A Single-Board Computer has all the same parts as a computer – including a microprocessor, memory, and IO. When the Android operating system (OS) is combined with the compact, single-circuit board design, it can be a powerful piece of hardware for multimedia display, kiosks, or interactive digital signage. And, SBCs that support the AOSP codebase can be an ideal choice for commercial deployments of Android kiosk mode apps and use cases.
But just because SBC hardware supports AOSP doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for your use case. In fact, it’s definitely important to evaluate Android SBCs against your requirements for software, hardware, and Android software development potential.
4 of the Top Android SBCs
Maturity, specs, and performance under simulated real-world conditions should impact your decision about an Android SBC. Here are 4 leading options for Android SBCs:
- Tinker Board S
- Khadas Edge-V
- Khadas VIM 3
- Toradex Colibri IMX8X
First, each of these options must be evaluated side-by-side for maturity and specifications. Then, you can subject each piece of Android hardware to some pretty extreme testing.
SBC Maturity
Android Single-Board Computer Maturity is a measure of fit for commercial deployments. Maturity includes factors like whether it’s possible to build and customize the Android OS and kernel using the official source code, support for Android OS version upgrades, and more.
Here’s what we evaluated side-by-side to determine maturity:
- Hardware
- Firmware and Android OS Customization
- Included Software
- Support for Android OS Version Upgrades
- Customer Support
- Adapters & Cables
SBC Specifications
Specifications are another measure of fit for enterprise Android deployments. Understanding processor power, display definition, and peripheral support can streamline the selection of an Android SBC for kiosk or signage deployments. An SBC spec evaluation includes:
- Processor
- GPU
- Display
- Memory
- Storage
- Bluetooth
- WiFi
- Audio
- USB
- Camera
- Weight
- Size
- PCIe
- M.2
- RTC
- Wake-on-Lan
- V-In
SBC Evaluation
And finally, you must determine a board’s compatibility under a stressful real-world workload. Here’s some of the testing you can try for each board:
- Monkey Test
- Continuous Reboot Test
- Geekbench CPU Test
- Geekbench Compute Test
- Evaluated Pros
- Evaluated Cons
Choose your Android SBC
To choose the right Android SBC for your solution, contact us at Esper today — we’re Android SBC experts and have worked with devices from Khadas and others for enterprise customers.