Arbor ARES-2100 Wildcat Lake fanless box PC targets industrial automation, machine vision, and Edge AI applications

Arbor ARES-2100 fanless box PC is another industrial platform based on the new Intel Core Series 3 “Wildcat Lake” processor family, which specifically targets industrial automation, machine vision, and lightweight Edge AI applications.

The fanless computer supports up to 64GB DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, UFS 3.1 and/or M.2 NVMe/SATA storage, and offers up to three video outputs, up to three 2.5GbE ports, optional WiFi, Bluetooth, and 4G LTE via M.2 expansion slots, an RS232/RS485 RJ45 connector, and two optional CAN Bus interfaces through a terminal block. As an industrial machine, it’s designed to operate in the -20 to +60°C temperature range, takes 9 to 36V DC input, and received MIL-STD-810H certification for shock and vibration.

Arbor ARES-2100 specifications:

SoC – Intel Core Series 3 Wildcat Lake processors with five or six cores, Intel Xe3 Graphics, and up to 40 TOPS of combined AI performance. TDP: 15W
System Memory – Up to 64GB DDR5 SO-DIMM memory
Storage
- M.2 M-key 2242 slot (PCIe Gen4 x2, SATA) for NVMe or SATA SSD
- Optional UFS 3.1 flash, up to 256GB
Video Output
- 2x HDMI 2.0 ports
- DisplayPort via USB-C
- Up to 3x simultaneous displays
Networking
- 2x or 3x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports via Intel i226LM controllers
- Optional WiFi/Bluetooth via M.2 E-Key slot
- Optional 4G LTE via M.2 B-key slot and SIM slot
USB
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports
- 1x USB 3.2 Type-C port with support for DP Alt. mode up to 4096 x 2304 @ 60 Hz, 10W power output (5V/2A)
Serial
- RS232/422/485 RJ45 connector
- CAN Bus (ARES-2100-CAN only) – 2x 2kV isolated CAN FD via terminal block
Expansion
- M.2 E-key 2230 slot (PCIe Gen4 x1)
- M.2 B-key 2242/3042 slot (PCIe x2, USB 3.0/USB 2.0) + SIM slot for 4G LTE
Security – TPM 2.0 (fTPM/dTPM)
Misc
- Watchdog timer
- Mounting
  - Wall-mount (standard)
  - DIN-rail (optional w/ CTOS bracket); CTOS = Configure to Order Service
  - VESA (optional w/ CTOS bracket)
Power Supply -9~36V DC via 3-pin connector + remote switch
Power Consumption – Up to 90 Watts (metal + aluminum enclosure)
Dimensions – 188 x 120 x 44mm (1U form factor and chassis)
Weight – 1.1 kg
Temperature Range – Operating: -20°C to +60°C, ambient w/ air flow; storage: -40°C to +80°C
Humidity – 10 ~ 95% @ 60°C, non-condensing
Vibration – MIL-STD-810H, Method 514.8, Category 4, operating
Shock & Crash – MIL-STD-810H, Method 516.8, Procedure I, functional shock=20g, operating
Certifications – CE, FCC Class A

Arbor provides support for Windows 10, Windows 11, and Ubuntu. Since Windows 10 is mentioned, it probably means an LTSC version. Two main SKUs are provided:

ARES-2100-L3 – ARES-2100 with 3x LAN, 3x USB, 2x HDMI, 1x COM, 1x M.2 M-Key, 1x M.2 E-Key
ARES-2100-CAN – ARES-2100 with 2x CAN Bus, 2x LAN, 3x USB, 2x HDMI, 1x COM, 1x M.2 M-Key, 1x M.2 E-Key

We’ve yet to see any consumer-grade Wildcat Lake hardware beyond the 70+ laptop designs claimed by Intel when they formally announced the Core Series 3 processors. But we’ve seen a few industrial-grade hardware platforms, including congatec’s conga-TC300 COM Express Type-6 Compact computer-on-module and Advantech’s MIO-5356 3.5-inch SBC, and now an embedded system from Arbor.

As usual for this type of hardware, pricing is not public for the ARIES-2100 Wildcat Lake embedded box PC, especially since it’s still marked as “Coming Soon” on the product page. A few more details may also be found in the press release.

Thanks to TLS for the tip.

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.