Single Board Computers (SBCs) have revolutionized the way we approach compact computing solutions. Recently, an Indian company has introduced an intriguing SBC named Vaman, which stands out not just because of its origin but due to its exceptional hardware capabilities. In this article, we’ll dive into the specifications, performance, and unique features of the Vaman board.

Introduction to Vaman SBC

Vaman is a fascinating SOC (System on Chip) plus FPGA combo board, assembled in Surat, India. It has garnered attention for its robust build and advanced features. The beta version of this board sports a green PCB, while the production variant will have a black finish. The current beta units are hand-soldered, taking about 5-6 days to assemble. However, the mass production units will be machine-assembled through local assemblers, expected to launch by late August.

Hardware Specifications

• Processor: Equipped with a Rockchip 8-core processor utilizing a big.LITTLE architecture, it features four Cortex A76 cores and four Cortex A55 cores.
• RAM: Comes with LPDDR4x RAM, with configurations up to 32GB.
• GPU: Integrated with a Mali G610 GPU.
• NPU: Includes a Neural Processing Unit supporting up to 6 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) for AI tasks.
• Storage: Features eMMC storage (16GB in the reviewed unit) and supports additional storage via SD card slots.

Connectivity and Ports

• USB Ports: Two USB 2.0 and three USB 4.0 ports (one used for power).
• PCIe and SATA Slots: Includes PCIe 2.2 and SATA 3.2 slots for connecting SSDs and hard drives.
• HDMI Ports: Three mini HDMI ports with support for up to four displays.
• Audio: A standard headphone jack.
• GPIO Pins: About 30 pins for various input/output functions.
• Camera and Display Interfaces: Supports up to six camera inputs with MIPI ports.

Performance Testing

1. Web Browsing: The board efficiently handled 20 Chrome tabs simultaneously, showcasing smooth performance with 8GB RAM.
2. Video Playback: Successfully played 4K videos with minimal stutters; struggled slightly with 8K videos due to network limitations.
3. Speed Test: Achieved satisfactory network speeds even without external antennas.
4. Storage Benchmark: Copying large files showed read speeds of around 200 MB/s on SSD and 100 MB/s on eMMC storage.
5. AI Processing: Ran LLaMA (7 billion parameters) models, although the performance was limited by outdated drivers. Future driver updates are expected to improve NPU performance.

Comparison with Raspberry Pi

While Raspberry Pi boasts a vast ecosystem and community support, Vaman offers competitive hardware at a more affordable price. Its support for multiple cameras, better PCIe management, and powerful NPU make it a strong contender in the SBC market.

Pricing and Availability

The Vaman SBC is expected to be priced between INR 15,000 to 16,000 after its official launch. This makes it an attractive option compared to high-end Raspberry Pi models, which can cost significantly more.

Final Thoughts

Vaman is an impressive SBC with powerful hardware tailored for tech enthusiasts and developers. Its competitive pricing, coupled with robust features, positions it as a promising alternative to established SBCs like the Raspberry Pi.

Tags: single board computer, Vaman SBC, Indian SBC, Rockchip processor, FPGA combo board, SBC performance, SBC comparison, SBC pricing, Raspberry Pi alternative, AI processing board

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