What are the best completely open-source (considering even the bootloader, all drivers, availability of Gerber files, etc) active single board computer designs?

Question

Open SourceSingle Board ComputerOSHWOSHFOSS

What are the best completely open-source (considering even the bootloader, all drivers, availability of Gerber files, etc) active single board computer designs?

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38

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Mar 23, 2023

Last
Updated

6 Options Considered

Best completely open-source (considering even the bootloader, all drivers, availability of Gerber files, etc) active single board computer designs	Price	RAM	CPU
-- HiFive Unleashed	$999	-	-
-- OLinuXino (series)	$various	-	-
-- HiFive1	$59	-	-
-- Libre Computer ALL-H3-CC (Tritium)	$20	-	-
-- BeagleV	TBD	-	-

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score 12 · Answer 1

HiFive Unleashed

Top Pro

RISC-V

Completely open-source CPU architecture. See More

Top Con

Expensive for early adopters

From the SiFive website: "This board is intended for software developers, and as such we made decisions such as having 8GB DDR4 memory, a large SPI Flash, multiple headers and a high-speed FMC expansion port to maximize the development value of the board. Production costs are also relatively high in this early, limited volume build. We are working hard to bring down the cost in future boards to enable more developers with Linux-capable, Freedom Unleashed RISC-V SoCs." See More

GregariousCeuthonymus's Experience

I'm pretty sure this is the most open source you can get at the moment. Throw a libre Linux distro on there and you're golden. See More

Top Pro

Expandable capability

Microsemi announced a “HiFive Unleashed Expansion Board” built on its PolarFire FPGA that adds PCIe and USB expansion for the RISC-V-based, Linux driven HiFive Unleashed SBC. Source See More

cosmo's Experience

This is, by far, the most powerful RISC-V computer available for the price. And it's completely open source. See More

See All

score 4 · Answer 2

OLinuXino (series)

Top Pro

All source code available, including design files

Go here for OLIMEX's GitHub repositories. See More

JC Staudt's Experience

Design files are readily available on OLIMEX's GitHub account page, and are constructed using KiCAD, a Free and Open-Source Software. See More

Top Pro

Designed using KiCAD

No proprietary software licenses are required to view and modify the design files. See More

See All

score 2 · Answer 3

HiFive1

Top Pro

RISC-V

Completely open-source CPU architecture. See More

Top Con

Designed with Altium

"The design files for the HiFive 1 were made with Altium, a proprietary and non-Free software." Source See More

cosmo's Experience

Probably the only Arduino-compatible RISC-V board on the market. See More

Top Pro

Arduino-compatible

Compatible with Arduino software and accessories, making it an effective drop-in replacement. See More

Top Con

Leverages an FTDI chip, so not fully open-source

"This is an Arduino-compatible board with an FTDI chip providing the USB to serial conversion. [...] An FTDI chip is not Open Source, and they have designed drivers to break chips that aren’t theirs." Source See More

See All

score 3 · Answer 4

Libre Computer ALL-H3-CC (Tritium)

Top Pro

Fewer binary blobs than other SBCs

Source: http://forum.loverpi.com/discussion/comment/294#Comment_294 See More

Top Con

ARM SoC, so will always involve binary blobs

Top Con

Documentation is lacking

...but community documentation resources are maturing. See More

See All

score 2 · Answer 5

BeagleV

Top Pro

Board design files are publically available

https://github.com/beagleboard/beaglev-starlight See More

Top Con

Product cancelled

https://forum.beagleboard.org/t/the-future-of-beaglev-community/30463 See More

score 2 · Answer 6

LattePanda Alpha

Top Con

Not open source

Board design files are not made publically available. See More

JC Staudt's Experience

This board is not open-source, therefore is not appropriate for a proposal for the best open-source single board computer designs. See More

Specs

RAM:2-8GB

CPU:Intel Core m3-7Y32 (2 x 1,10 GHz, Intel Turbo Boost up to 3,00 GHz)

GPU:Intel i9xx

USB:3xUSB 3.0, 1x USB 3.0(C) with PD, DP support

See All Specs

See All

score 8 · Answer 7

6 Options Considered

My Recommendation for HiFive Unleashed

My Recommendation for HiFive Unleashed

RISC-V

Expensive for early adopters

Expandable capability

My Recommendation for OLinuXino (series)

My Recommendation for OLinuXino (series)

All source code available, including design files

Designed using KiCAD

My Recommendation for HiFive1

My Recommendation for HiFive1

RISC-V

Designed with Altium

Arduino-compatible

Leverages an FTDI chip, so not fully open-source

My Recommendation for Libre Computer ALL-H3-CC (Tritium)

My Recommendation for Libre Computer ALL-H3-CC (Tritium)

Fewer binary blobs than other SBCs

ARM SoC, so will always involve binary blobs

Documentation is lacking

My Recommendation for BeagleV

My Recommendation for BeagleV

Board design files are publically available

Product cancelled

My Recommendation for LattePanda Alpha

My Recommendation for LattePanda Alpha

Not open source

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My Recommendation for Novasom Industries M7

My Recommendation for Novasom Industries M7

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