AAEON Brings the Power with New Intel Core Ultra-Based NanoCOM-MTU Modules

Embedded computing specialist AAEON has announced what it is positioning as the "world's first" COM Express Type 10 computer-on-module to be built around Intel's 28W Core Ultra 7 Processor 155H and Core Ultra 5 Processor 125H — delivering up to 22 threads in a compact form factor.

"The largest advancement outside of the CPUs offered by the module are in its corresponding graphics package," the company notes in its announcement. "Intel Arc graphics support dual display outputs via both DDI [Digital Display Interface] and eDP [embedded DisplayPort] outputs with resolutions of up to 3840×2160 at 60Hz. This configuration, along with the module's high definition audio interface, lends the NanoCOM-MTU to various application areas, with smart healthcare imaging, AI-assisted industrial inspection, and robotics all being suitable."

The module, brought to our attention by Linux Gizmos, is designed around the COM Express Type 10 standard, meaning a footprint of 84×55mm (around 3.31×2.17") and a board-to-board connector pin-compatible with COM Express Type 10 carrier boards. Exact specifications vary by model: the Intel Core Ultra 5 Processor 125H variant has 14 cores and 18 threads running at a boost clock of up to 4.5GHz, 18MB of cache, and an Intel Arc GPU running at up to 2.2GHz with seven Xe cores and support for Intel Deep Learning boost; the Core Ultra Processor 155H variant jumps to 16 cores and 22 threads running at a boost frequency of up to 4.8GHz, 24MB of cache, and a 2.25GHz Arc graphics processor with eight Xe cores.

While both models are designed for mobile devices, they can be configured to draw considerably more power than you'd expect from a computer-on-module: both chips are designed around a "base power" of 28W, though can operate as low as 20W — but can be configured to draw up to 115W under full load, a hefty power sink AAEON has not confirmed will be fully supported by the NanoCOM-MTU. Away from the Intel chip, each module also includes up to 32GB of LPDDR5 memory, though at the time of writing only 16GB variants had been listed, up to 256GB of NVMe storage plus two SATA 3 ports, though again only 128GB variants had been listed, a 2.5-gigabit-Ethernet port, four PCI Express Gen. 4 lanes, two MIPI Camera Serial Interfaces (CSIs), eight USB 2.0 and two USB 3.2 Gen. 2 ports, an analog audio interface, two UART buses, one I2C bus, an SMBus, a low-pin count interface, and general-purpose input/output (GPIO) capabilities.

In addition to the modules themselves, AAEON has also confirmed a compatible COM Express Type 6/10 compatible carrier board that brings out Ethernet, USB, serial, SATA, and PCI Express connectivity, a heatspreader, and a cooler — necessary, given the processor's high power draw under full load. On the software front, AAEON promises full support for Microsoft Windows 11 and Canonical's Ubuntu Linux 24.04.1, suggesting that other Linux distributions based around the same Linux kernel version 6.8 or higher will also work.

More information on the modules is available on the AAEON website; pricing had not been disclosed at the time of writing.