PLEASE NOTE: this guide is mostly irrelevant now and will NOT be updated! It is being kept here as a time capsule in case some vital bit of information goes missing from newer sources, and to prevent inbound broken links. Outbound links in this guide will likely break over time.
At the time there were just a handful of budget-priced Linux single-board computers (SBCs). Maintaining such a list is now a full-time job. For up-to-date information, try a Google search for “top Linux SBCs” (opens in new window) and look for articles within the past year.
Have you heard about small Linux-based development boards like the Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone Black, but been confused about which one is best for you? This guide will compare the specifications, performance, power usage, and development experience of four popular Linux-based development boards to help you choose which is right for you!
The boards that will be covered in this guide include:
This guide will compare each board with an emphasis on their features and capabilities for maker and electronics projects. All of these boards run a version of Linux and are great for putting sensors, gadgets, and other hardware on the internet. However, you'll see there are quite a few differences in the hardware and capabilities that might make you prefer one board over the other.Specifications
The following table compares the specs of each board:
| Arduino Yun | Beaglebone Black | Intel Galileo | Raspberry Pi | |
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| SoC | Atheros AR9331 | Texas Instruments AM3358 | Intel Quark X1000 | Broadcom BCM2835 |
| CPU | MIPS32 24K and ATmega32U4 | ARM Cortex-A8 | Intel X1000 | ARM1176 |
| Architecture | MIPS and AVR | ARMv7 | i586 | ARMv6 |
| Speed | 400mhz (AR9331) and 16mhz (ATmega) | 1ghz | 400mhz | 700mhz |
| Memory | 64MB (AR9331) and 2.5KB (ATmega) | 512MB | 256MB | 256MB (model A) or 512MB (model B) |
| FPU | None (Software) | Hardware | Hardware | Hardware |
| GPU | None | PowerVR SGX530 | None | Broadcom VideoCore IV |
| Internal Storage | 16MB (AR9331) and 32KB (ATmega) | 2GB (rev B) or 4GB (rev C) | 8MB | None |
| External Storage | MicroSD (AR9331) | MicroSD | MicroSD | SD card |
| Networking | 10/100Mbit ethernet and 802.11b/g/n WiFi | 10/100Mbit ethernet | 10/100Mbit ethernet | None (model A) or 10/100Mbit ethernet (model B) |
| Power Source | 5V from USB micro B connector, or header pin. | 5V from USB mini B connector, 2.1mm jack, or header pin. | 5V from 2.1mm jack, or header pin. | 5V from USB micro B connector, or header pin. |
| Dimensions | 2.7in x 2.1in (68.6mm x 53.3mm) | 3.4in x 2.1in (86.4mm x 53.3mm) | 4.2in x 2.8in (106.7mm x 71.1mm) | 3.4in x 2.2in (85.6mm x 56mm) |
| Weight | 1.4oz (41g) | 1.4oz (40g) | 1.8oz (50g) | 1.6oz (45g) |
| Approximate Price | $75 | $55 (rev C), $45 (rev B) | $80 | $25 (model A), $35 (model B) |
Documentation |
Open source with full schematics. CPU not officially documented. |
Open source with full schematics. CPU fully documented. |
Open source with full schematics. |
Open source with full schematics. CPU partially documented. |
| Arduino Yun |
BeagleBone Black | Intel Galileo | Raspberry Pi | |
| Digital I/O Pins | 20 | 65 | 14 | 17 |
| Digital I/O Power | 5V | 3.3V | 3.3V or 5V (switched with jumper) | 3.3V |
Analog Input |
12 with 10-bit ADC, 0-5V (supports external reference input) |
7 with 12-bit ADC, 0-1.8V (no external reference input) |
6 with 12-bit ADC, 0-5V (no external reference input) |
None |
| PWM Output | 7 | 8 | 6 (limited speeds prevent fine servo control) | 1 |
| UART | 2 (1 wired to AR9331) | 4 | 2 (1 exposed through 3.5mm jack) | 1 |
| SPI | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| I2C | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| USB Host | 1 standard A connector (AR9331) | 1 standard A connector | 1 micro AB connector | 1 (Model A) or 2 (Model B) standard A connector |
|
USB Client |
1 micro B connector (ATmega) | 1 mini B connector | 1 micro B connector | None |
|
Video Output |
None | Micro HDMI | None | HDMI, Composite RCA, DSI |
| Video Input | None | None | None | CSI (camera) |
| Audio Output | None | Micro HDMI | None | HDMI, 3.5mm jack |
| Power Output | 3.3V up to 50mA, 5V | 3.3V up to 250mA, 5V up to 1A | 3.3V up to 800mA, 5V up to 800mA | 3.3V up to 50mA, 5V up to 300-500mA |
| Other | - All I/O routed to ATmega processor unless noted otherwise. - Hardware compatibility with most Arduino Leonardo compatible shields. |
- Real-time support with programmable real-time units. - Many pins have multiple functions such as I2S audio, CAN bus, etc. See the wiki for more information. |
- Mini-PCI Express slot. - Real-time clock with optional battery. - Mixed compatibility with Arduino shields. |
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