine64 now ready for the Maker? How has the Pine64 development progressed?
Find out in this video if the Pine64 has addressed all the concerns I had in my original review.
The C.H.I.P.: Next Things come in small packages. // Review
What cool features does the CHIP offer the Maker? Will Next Thing Co be able to hit the education market just as much as the Raspberry Pi? What sort of support do you expect from this tiny SBC? Will NextThingCo stop all these fruity wars with the high carb CHIP?
NanoPC-T3: Maker board or desktop? // Review
Does FriendlyARM’s NanoPC-T3 have an identity crisis? Should it be considered a true Maker board or a desktop? Find out in this review of one of the few 8 core SBCs on the market.
UP Board: The Raspberry Pi killer? // Review
Will the new UpBoard be a true Raspberry Pi killer? What is this new board like and how does it help the Maker?
Find out in this review.
Previous Page
Pine64: Remix OS, Pi Hats and booting // Review Update
This is an update to my Pine64 review answering questions from my YouTube subscribers.
- Question 1: Can you test out Remix O/S?
- Question 2: Can you test out a Raspberry Pi hat to see if it works?
- Question 3: Can a Raspbian / Raspberry Pi 3 image be used on the Pine64?
Pine64: Is it worth your money? // Review
Is the new Pine64 really worth your had earned money? Can it generate enough momentum to take over the king of SBCs, the Raspberry Pi 3?
In this review we’ll be unboxing and running it through it’s paces to see if it really is worth buying.
The new Raspberry Pi 3
Seems that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has risen to the challenge of the flood of “look-alikes” hitting the market. Is the new Raspberry Pi 3 enough to fulfil the needs of Makers that these other boards have been filling up until now? Let’s see….