Nitrogen8M_Mini is the First NXP i.MX8 8M Mini SBC

Having just written about one of the first NXP i.MX 8M Mini systems-on-module, let’s stay with NXP’s latest 14-nm processor as Boundary Devices have been working on a variant of their Nitrogen8M SBC based on MXP i.MX 8M Mini processor and aptly called Nitrogen8M_Mini.

The board is also known as the less human-friendly Nit8MQ_Mini_2r8e SBC, and comes with the following specifications:

• SoC – NXP i.MX 8M Mini with 4x Cortex A53 cores, 1x Cortex-M4F real-time core, Vivante GCNanoUltra 3D GPU, Vivante GC320 2D GPU
• System Memory –  2GB LPDDR4 (Optional 4GB version)
• Storage – 8GB eMMC flash, expandable up to 128GB, UHS SD card slot
• Display – 4-lane MIPI DSI interface up to 1080p
• Video Encode / Decode – 1080p H.264, VP8/1080p60 H.265, H.264, VP8, VP9
• Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack, analog MIC jack, 2W audio amplifier, L&R speaker headers
• Camera Interface – 1x 4-lane MIPI-CSI interface
• Connectivity
  • Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
  • Optional QCA9377 BD-SDMAC 802.11 ac version + Bluetooth 4.1
• Expansion
  • I/O connectors with 3x I2C, 1x SPI, GPIOs
  • 1x PCIe slot + SIM card slot; extra PCIe slot via daughterboard
• USB – 1x USB 2.0 host, 1x USB 2.0 OTG
• Misc – RTC + battery slot
• Power Supply – Via power barrel or optional PoE; PF8121 PMIC
• Dimensions – 114.3 x 88.9 mm
• Temperature Range – Commercial: 0 to 70°C; industrial: -40°C to +85°C

The company will provide Android, Yocto, Ubuntu, Buildroot, Debian for the Cortex-A53 cores, and FreeRTOS real-time operating system for the Cortex-M4 core. Customization services are also offered for people wanting the company to adapt the board to their needs.

The Nitrogen8M_Mini board will have a guaranteed 10 year life span, and is still in pre-release phase, meaning it’s not quite available yet, and we’ve yet to know pricing. Compared to Nitrogen8M it should be a lower cost more power efficient platform, suitable for 1080p media and HDMI applications. You may want to check out the product page for further details. The user manual and block diagram can be downloaded after a free registration and manual approval.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.

Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress