A powerful new SBC (via ETA Prime) that puts an AMD Phoenix chip in the palm of your hand is on its way to crowdfunding. In addition to the star attraction of the Ryzen 7 7840HS processor with Radeon 780M iGPU, the device comes blessed with a trio of M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD slots (and up to 32GB of RAM).
While the AMD 7000 series mobile processors are a couple of generations old, they still offer enough processing power for all but the most strenuous tasks. The Phoenix 7040 series was particularly admired at launch for its compelling balance of CPU and iGPU prowess. This chip on a handy tiny SBC, albeit one crowned with a lump of a black shroud, seems like an attractive proposition to PC tinkerers, enthusiasts, and DIYers.
As the intro indicates, the Next-SBC’s feature set is nicely balanced. Complementing the AMD APU, the system will come with up to 32GB of onboard LPDDR5X-6400 memory and three M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD slots. While potential buyers will need to ensure they make the correct memory configuration choice (soldered, so non-upgradeable), the device’s storage capabilities are quite stellar. These easy-access slots provide many storage and M.2 peripheral options.
The Next-SBC’s specs include a decent array of I/O. For physical ports, you will have access to various USB Type-A and Type-C ports, up to USB4. There are also dual HDMI 2.1 and dual 2.5G Ethernet ports. Given the scarce information, we aren’t sure whether users will have to use one of the M.2 slots to add Wi-Fi/Bluetooth if desired.
TechTuber ETA Prime showcased a Next-SBC prototype review unit this weekend if you want to see more of it in person. As is customary, he tested the device in a selection of popular games and benchmarks.
Those curious about the sudden arrival of the Next-SBC might welcome the work of some Redditor sleuths, who indicate that this SBC is probably a repurposing of the motherboard of the AooStar GEM10 7840HS mini PC. Aoostar is probably best known for its compact NAS solutions, mini PCs, and eGPUs. Perhaps the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign will be posted under this brand when the time comes.
The so-called Next-SBC will hit Indiegogo soon. Pricing for this pocketful of power is expected to start at around $329.
