Hackboard today launched the Hackboard 2, a compact and affordable Wintel SBC. Key features of this 4.7 x 3.1 inches (120 x 80 mm) board are its Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core CPU, its good selection of ports and connectivity, the licensed Windows 11 Pro OS, and its $199 price tag.
The Hackboard makers tout it as an ideal maker board for general x86 hobbyist projects, IoT projects, for work from home folk, for edge and embedded solutions, and more. In a press release, Mike Callow, Hackboard's co-founder and CEO said that the Hackboard 2 is also designed "to address the increasing worldwide challenge of the Digital Divide and the needs of education." Those are big asks for a 2C/2T 14nm Celeron-powered SBC.
(Image credit: Hackboard)
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Hackboard 2
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8 GB
Processor
Intel Celeron N4020 Dual-Core at up to 2.8 GHz
Broadcom BCM 2711 Quad-Core Cortex-A72 SoC at 1.8 GHz
RAM
up to 8 GB DDR4
2GB, 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4
Storage
up to 512 GB eMMC
microSD card (sold separately)
Networking
Wi-Fi (1.73 Gb/s), Bluetooth 5.1, optional 4G and 5G
Wi-Fi (433 Mb/s, Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit Ethernet, PoE
Ports
3 x USB 3.0, USB-C, USB 2.0 header, speaker header, HDMI 1.4 supporting up to 4092 x 2160@30Hz, eDP connector, 2-pin fan header, 40-Pin GPIO
2 USB 3.0 ports; 2 USB 2.0 ports, 2 × micro-HDMI ports, 4-pole stereo audio and composite video, 40 pin GPIO header
Power supply
included
sold separately
Battery backup
Small cell BIOS backup for up to two years
no
Heatsink
Aluminum Anodized Black
sold separately
OS support
Windows 10 & 11 Pro, Linux
Linux
OS can be updated
Both Windows and Linux
Linux
Dimensions
4.7 x 3.1 inches (120 x 80 mm)
3.4 x 2.2 inches (85 x 49 mm)
Hackboard is working to put together some kits built around the Hackboard 2, featuring extras such as a case, a wireless keyboard / touchboard, a webcam, and a portable monitor. There are also optional 4G and 5G cellular modems to expand the connectivity options already on offer.
Regular readers may remember the Hackboard 2 from its crowdfunding stage, way back in Dec 2020 / Jan 2021. However, this SBC is now available from a wide range of resellers, including RS Components, OKdo, Micro Center, Mouser, CrowdSupply, and Vilros.
(Image credit: Hackboard)
Perhaps of some importance to the chance of success of the Hackboard 2 is the change in pricing. During the crowdfunding stage, there was an appealing $99 option, which is now gone. Now the cheapest model post-launch model is $175 with Debian Linux, or $199 with a Windows 11 Pro license. With the new price, the above Raspberry Pi 4 comparison might not be as fair as it used to be. And there are full Windows systems with newer hardware available for less money. Having said that, a supply / demand imbalance has affected the Pi in recent months and caused significant price inflation -- when stock is available. So for those looking for a project board who are inclined toward x86, the Hackboard 2 offers up an interesting alternative.
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Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.
Eh, if that's what you want, Up-Board already makes a model that's just 85mm x 56mm.
https://up-board.org/up-4000/
You can buy them here:
https://up-shop.org/up4000series.html
Another option is the ODROID-H3 and H3+:
https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-h3-plus/
