With the proliferation of single-board computers and the various flavors that they come in, it can be a bit daunting to a newcomer. Added to the vast array of programmable microcontrollers like the Arduino, it only makes platform decisions that much more complicated. In fact, we are frequently asked about the difference between the Raspberry Pi, the BeagleBone, and the Arduino. And that’s only scratching the surface of what’s available to makers. I want to thank entrepreneur Joshua Schachter, who has endeavored to create the Big Board List. The site breaks out the basic specs of a bunch of different Linux-based single board computers. He also has plans to expand the site to include HDMI sticks and microcontrollers.

I recently ordered an ODROID-X2 to try out. At $135, it’s a bit more expensive than the other boards listed, but I’d like to see what I can do with the faster processor for video and graphics output in my projects. Has anyone else tried a board that they’d like to recommend? If so, leave a comment below.