Recommended low-power single-board PCs based on power consumption level and application scenarios. Here are 5 excellent choices for 2025:
Ultra-low power (<1W)
Orange Pi Zero
Power Consumption: Idle approx. 0.5W, Full load approx. 1W
Performance: Single-core Cortex A7 processor, 512MB RAM, supports WiFi/Bluetooth
Features: Ultra-low cost, suitable for beginners and lightweight IoT applications
Historical Reference Price: Approx. 20 RMB
Lightweight Power Consumption (13W)
Raspberry Pi Zero 2W
Power Consumption: Idle approx. 1.5W, Full load approx. 2.5W
Performance: Quad-core Cortex A53 processor, 512MB RAM, supports WiFi/Bluetooth
Features: Mature Raspberry Pi ecosystem, 40-pin GPIO interface, suitable for education and prototyping
E-commerce Reference Price: Approx. 186 RMB per motherboard
Raspberry Pi CM0 NANO
Power Consumption: Idle approx. 1W, Full load approx. 3W
Performance: Quad-core 64-bit Cortex A53 processor, 512MB RAM, supports 1080p video decoding
Features: New product in October 2025, industrial-grade design, wide operating temperature range of 20°C~60°C, integrated RTC and watchdog functions
Applications: IoT gateway, industrial data acquisition, HMI (Human-Machine Interface)
BeagleBone Black
Power Consumption: Approx. 2W
Performance: AM3358 Cortex A8 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB eMMC storage
Features: Strong real-time performance, PRU (Programmable Real-Time Unit), suitable for industrial control
E-commerce Reference Price: Approx. 360 RMB
Balanced Power Consumption Type (35W)
RK3506 Single-Board Computer
Power Consumption: Approx. 35W
Performance: Triple-core Cortex A7 + Cortex M0 processor, integrated 2D hardware acceleration
Features: Multi-core heterogeneous design, high real-time performance, supports Buildroot/Yocto systems
Historical Reference Price: Approximately 99 RMB
Selection Recommendations
For beginners: Orange Pi Zero or Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, low cost and ecosystem-friendly
For industrial applications: Raspberry Pi CM0 NANO or BeagleBone Black, strong real-time performance and stability
For lightweight servers: RK3506, high cost-performance ratio and supports multiple systems
For budget considerations: Orange Pi Zero is the most economical, while the Raspberry Pi series has the most complete ecosystem
Note: The Raspberry Pi CM0 NANO, as a new product released in 2025, has outstanding industrial-grade features and is the preferred choice for IoT and industrial control scenarios.