OnLogic is adding to its line of Helix and rugged, higher-end Karbon embedded PCs with four new Helix 300 and Karbon 400 models that run Linux or Windows on Intel’s Elkhart Lake.

OnLogic has announced four fanless embedded systems built around Intel’s 10nm-fabricated, MCU-equipped Elkhart Lake Atom, Celeron, and Pentium processors. The smaller Helix 310 (HX310) and Helix 330 (HX330) and more expandable and rugged Karbon 410 (K410) and Karbon 430 (K430) all run Linux or Windows and will ship in the second quarter.

Karbon 310 (top) and Helix 310
(click image to enlarge)

In other OnLogic news, we missed the December announcement that OnLogic had expanded its line of hardened, industrial rugged thin clients running the Linux-based IGEL OS. The new models similarly run on Intel’s Apollo Lake SoCs.

The new Helix 300 Series and Karbon 400 Series computers follow other Elkhart Lake based systems including Vecow’s SPC-6000 embedded PC and Neousys’ POC-400 and smaller and more recent POC-40 mini-PCs. The new Helix 310 and Helix 330 provide lower-power, more embedded alternatives to the earlier 10th Gen Comet Lake-S Core based Helix 500 and 600. The Karbon 410 and Karbon 430 are more embedded friendly and power efficient than the 9th Gen Coffee Lake based Karbon 700 and faster and more powerful than the Apollo Lake driven Karbon 300.

Helix 310, Helix 330, and Karbon 310
(click image to enlarge)

OnLogic has yet to post extensive details on the systems, and it lacks an image for the Karbon 430. but the Burlington, Vermont based company has posted a comparative spec list shown below. The Helix 310 and 330 use some apparently new and more embedded “E” versions of the dual-core, 1.2GHz/3.0GHz Celeron N6211 and quad-core, 1.8GHz/3.0GHz Pentium J6425 that currently show up on Intel’ Ark pages. The Karbon 410 and 430 ship with the dual-core, 1.2GHz/3.0GHz Atom x6211E and quad-core, 1.8GHz/3.0GHz Atom x6425E.

All four systems support up to 32GB DDR4 and support triple independent 4K displays. The Helix systems accomplish this with 3x DisplayPorts, but the Karbon specs only list a single DP, so there are presumably eDP and LVDS interfaces lurking inside or perhaps a display option available via expansion slots. Common features on all four systems include 3x USB 3.2 and 3x USB 2.0 ports plus a 3.5mm audio jack.

Feature comparison, from left: Helix 310, Helix 330, Karbon 310, and Karbon 330
(click images to enlarge)

The Helix 310 offers 1x (with Celeron) or 2x (Pentium) GbE ports while the Helix 330 offers 3x (Celeron) or 4x (Pentium) GbE ports. The Helix systems also supply 2x COM ports, a 12-24V power input, and a 0 to 50°C operating range.

The Helix 310 gives you 2x M.2 slots plus a ModBay expansion slot, which is presumably the source for most of the listed options: DIO, 2x additional COM, CANBus, or 3x additional antennas. There is also an option for 4G, presumably from one of the M.2 slots. When the systems go on sale, OnLogic will probably offers its usual configurable, a la carte shopping pages.

The Karbon 410 and 430 each provide 2x standard GbE ports while the Karbon 430, and possibly the Karbon 410, gives you 2x more optional LAN ports, presumably via the ModBay. There is also an option of PoE on at least some of these ports. Unlike with the SPC-600 or POC-400, there is no mention of 2.5GbE support.

Unlike the Helix models, the Karbon computers provide a standard CANBus interface, but there are no standard COM ports. The Karbon 410 provides 2x M.2 slots and a mini-PCIe slot accompanied by a micro-SIM slot for optional 4G. The Karbon 430 offers 4x M.2, including at least 2x 2280 slots, plus a single mini-PCIe along with dual micro-SIMs. Options for both Karbon models, which likely derive from the ModBay expansion slot, includes DIO, COM, and TPM, and in the case of the Karbon 430, “LAN or USB.”

The Karbon systems have a -40 to 70°C operating range and MIL-STD-810H compliant shock and vibration resistance. There is a 9-48V power input.

 
Further information

The Helix 310 and 330 and the Karbon 410 and 430 will ship in Q2 2021 at undisclosed prices. More information may be found in OnLogic’s announcement and preliminary product page.