A single-board computer consists of a single motherboard that contains all the essential components of a computer. Single-board computers (SBC) are very common embedded boards because they are smaller and less expensive than other options. Especially for IoT projects they are an affordable and powerful solution.
As these boards are ready to use out of the box, development time and costs are significantly reduced: Firstly, existing boards cannot be scaled to the latest processor generations, as the CPU and input/output are placed on the same board. Secondly, it is not possible to adapt an existing SBC as the CPU and I/Os are permanently installed.
What Are Their Uses?
At their inception (around May 1976), SBCs were initially developed to aid learning. But with improvements in technology, they have evolved to perform various applications like ordinary computers.
Currently, intelligent systems such as those that run smart cars, smart security systems and automated devices among many other similar applications rely on SBCs. Moreover, they are still useful in learning, prototyping and experimentation among students and hobbyists. Click here to explore a wide selection of SBCs and many more that cater to different applications and project requirements.
Why Are They Preferable To Ordinary Computers?
It is crucial to note that SBCs, in general, have rather lower capabilities than their PC counterparts. On the other hand, they have continued to increase their market demand and processing capacity over the years. Because of their various uses, it can be expected that SBCs could surpass the popularity of PCs in the future. Now, various reasons make single-board computers more preferable to traditional PCs. Some of the notable reasons include:
- They are portable: At the top of the list of their distinctiveness from PCs is their incredibly small size. SBCs are really enough to fit the size of a palm. Because of their small size, they are portable and can be programmed and then incorporated on various automated/intelligent systems.
- They are inexpensive: Most SBCs are very inexpensive to acquire. Compared to conventional computers, single board computers are significantly inexpensive to acquire compared to PCs. Usually, with a reduction in the purchase price of a product, there is always a tendency for the demand for such a product to go up. Likewise, inventions on the use of such products increase. SBCs are now readily available and used by various electrical engineers and hobbyists for prototyping.
- They consume less power than PCs. When you evaluate SBCs against conventional computers on power consumption, you will undoubtedly find a very significant reduction in power consumption. An average SBC consumes only eight watts of power compared to the 400 watts of power consumed by conventional computers when run in power-saving mode. From this point of view, SBCs are preferable to traditional computers.
What Are The Core Components?
Single-board computers consist of the following core components
- The processor performs all calculations and data processing tasks. ARM or x86 processors are often used in single-board computers.
- The RAM is used for the temporary storage of data and programs that can be accessed by the processor. It enables fast access times and influences the overall performance of the computer.
- Single-board computers usually have integrated memory, which can be either flash memory or a microSD card slot. The operating system, programs and data are stored on this memory.
- Single-board computers offer various connections for communicating with other devices and expanding functionality. Typical ports include USB ports (for keyboard, mouse, memory sticks, etc.), HDMI or DisplayPort ports (for image output), Ethernet ports (for network connection) and audio ports.
- Some single-board computers contain an integrated graphics processor that handles image output and graphics processing. This is particularly relevant for computer-controlled projects or multimedia applications.
- Single-board computers require an operating system that enables the basic operation of the computer.