The Raspberry Pi is a great single-board computer, no doubt about it, but it does come with a series of limitations, especially when it comes to power. Fortunately, we’ve recently heard about an alternative named JaguarBoard, which was funded into production via Kickstarter. JaguarBoard is an x86-based single-board computer that’s powered by a relatively powerful quad-core Atom Z3735G microprocessor from Intel. The CPU boasts a base clock of 1.33GHz, but it can actually boost up to 1.83GHz should the need arise. Other highlights include 16GB of local eMMC storage, 1GB of RAM, an HDMI 1.4 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, an I2C port, four GPIO pins, two COM ports and a 10/100 LAN port.
However, what makes this computer stand out when compared to similar offerings is the fact that it is based on the x86 platform, which means that the user can install a variety of operating systems such as Linux or Windows. At the time of writing, the Kickstarter campaign managed to gather $40,002 thanks to 598 backers, and shipping is expected to commence in the middle of February. Measuring in at 101.9mm x 64.5mm x 1.6mm, the JaguarBoard is indeed a very small but practical computer. Unfortunately, the fact that it doesn’t have Wi-Fi might put off a lot of potential customers.
