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Earlier this summer, Radxa released the X4, a “credit card sized” x86 SBC that features an Intel N100 processor and and integrated RP2040 microcontroller.

There’s also a 40-pin GPIO header, two micro HDMI ports that support up to 4K resolution, and a headphone jack compatible with microphone input – plus four USB ports (three USB 3.2 and one USB 2.0), a 2.5G Ethernet port, and a PoE header.

There are several reasons why users might be interested in something like the X4 over an ARM-based Raspberry Pi, especially given the similar form factor. Compatibility is perhaps the most predominant; x86 systems can run some software that ARM can’t.

They sometimes perform better, too – even if an Intel N100 is on the lower (or at least more basic) end of the processor spectrum – and support more RAM and storage options.

The X4, for instance, comes in several configurations with different amounts of RAM (between 4GB and 16GB), flash storage (up to 128GB), and Wi-Fi capability (either Wi-Fi 5 or 6). Prices start at around $60, although you may have to do a bit of searching among various resellers to find the device with the right specs.

You can find a list of those resellers, as well as full specs and additional information, on Radxa’s website.

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