Hackboard 2 Is an Affordable and Powerful Windows 10 SBC
This single-board computer is powered by an Intel Celeron N4020 with 4GB DDR4 RAM, and has a limited Linux edition.
Quantum Engineering had taken to Crowd Supply a few weeks ago to launch its powerful and affordable Windows 10 Pro SBC with optional 4G or 5G cellular connectivity: the Hackboard 2.
The Hackboard 2 is designed to be a low-cost alternative to other Intel-based SBCs like the ODYSSEY - X86J4105800, which is based on the Intel Celeron J4105 and priced at $218 on Seeed Studio.
The board, which measures 120 x 80 mm, is integrated with a dual-core Intel Celeron N4020 64-bit and clocked up to 2.8 GHz clock and 4 MB cache. According to Quantum Engineering, the SBC is equipped with 4GB DDR4 RAM, 64GB onboard eMMC flash, and two NVMe M.2 slots that can accommodate up to 4TB of additional storage.
For video and audio specifications, it sports an Intel UHD Graphics 600 unit with 4K HDMI 2.1 output and a 3.5 mm CTIA audio jack. It has Wi-Fi connectivity with Intel dual-band AC95060, Bluetooth 5.1, Gigabit Ethernet, and an optional 4G or 5G cellular networking.
The board also features three USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 camera connection, and a 40-pin general-purpose input/output header.
There are multiple options to buy the board, like the Hackboard 2 Starter Kit, that includes a Hackboard 2 with Windows 10 Pro, a 12 VDC / 3 A power supply, a heatsink, a 1080p USB 2 video camera, and a wireless keyboard with integrated trackpad, and more.
The Hackboard 2 Complete Kit includes everything in the Hackboard 2 StarterKit and an additional portable 13.3" IPS 1080p HD display with integrated speakers, USB-C and HDMI inputs, a mini-USB B power supply (5V / 3A).
What's more, the board has support for Windows 10 Pro and Linux operating systems. “The standard version of Hackboard 2 comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro, a full-featured version of Windows that retails for more than the price of Hackboard 2 itself. It also comes pre-installed with the powerful Python programming language for accessing Hackboard 2’s GPIO,” the Quantum Engineering team notes. For those looking for Linux OS, there is a limited edition available that is pre-installed with Ubuntu Linux. This limited edition is only available during the crowdfunding campaign.
The Hackboard 2 is currently live on Crowd Supply, starting at $99 for the Linux edition and $140 for the Windows 10 edition. You can pledge $180 for the Hackboard 2 Starter Kit and $299 for the Hackboard 2 Complete Kit.