When comparing Onion - Omega 2 vs Intel NUC boards, the Slant community recommends Intel NUC boards for most people. In the question“What are the best single-board computers?” Intel NUC boards is ranked 12th while Onion - Omega 2 is ranked 44th. The most important reason people chose Intel NUC boards is:
You can have 16GB GSkill DDR4 Memory + 500gb SSD and 10TB external HDD. Go with the kit so you can be assured that it runs Linux and only Linux (or whatever your preference) out of the box and isn't subjected to any unnecessary use/abuse at the hand of Doors.
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Pros
Pro It's tiny
Pro It has lots of shields available, including Arduino shield
Pro On paper the J5005 maxes out at 8gb DDR4 RAM however it can accommodate at lease double that
You can have 16GB GSkill DDR4 Memory + 500gb SSD and 10TB external HDD. Go with the kit so you can be assured that it runs Linux and only Linux (or whatever your preference) out of the box and isn't subjected to any unnecessary use/abuse at the hand of Doors.
Pro Has at least one SATA port
Pro DRAM is not soldered
DRAM modules are not soldered to the board so they can be changed, upgraded or replaced.
Pro x86-based
Can run all IBM-PC compatible software.
Cons
Con Not breadboard compatible
The board does not have the standard 2.54 mm pin spacing.
Con Support issues
There have been long-lasting periods were everything grew stale, even when it was about fixing security issues etc. have given up on checking since it was frustrating.
Con Expensive
It has less than 256MB of RAM.
Con Cost as much as other Barebones
Price is almost the same as a full Intel/Zotac barebone, which can also be dismantled.
Con No GPIO
So it is not really useful for DIY projects.
Con No DRAM included
DRAM modules must be bought separately.
