ADLINK has released two Intel Atom X7000RE & x7000C Amston Lake-powered modules with the cExpress-ASL COM Express Type 6 Compact module and the LEC-ASL SMARC 2.1 system-on-module both offered with up to 16GB LPDDR5 soldered-down memory and 2.5GbE networking.
The modules are designed for high-performance, low-power, and ruggedized edge solutions running 24/7, and with support for Intel TCC and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), the modules are also suitable for hard-real-time computing workloads required by use cases such as industrial automation, AI robots, smart retail, transportation, network communication, and more.
Intel Atom x7000RE and x7000C Amston Lake processors
The announcement came as a surprise because I had never heard about Intel Amston Lake processors so far. It might be because they were just announced and all seven SKUs are embedded parts with two to eight cores, and as a result, they may not quite get as much coverage as consumer processors.
| Product Name | Total Cores | Max Turbo Frequency | Cache | Intel UHD graphics | Max memory ( DDR4, DDR5, LPDDR5) | TDP | Temperature Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Atom x7203C | 2 | 3.2 GHz | 6 MB | N/A | 32GB | 9 W | Commercial |
| Intel Atom x7211RE | 2 | 3.2 GHz | 6 MB | 16EU @ 1 GHz | 16GB | 6 W | Industrial/Extended |
| Intel Atom x7213RE | 2 | 3.4 GHz | 6 MB | 16EU @ 1 GHz | 16GB | 9 W | Industrial/Extended |
| Intel Atom x7405C | 4 | 3.4 GHz | 6 MB | N/A | 32GB | 12 W | Commercial |
| Intel Atom x7433RE | 4 | 3.4 GHz | 6 MB | 32EU @ 1 GHz | 16GB | 9 W | Industrial/Extended |
| Intel Atom x7809C | 8 | 3.6 GHz | 6 MB | N/A | 32GB | 25 W | Commercial |
| Intel Atom x7835RE | 8 | 3.6 GHz | 6 MB | 32EU @ 1.2 GHz | 16GB | 25 W | Industrial/Extended |
All “Intel 7” parts are offered in the same FCBGA1264 (35x24mm) package and they look to be pin-to-pin compatible. The consumer-grade “communication” SoCs have now Intel UHD graphics because those are designed for networking/headless applications. Supported features include Intel VT (including VT-x, VT-d, VT-x with Extended Page Tables), Intel HT Technology, Intel SSE4.2, Intel 64 Architecture, Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, Intel AVX512-VNNI, Intel TXT, Execute Disable Bit, Intel Data Protection Technology with Intel Secure Key, and Intel AES-NI. You can see further details on Intel Ark. Note that the parts’ name may be confusing as the x7211E is an Alder Lake-N processor, but the x7211RE is part of the new Amston Lake family.
ADLINK cExpress-ASL COM Express module
cExpress-ASL specifications:
- 7th generation Amston Lake SoC (one or the other)
- Intel Atom x7211RE dual-core processor with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel UHD graphics; 6W TDP
- Intel Atom x7213RE dual-core processor with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel UHD graphics; 9W TDP
- Intel Atom x7433RE quad-core processor with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics; 9W TDP
- Intel Atom x7835RE octa-core processor with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics; 12W TDP
- Note: GPU supports DX 12.1, OpenGL 4.6, H.265 8-bit codec, and OneAPI
- System Memory – Up to 16GB LPDDR5 in-band ECC memory, max. 4800MT/s
- Storage – Optional eMMC 5.1 flash
- Host connectors – 2x 220-pin high-density connectors
- Storage – 2x SATA III (6 Gbps)
- Display
- 3x DDI (DP 1.4/HDMI 2.0b)
- 1x LVDS or eDP 1.4b
- VGA through DP to VGA up to 1920×1200 @ 601 Hz (build upon through DDI2 interface)
- Audio – On-carrier support with ALC886 standard support
- Networking – 2.5GbE and Gigabit Ethernet using I226 or I226-IT/V (with TSN support)
- USB
- 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 1x USB-C
- PCIe – 8x PCIe x1 Gen3 lanes (some PCIe configurations are optional, see block diagram below)
- SEMA Board Controller – Voltage/current monitoring, power sequence debug support, AT/ATX mode control, logistics and forensic information, general purpose I2C, UART, GPIO, watchdog
timer, fan control - Debug header – 30-pin multipurpose flat cable connector for use with DB30-x86 debug module providing BIOS POST code LED, SEMA Board Controller access, SPI BIOS flashing, power testpoints, debug LEDs
- Security – TPM 2.0 (SPI-based)
- Misc
- AMI Aptio V
- Management Bus – I2C, SMBus
- Super I/O – Supported on carrier if needed (standard support W83627DHG-P, other Super I/O supported by project basis)
- Power Supply
- ATX: 5 to 20V / 5Vsb or AT: 5 to 20VStandard Input
- ACPI 5.0 compliant; Smart Battery support (TBC)
- Power States – C1-C6, S0, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 ECO mode
- ECO Mode supports deep S5 mode for power-saving
- Dimensions – 95 x 95 mm (PICMG COM.0 Rev 3.1 Type 6 Compact size)
- Temperature Range
- Standard: 0°C to 60°C
