The LattePanda series has long been a favorite among makers and embedded developers looking for x86 power in a compact form factor. With the new LattePanda IOTA, the brand refines this concept further—integrating Intel’s latest “Twin Lake” Processor N150 (Alder Lake-N successor) alongside a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, all within a board that measures just 88 mm × 70 mm.

Aimed at portable device, edge computing, industrial control, robotics projects, the IOTA aims to deliver desktop-class compute with microcontroller-grade real-time control—in one unified board. Let’s see how it performs.

Design & Build The LattePanda IOTA retains the same form factor and connector layout as the original LattePanda V1 but updates almost every internal spec. It keeps the original mounting pattern, making drop-in upgrades straightforward for existing setups.

Despite its compact size, the board is impressively dense yet well-laid-out. Power input now comes via USB-C, bringing modern convenience and broader compatibility. A new thermal solution allows two modes: fanless at 6 W TDP or actively-cooled at 15 W, offering flexibility for quiet builds or performance-oriented tasks.

Performance We tested the LattePanda IOTA across a range of synthetic and real-world workloads to gauge its performance. The results are impressive—compared to the original LattePanda V1 (Intel Z8350), the IOTA delivers roughly eight times the performance. It also nearly doubles the score of the Raspberry Pi 5.

Equipped with 64-bit LPDDR5 memory, the board offers notably higher bandwidth and responsiveness. In multimedia testing, it handled 4K YouTube playback smoothly, maintaining stable performance without dropped frames.

Power efficiency is equally noteworthy. Powered by 12 V supply and default BIOS setting, the board drew around 4 W at idle and approximately 22 W under full load—a solid balance of performance and efficiency for continuous operation.

Dual-Processor Advantage One of the LattePanda IOTA’s key distinctions is its dual‑processor architecture. The onboard RP2040 microcontroller allows real‑time control tasks—such as motor control, sensor polling, and PWM signal generation—to be offloaded from the main processor. This separation prevents latency spikes and ensures deterministic timing, even when the operating system is under heavy load.

The Intel N150 serves as the main processor, running Windows or Linux and handling high‑level computation, while the RP2040 manages timing‑critical peripheral tasks. Communication between the two is achieved via an internal USB 2.0 link, providing reliable coordination with minimal overhead. Developers can program the RP2040 using MicroPython or Arduino C++, depending on their workflow preferences.

Connectivity and Expansion Despite its compact size, the LattePanda IOTA offers a comprehensive range of expansion options. Three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, PCIe x1 FPC, TF card slot, and M.2 slots that support Wi‑Fi or other add‑on modules.

LattePanda also provides several dedicated expansion boards to extend functionality:

• UPS Expansion Board - plug‑and‑play backup power solution providing up to 8 hours of standby
• PoE Expansion Board - delivers both data and up to 51 W of IEEE 802.3bt‑compliant power over Ethernet cable
• 4G LTE Expansion Board - adds cellular connectivity (needs extracellular module) for remote and field applications
• M.2 M‑Key Expansion Board - enables 2230/2280 NVMe storage or AI accelerator card

Real-World Use In daily testing, delivered a notably smooth desktop experience. With the RTC battery installed, Windows 11 booted in about 30 seconds, and the system handled multiple Chrome tabs, Visual Studio Code, and could even run without issues.

Ubuntu 24.04 support was equally solid, with all onboard I/O recognized out of the box—no manual driver tweaks required. Thermally, with the default BIOS configuration, the board maintained stable operation around 80 °C under full load using the passive heatsink, and about 60 °C with the active cooler.

For developers, the combination of accessible GPIO headers and the integrated RP2040 microcontroller makes the IOTA a true hybrid platform, bridging low‑level embedded projects with full desktop applications. Together with LattePanda’s modular expansion boards, users can easily tailor the platform for power backup, network, or field‑ready deployments.

Verdict The LattePanda IOTA is one of the most well-balanced SBCs released this year. It successfully merges the power of modern x86 computing with the responsiveness of a microcontroller, all within a form factor the same size as the original LattePanda V1, ensuring easy migration and upgrades.

For embedded engineers, portable device designers, edge-AI developers, and advanced makers, the IOTA offers an unparalleled combination of flexibility, ecosystem support, and raw performance.

At US $129, it’s a compelling alternative to both Raspberry Pi 5-class and other SBCs—especially if your workflow demands Windows compatibility, high performance or mixed real-time I/O control.

Getting Started with LattePanda IOTA If you are planning to upgrade from V1 to IOTA, or you would like to learn more about the product, simply click the links below. We provide detailed getting-started guides and migration documents to help you start quickly.

For more information, visit the Beginner Guide and Migration Guide.