Since Raspberry Pi launched its first $35 computer in 2012, a bunch of other companies have entered the space with their own small, cheap, single-board computers. And, like the Raspberry Pi, most of them are powered by ARM processors.

But Radxa‘s new Rock Pi X is one of a handful of models with an Intel x86 processor, which means you could run Windows or just about any GNU/Linux operating system.

It’s expected to launch soon for $39 and up.

Update 10/2/2020: The Rock Pi X is now available for purchase from Allnet China and Seeed Studio.

The Rock Pi X comes in two versions: a Model B with 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4,2 plus optional support for a Power over Ethernet HAT, and a cheaper Modeal A that lacks wireless, but which still has a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Both models feature an Intel Atom x5-Z8300 processor and each will be available with 1GB to 4GB of RAM. Here are the prices for each:

  • Model A with 1GB RAM – $39
  • Model A with 2GB RAM – $49
  • Model A with 4GB RAM – $65
  • Model B with 1GB RAM – $49
  • Model B with 2GB RAM – $59
  • Model B with 4GB RAM – $75

Each model features a microSD card slots for storage, an eMMC flash storage socket, an HDMI 1.4 port, headphone jack, a USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB Type-C OTG port, and a 40-pin connector.

The board measures 85mm x 52mm, or about the same size as a Raspberry Pi.

While the Atom x5-Z8300 is an x86 chip that should offer decent compatibility with a wide range of software, it’s not exactly a high-performance processor. It’s a low-power, quad-core processor that was released in 2015 as part of Intel’s “Cherry Trail” lineup, and I’ve never been all that impressed with laptops or tablets powered by the chip… but I’d be a lot more willing to compromise on performance if any of them had cost less than $50 like the Rock Pi X.

via CNX Software

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6 replies on “Rock Pi X is a $39 single-board computer with an x86 chip (Intel Atom x5-Z8300)”

  1. Atom x5-Z8300… in 2019? 3.5 months short of 2020?… Intel or some reseller is clearing out space in the warehouse!

  2. Could be worth a specific review. Seems underpowered for windows, but maybe not so much for Linux? Perhaps this could be good for people who need to run specific x86 Windows apps via Wine.

    Though anyone I know that does that needs it for a big resource hog, like games or multimedia production.

    Very niche, but it could be good for musicians who want a cheap box to run specific VSTs.

  3. Intel® AES New Instructions Yes

    Looks like it’ll be better than a lot of other options for things like OpenVPN.

  4. Unless for the money it’ll include a pcie slot, it’s pretty useless. You can only run Linux on the models, except for the 4GB model, but for that price, one might as well get a netbook or chromebook, or regular Raspberry Pi.

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