- Extreme rugged: -40°C to 85°C (Amston Lake, standard 12V input only, TBC)
- Humidity
- 5-90% RH operating, non-condensing
- 5-95% RH storage (and operating with conformal coating)
- Shock and Vibration
- IEC 60068-2-64 and IEC-60068-2-27
- MIL-STD-202F, Method 213B, Table 213-I, Condition A and Method 214A, Table 214-I, Condition D (TBC)
- HALT – Thermal Stress, Vibration Stress, Thermal Shock and Combined Test
ADLINK says it provides support for Windows 10 64-bit IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, Ubuntu (LTS-Kernel 2021), and Yocto (LTS-Kernel 2021). The product brief also mentions the cExpress-ALN with basically the same specifications except it is based on 7th Gen Alder Lake-N processors (Atom x7425E, Atom x7213E, Atom x7211E, Core i3-N305, or Processor N200). So I’d assume Alder Lake-N and Amston Lake are pin-to-pin compatible especially since a quick check reveals they are all using the same package (FCBGA1264 – 35x24mm), and it’s not clear to me at all what the benefits of using one family over the other might be, even after looking at comparison in Intel Ark…
LEC-ASL SMARC 2.1 system-on-module
LEC-ASL SMARC 2.1 module specifications:
- 7th generation Amston Lake SoC (one or the other)
- Intel Atom x7211RE dual-core processor with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel UHD graphics; 6W TDP
- Intel Atom x7213RE dual-core processor with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel UHD graphics; 9W TDP
- Intel Atom x7433RE quad-core processor with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics; 9W TDP
- Intel Atom x7835RE octa-core processor with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics; 12W TDP
- Note: GPU supports DX 12.1, OpenGL 4.6, H.265 8-bit codec, and OneAPI; Other SKUs available on request
- System Memory – Up to 16GB LPDDR5
- Storage – 32, 64, 128, or 256GB eMMC 4.41/4.51/5.0/5.1 flash
- Host interface – 314-pin MXM edge connector
- Storage – 1x SATA III (6 Gbps)
- Display – Dual-channel 18-/24-bit LVDS
- Camera – 2-lane MIPI CSI, 4-lane MIPI CSI
- Audio – On-carrier HDA audio codec
- Networking – 2x 2.5GbE (TSN capable on RE SKUs)
- USB
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 4x USB 2.0
- PCIe – 4x PCIe x1 Gen3 lanes (some PCIe configurations are optional, see block diagram below)
- Low-speed I/Os – 4x UART, 2x CAN 2.0B, 2x SPI, 4x I2C, 14x GPIO with interrupt, 1x with PWM
- SEMA Board Controller – Voltage/Current monitoring, power sequencing, logistics, forensic information, flat panel control, I2C control, GPIO control, user flash, failsafe BIOS (dual BIOS), watchdog timer, fan control
- Debug header – 30-pin multipurpose flat cable connector for use with DB30 debug module providing JTAG, BMC access; UART, power testpoints; diagnostic LEDs, Power, Reset, Boot configuration
- Security – TPM 2.0 (SPI-based)
- Misc
- AMI Aptio V
- Management Bus – I2C, SMBus
- Super I/O – Supported on carrier if needed (standard support W83627DHG-P, other Super I/O supported by project basis)
- Power Supply – 5V DC
- Dimensions – 82 x 50 mm (SMARC 2.1 short size module)
- Temperature Range
- Standard: 0°C to 60°C
- Extreme rugged: -40°C to 85°C (Embedded SKUs only)
- Humidity
- 5-90% RH operating, non-condensing
- 5-95% RH storage (and operating with conformal coating)
- Shock and Vibration
- IEC 60068-2-64 and IEC-60068-2-27
- MIL-STD-202F, Method 213B, Table 213-I, Condition A and Method 214A, Table 214-I, Condition D (TBC)
- HALT – Thermal Stress, Vibration Stress, Thermal Shock and Combined Test
ADLINK provides a Yocto Linux BSP and Windows support for the SMARC module, and a VxWorks BSP can also be provided with extended support. Just as with the COM Express module, the company can also provide the LEC-ADL with Alder Lake-N processors instead of the Amston Lake ones.
COM Express and SMARC 2.1 development kits based on the cExpress-ASL and LEC-ASL modules will soon be made available with carrier boards supporting all the interfaces for evaluation and prototyping. Going forward, the company is also working on another COM Express Type 10 module based on Intel Atom X7000RE & X7000C Amston Lake processors that’s yet to be formally announced.
Additional information may be found in the product pages for the COM Express and SMARC modules as well as in the press release.
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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So they broadened the embedded/enterprise offerings based on the Alder Lake-N die, which didn’t include an 8-core or the N200 (32 EUs) equivalent before.
Interesting that the ones without graphics support “double” the memory.
The memory information comes from Intel Ark though, so it’s not exactly the most reliable source for memory capacity. I can’t believe I’m writing this as it comes from the horse’s mouth, but it’s true.