Logic Supply has launched four Ubuntu-ready “EPM16x” Pico-ITX SBCs with Apollo Lake SoCs starting at $245. The $426 and up EPM163 has a Pentium N4200, 4GB LPDDR4, 64GB eMMC, mSATA, mini-PCIe, and 2x each of GbE, DP, and USB 3.0.

We’ve reported on over a dozen Linux-friendly Pico-ITX boards with Intel Apollo Lake processors over the last few years, including most recently, Axiomtek’s PICO319 and IEI’s Hyper-AL. Yet, as some of our readers have complained, they are rarely announced with ship dates or prices, and if they are, they usually list only volume pricing.

EPM163 (left) and EPM162
(click images to enlarge)

As noted in an email to LinuxGizmos from FanlessTech, Logic Supply has just launched four EPM16x-branded Pico-ITX SBCs that are available now with Ubuntu Linux or Windows in individual quantities starting at only $245 to $426 without SSD storage. Logic Supply has previously released Apollo Lake based mini-PCs such as last year’s CL200 and CL210. (The FanlessTech report is here.)


EPM163 (left) and EPM162 side views
(click images to enlarge)

Due in part to market pressures from community backed hacker boards, we have noticed a promising trend of commercial embedded vendors starting online shops with single-quantity sales. Still, not all products make it, or they appear long after their launch dates, probably to clear their warehouses of older stock.

One of the largest selections can be found on the Advantech store. When looking for Apollo Lake based Pico-ITX boards, you can find Advantech’s MIO-2360 Pico-ITX SBC, which was announced back in 2016 without public pricing selling for $293 without a quantity discount. However, its MIO-3360, announced in Jan. 2018, is still not listed.

Over at the Aaeon eShop, which lists only 13 embedded boards out of a much larger product line, the only Apollo Lake Pico-ITX is the circa-2016 PICO-APL1 for $147, which is tagged as both being “hot” and “out of stock.” If you want a later model, such as last year’s PICO-APL4, you will need to go through volume sales channels.

It’s a promising start, and we’re seeing other embedded vendors launching online stores or adding more inventory to their existing shops. Still, it’s nice to have vendors such as Logic Supply that sell fresh stock with handy online configurators that let you customize your system. On the other hand, note that these 0 to 40°C tolerant boards are mostly aimed at consumer and light commercial applications such as signage rather than industrial scenarios.

 
Inside the EPM16x

Logic Supply’s EPM160, EPM161, and EPM162 tap Intel’s dual-core Celeron N3350 while the top-of-the-line EPM163 advances to the quad-core Pentium N4200. Like the EPM163, the EPM162 moves up to 4GB RAM from 1GB (EPM160) and 2GB (EPM161) and adds an audio jack plus dual 4K-ready mini-DP and GbE ports instead of one. The eMMC capacity also improves as you go higher, but otherwise the boards are the same.

EPM161 (left) and EPM160
(click images to enlarge)

WiFi is not a feature or an option, but there’s a half-height mini-PCIe slot for WiFi, 4G, or other add-ons, as well as an mSATA-ready, full-size mini-PCIe. Logic Supply sells mSATA SSDs ranging from 32GB ($42) to 1TB ($528).


EPM161 (left) and EPM160 side views
(click images to enlarge)

The EPM16x boards provide a microSD slot, as well as a USB 2.0 port and a serial header. Although the EPM162 and EPM163 have only two mini-DP connections, Logic Supply notes that they support triple independent displays, presumably with the addition of a mini-PCIe or USB 3.0 add-on.

Specifications listed for the EPM16x SBCs include:

• Processor — Intel Apollo Lake with Intel HD Graphics 500:
  • EPM160, EPM161, and EPM162 — Celeron N3350 (2x cores @ 1.1GHz/2.4GHz)
  • EPM163 — Pentium N4200 (4x cores @ 1.1GHz/2.5GHz)
• Memory/storage:
  • 1GB (160), 2GB (161), or 4GB (162, 163) LPDDR4 RAM (2133MHz)
  • 8GB (161), 32GB (162), or 64GB (163) eMMC; no eMMC on EMC160
  • MicroSD slot
  • Optional mSATA via full-size mini-PCIe slot
• Networking — 1x (160, 161) or 2x (162, 163) Gigabit Ethernet ports (Realtek RTL8111G)
• Media I/O:
  • 1x (160, 161) or 2x (162, 163) mini-DisplayPorts with 4K
  • Optional Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) module
  • Audio I/O jack (162 and 163 only)
• Other I/O:
  • 2 USB 3.0 ports
  • 1x USB 2.0 port
  • 1x RS-232 header
• Expansion:
  • Full-height mini-PCIe slot with mSATA support
  • Half-height mini-PCIe slot
• Other features — IP50 protection; system monitoring; optional heatsink, motherboard test and display and COM cables; 2-year warranty (opt. 3-year)
• Operating temperature — 0 to 40°C
• Power — 12V DC jack (AC/DC adapter on 162); power button and LED; optional auto power on feature
• Dimensions — 100 x 73 x 22mm (114 x 73 x 39.5mm with heatsink)
• Operating system — barebones; Ubuntu Desktop or Server 16.04 LTS or 18.04 LTS ($10); Windows 10 IoT Enterprise ($100)

 
Further information

The EPM160, EPM161, EPM162, and EPM162 Pico-ITX boards are available now starting at $245. More information may be found on Logic Supply’s EPM160, EPM161, EPM162, and EPM163 product and shopping pages.