Hardkernel Launches More Compact, Cost-Reduced ODROID-N2L Single-Board Computers
Based on the ODROID-N2+ family, the new ODROID-N2L models are a lot smaller and a bit cheaper — but lack a few features.
Hardkernel has announced the launch of two new ODROID single-board computers, designed to sit just below the ODROID-N2+ range as a lower-cost alternative: the ODROID-N2L 2GB and 4GB.
"[This is] the low-cost variant of our most popular and powerful Arm SBC [Single-Board Computer] ODROID-N2+," Hardkernel explains of the new models. "This project was actually initiated at the request of several B2B [Business-to-Business] customers. They were satisfied with the performance and convenience of the highly versatile N2+. However, they wanted to embed a relatively compact, cost-effective, simple, and still high-performance SBC into their system."
The resulting ODROID-N2L design offers a smaller footprint for ease of embedding, a move to faster and lower-power LPDDR4 memory, and a reduced cost over the original ODROID-N2+ range — but that comes at a cost: the L-suffix version drops the Ethernet port, real-time clock, on-board SPI flash, USB On-The-Go (OTG) port, analog audio output, infrared receiver, and three USB ports.
At the heart of the board, though, is the same Amlogic S922X system-on-chip, with four high-performance Arm Cortex-A73 cores and two lower-power Cortex-A53 cores plus a Cortex-M4 real-time processor, although the Cortex-A73 cores are running at up to 2.2GHz rather than 2.4GHz. There's the same 800MHz Arm Mali graphics processor with six execution engines, microSD slot and eMMC connector for storage, and a single HDMI 2.0 port supporting up to 4k60 displays with audio.
The more compact design has just two USB ports, one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0, along with a MIPI DSI four-lane connector for an optional display. There's a 40-pin Raspberry Pi-style general-purpose input/output (GPIO) header, with UART, SPI, I2C buses plus up to 25 general-purpose pins of which two support analog inputs, and a large passive heatsink with support for an optional 5V cooling fan.
The ODROID-N2L launches in two variants, one with 2GB of RAM at $59 and one with 4GB at $69 — both representing a discount from their ODROID-N2+ equivalents at $66 for 2GB RAM and $83 for 4GB RAM. Both variants are now available to order from the Hardkernel store, with a compatible power supply available for an extra $5.50.