Hardkernel has upgraded its Odroid-N2 SBC to an Odroid-N2-Plus with a new version of the hexa-core Amlogic S922X that boosts the 2x -A53 cores to 2.0GHz and the 4x -A73 cores to 2.2GHz, with overclocking up to 2.4GHz.

Hardkernel has updated its high-end Odroid-N2 SBC with an Odroid-N2-Plus model that is likely the fastest community-backed Arm board on the planet. The Odroid-N2-Plus will probably beat out the more expensive Khadas Vim3 on all but AI benchmarks. The Linux-driven Odroid-N2-Plus moves to a faster RevC version of Amlogic’s S922X with improved CPU core power rail budget and higher clock frequencies.

Odroid-N2-Plus with (left) and without optional $4 fan
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The Odroid-N2-Plus (or Odroid-N2+) is priced the same as the original while accelerating the 2x Cortex-A53 cores from 1.9GHz to 2.0GHz and the 4x Cortex-A73 cores from 1.8GHz to 2.2GHz. In addition, Hardkernel says that on all of its first runs of boards, they were able to overclock the -A73 cores to up to 2.4GHz –- a 33 percent clock improvement over the original. Depending on overclock duration and ambient temperature, this will likely require an optional $4 fan instead of the standard heatsink.

The Khadas Vim3’s similarly 12nm fabricated Amlogic A311D SoC features 4x 2.2GHz -A73 cores and 2x 1.8GHz -A53 cores. Like the Odroid-N2-Plus, it has a high-end Mali-G52 GPU. For feature and price comparisons for these and other open-spec SBCs updated through early Jan. 2020, see our Linux hacker board catalog.

Hardkernel’s Odroid-N2-Plus benchmark comparisons with other Odroids and Raspberry Pi 4
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The Odroid-N2-Plus, which we spotted on CNXSoft, adds a standard CR2032 coincell battery holder for the RTC instead of a proprietary connector. It also slims the height of the heatsink by 5mm, reducing the overall profile from 90 x 90 x 34mm to 90 x 90 x 29mm.

Pricing remains at $63 with 2GB RAM and $79 with 4GB. This is compared to $100 and $140 for the 2GB and 4GB versions of the Vim3. The Vim3, however, offers more features and also gives you 16GB and 32GB of eMMC, respectively, instead of an empty eMMC socket. There is also a 5-TOPS NPU for AI duties.

Odroid-N2 and Odroid-N2-Plus, showing thinner heatsink on N2+
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Like the Odroid-N2, the Odroid-N2-Plus has a GbE port and optional USB WiFi adapter that fits into one of the 4x USB 3.0 host ports. Other features include micro-USB OTG, composite A/V, HDMI 2.0, 40-pin GPIO, IR, console, and a 7.5-20V DC input.

The N2+ runs Android 9 Pie and Ubuntu 18.04/20.04 LTS with Linux 4.9.162 LTS. There is also a Odroid-N2 CoreELEC Edition that includes the Kodi-based CoreELEC.

Khadas Vim3

By comparison, the 82 x 58 x 11.5mm Khadas Vim3 has a richer feature set overall but offers fewer USB ports. You get built-in WiFi/BT, an NVMe-ready M.2 2280 slot and a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface, as well as both HDMI 2.1 and 4-lane MIPI-DSI. Other features include 4-lane MIPI-CSI, GbE, USB Type-C OTG, and 2x USB 3.0 ports. The Vim3 also supplies a 40-pin GPIO, RTC, IR, accelerometer, and a 5-20V input. Today Khadas posted a blog entry regarding an updated version of its minimalist Krescue OS.

If the Odroid-N2 and Khadas Vim3 were some the most significant hacker board introductions of 2019, Hardkernel’s Odroid-C4 has been one of the major launches of 2020. The Raspberry Pi-like, $50 SBC features a 2GHz, quad Cortex-A55 Amlogic S905X3 with 4GB DDR4, an eMMC slot, 4x USB 3.0, GbE and HDMI, and a 40-pin GPIO.

 
Further information

The Odroid-N2-Plus is available for pre-order for $63 (2GB) or $79 (4GB), with shipments starting July 20 and July 24, respectively. The $4 fan may be found here. More information may be found in Hardkernel’s announcement.