AAEON PICO-ADN2 – A low-profile Alder Lake-N Pico-ITX SBC for space-constrained applications

AAEON PICO-ADN2 is a low-profile Alder Lake-N Pico-ITX SBC powered by an Intel N97 or Core i3-N305 SoC and designed for space-constrained transportation, digital signage, industrial automation, and smart kiosk applications.

Its features are very similar to the PICO-ADN4 Pico-ITX SBC introduced in 2023, with up to 16 GB LPDDR5, HDMI, LVDS, and eDP display interfaces, dual Gigabit Ethernet, an M.2  E-Key socket for wireless, multiple USB interfaces, RS232/RS485 interfaces, and more. The main difference is that most standard (and thick) ports have been replaced by low-profile connectors, except somehow the HDMI connector.

AAEON PICO-ADN2 specifications

• Alder Lake-N SoC (one or the other)
  • Intel Processor N97 quad-core processor up to 3.6 GHz with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel UHD Graphics; TDP: 12W
  • Intel Core i3-N305 octa-core processor up to 3.8 GHz with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD Graphics; TDP: 15W
  • Other Intel Atom x7000E Series, Processor N-series, and Intel Core i3 Processor N-series upon request
• System Memory – Up to 16GB LPDDR5 4800 MHz
• Storage – mSATA/mPCIe socket
• Video Output
  • HDMI 1.4 up to  3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz (4Kp30)
  • Dual-channel 18/24bit LVDS up to 1920 x 1200 @ 60Hz
    • LVDS Signal Voltage: 3.3 V / 5 V, 1.5 A (selectable via jumper)
    • LVDS Backlight Voltage: 5 V / 12 V, 2.5 A (selectable via jumper)
  • Optional DDI via BIO (see Expansion)
  • Optional eDP 1.4 up to 3840 x 2160 @ 60Hz
  • Up to 3x independent displays
• Networking
  • Gigabit Ethernet via 8-pin connector and Intel i226-V 2.5GbE controller (note: not a typo, limited to Gigabit Ethernet performance. See comments section)
  • Gigabit Ethernet via 8-pin connector and Realtek RTL8111H-CG controller
  • Optional WiFi and Bluetooth via M.2 module
• USB
  • Connector with 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 interfaces
  • 2x USB 2.0 headers
• Serial – 2x COM 1~2 RS-232/422/485 via single connector; supports 5V/12V/RI
• Expansion
  • Full-Size mSATA/mPCIe socket (default: mSATA, select with BIOS)
  • M.2 2230 E-Key socket (PCIe 3.0 [x1] + USB 2.0)
  • Optional 80-pin high-speed BIO connector (requires customized BIOS) with USB 2.0, SMBUS, DDI, LPC, PCIe [x1]; note: unpopulated left connector in the image below.
  • 4-pin DIO connector
  • SMBus/I2C connector
• Security – TPM 2.0
• Misc
  • 3V/240mAh RTC battery
  • 2-pin connector for external supercapacitor (optional)
  • AMI Aptio UEFI/BIOS with Wake-on-LAN support, Watchdog timer
  • 4-pin smart fan connector
  • HDD LED, PWR LED, Power Button, Buzzer, Reset front panel connector
• Power Supply
  • +12V DC via 2-pin JST connector
  • AT/ATX power supply type
• Power Consumption @ 12V (Intel N97, 8GB LPDDR5)
  • Typical: 2.43A or about 29.2 Watts
  • Max: 2.91A or around 34.9 Watts
• Dimensions – 100 x 72 mm (Pico-ITX form factor)
• Weight – 80 grams
• Temperature Range – Operating: -20 to 70°C; storage: -40°C ~ 85°C
• Humidity – 0% ~ 90% relative humidity, non-condensing
• MTBF – 1,636,770 hours
• EMC – CE/FCC Class A

AAEON provides support for Windows 10/11 64-bit and Ubuntu 24.04.2. Here, Windows 10 most likely refers to the LTSC version that’s supported up until 2032 rather than the deprecated Windows 10 OS…

We’ve seen plenty of slim Intel Alder Lake-N or Twin Lake SBC over the years from AAEON, Jetway, SECO, MSI, and others, but they usually come with thick RJ45 and USB Type-A connectors, and the PICO-ADN2 goes a step further by using headers or connectors, except for that vertical HDMI port… No cooling solution was shown, but considering the design, I assume the board would be cooled by the (metal) chassis of the final product rather than a typical heatsink or active cooler.

AAEON didn’t provide any pricing information for the PICO-ADN2, but for reference, samples of the PICO-ADN4 with an Intel N97 SoC and 8GB LPDDR5 are currently sold for $784, so expect something in this range. Additional information, including a datasheet, a user manual, and the BIOS, can be found on the product page.

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.

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