BeagleBone Black
Expert rating7 / 10
- SoC:
- TI Sitara AM3358
- CPU:
- Single-core Cortex-A8 @ 1GHz
- RAM:
- 512MB DDR3
- Special Feature:
- 2x PRU real-time coprocessors
- Price:
- From $55
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Manufacturer: BeagleBoard.org Last updated: September 11, 2026
BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors) Review
The BeagleBone Black has remained in continuous production since 2013, and its long-term availability commitment from BeagleBoard.org and Texas Instruments has made it a standard reference platform for industrial and embedded product designs that need years of guaranteed supply.
Unlike many hobbyist SBCs that get discontinued after a few years, the BeagleBone Black's industrial backing has kept it in continuous, unchanged production, letting embedded product designers build around it with confidence in long-term sourcing.
Built for Long-Term Industrial Availability
Unlike many hobbyist SBCs that get discontinued after a few years, the BeagleBone Black's industrial backing has kept it in continuous, unchanged production, letting embedded product designers build around it with confidence in long-term sourcing.
Real-Time Coprocessors for Precise I/O
Two built-in PRU (Programmable Real-time Unit) coprocessors let the BeagleBone Black handle precise, low-latency I/O timing tasks that a general-purpose Linux CPU core struggles to guarantee, a feature that has kept it relevant for industrial control and robotics projects.
Comparison to Alternatives
Against the BeagleBone AI-64 already on this site, the Black is a much simpler, single-core board built for basic industrial I/O and real-time control rather than AI workloads. Against the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ covered in this batch, the BeagleBone Black trades raw CPU performance for its PRU real-time coprocessors and BeagleBoard.org's long-term industrial supply commitment.
Specifications
Identity
| Brand | BeagleBoard.org |
|---|
| Price | 55 USD |
|---|---|
| SoC | TI Sitara AM3358 |
| CPU | Single-core Cortex-A8 @ 1GHz |
| RAM | 512MB DDR3 |
| Special Feature | 2x PRU real-time coprocessors |
Expert Review
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Expert rating7 / 10
Real-time PRU coprocessors and guaranteed long-term supply, on deliberately modest silicon.
Best for
- Industrial and robotics projects needing precise real-time I/O and guaranteed long-term availability.
Not for
- General-purpose computing or projects needing multi-core performance.
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors)?
The BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors) is a single board computer from BeagleBoard.org. Key specs: SoC TI Sitara AM3358, CPU Single-core Cortex-A8 @ 1GHz, RAM 512MB DDR3, Special Feature 2x PRU real-time coprocessors, Price From $55.
Will the BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors) work with my current setup?
The BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors) lists SoC is TI Sitara AM3358. Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.
Who is the BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors) best suited to?
It suits industrial and robotics projects needing precise real-time i/o and guaranteed long-term availability..
What are the drawbacks of the BeagleBone Black (Single-Board Computer/TI Sitara AM3358/Single-Core Cortex-A8 1GHz/PRU Real-Time Coprocessors)?
It is a poor fit for general-purpose computing or projects needing multi-core performance..
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