| Computers are very powerful devices that if | | | | The "high performance" term in high performance |
| properly integrated with other electronic | | | | SBCs has nothing to do with its size. Surprisingly, it |
| components, will make a very power electronic | | | | also has nothing to do with the processor speed, |
| device or industrial machine. Not all kinds of | | | | although most heavy-duty applications require |
| computers can be combined with other electronic | | | | higher microprocessor speeds. Modern |
| components to form another product. Desktop | | | | high-performance SBCs have processors with |
| computers, for example, are simply too large to | | | | typical speeds of 1.7 to 2.7 GHz with 800 MHz |
| be fitted inside another electronic device. For such | | | | system bus speed. It is not uncommon to find |
| applications, you need a single board computer | | | | high performance SBCs in the 40 to 400 MHz |
| (SBC). | | | | ranges, especially if the SBC is small and used as |
| However, ordinary single board computers, are | | | | an embedded SBC. |
| not enough for certain applications. Mission critical | | | | The memory size, whether the board uses a |
| telecommunication applications, for example, need | | | | DDRAM or an SDRAM, won't help you identify |
| more than just a simple SBC. For such | | | | whether an SBC is high performance or not. Most |
| applications, a rugged SBC with some kind of | | | | high performance SBCs are equipped with more |
| supercomputing power is needed. Such single | | | | than 1 GB of memory, although there are units |
| board computers are called high performance | | | | that are equipped with only 256 MB of memory. |
| single board computers. | | | | If you look at the specs of most high |
| High performance single board computers are | | | | performance SBCs, you'll their capability to |
| SBCs ,specifically designed of use in applications | | | | support many I/O operations are common. Many |
| that require high reliability, functionality, | | | | of these SBCs have integrated video, serial |
| serviceability and manageability. These computers | | | | devices, graphics support and other I/O devices. |
| have a superior computing ability and the capacity | | | | Most of them are also open for I/O expansion. |
| to support rigorous I/O operations. High | | | | For heavy-duty applications, only a high |
| performance SBCs often find use in aerospace, | | | | performance SBC that has superior computer |
| military, automotive, telemetry, scientific, medical, | | | | capabilities and can support rigorous I/O |
| industrial control and transportation applications. | | | | operations may be used. |