Beagleboard has recently announced the PocketBeagle 2, a single board computer (SBC) built around TI’s AM6232 dual-core Cortex-A53 and Cortex-M7 SoC and an additional MSPM0L1105 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller for ADC pins and board ID storage. Designed for developers, students, and hobbyists, it’s a direct upgrade from the previous generation PocketBeagle which the company released in 2017. The new board comes with a faster dual-core 64-bit CPU (compared to a single-core CPU), faster memory (DDR4), improved power management (USB-C + LiPo charger), and easier debugging (UART + JTAG) for faster development.
Additionally, it comes with four user-controllable LEDs, a power LED, and a battery-charging LED for better status indication. Unlike the first generation, this new version comes with pre-soldered GPIO headers with the same compact (55 x 35mm) form factor making it suitable for embedded applications and IoT projects.
PocketBeagle 2 single-board computer specifications
- Main SoC – Texas Instruments AM6232
- CPU
- Dual-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53 @ 1.0 GHz
- Arm Cortex-M4F real-time core @ 400 MHz
- Cache
- 512KB L2 cache with SECDED ECC
- 32KB L1 DCache (SECDED ECC) + 32KB L1 ICache (Parity protection)
- Dedicated Power/Device Manager
- Secure Boot & Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)
- CPU
- Secondary MCU – Texas Instruments MSPM0L1105 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller running at 32 MHz with 32KB flash, 4KB SRAM, 12-bit ADC, and more.
- System Memory – 512 MB LPDDR4 SDRAM, 3200 MHz
- Storage – microSD card slot supporting 1.8V and 3.3V
- USB – USB Type-C port for power and connectivity
- Serial – Raspberry Pi Debug Probe compatible UART port for debugging (3-pin JST-SH 1.00mm connector)
- Expansion – 72-pin expansion headers
- 8x analog inputs
- 52x digital I/Os
- High-speed USB
- Multiple digital interface peripherals
- Debugging – 10-pin JTAG TAG-CONNECT footprint
- Misc
- Power button
- User/Boot button
- LED Indicators
- 1x Power LED
- 1x Battery charging LED
- 4x User-controllable LEDs
- Power Supply
- 5V/1A via USB-C
- Cape Header VIN (alternative power input)
- Built-in LiPo battery charger
- Dimensions – 55 x 35 mm
- Weight – 12.7 grams
The PocketBeagle 2’s specifications don’t mention eMMC flash, however, the block diagram shows a 4GB eMMC flash, and I see a footprint for an eMMC flash which the company decided not to populate.
In terms of software, the BeagleBoard primarily supports Debian-based systems. You can download the latest Debian 9.5 (Stretch) version with an LXQT desktop environment directly from the product page. You also have the option to download Older versions, including Debian 9.4 (June 17, 2018) and Debian 9.3 (January 28, 2018) from the same website for the earlier PocketBeagle SBC. The board is open-source hardware so all the documentation including the schematics and board files can be found on the openbeagle’s repository page. You may also check out the quick start guide to get started with the new board.
It’s not the first AM6232 SBC around and AAEON’s PICO-AM62 and SRG-AM62 SBCs are other options available in the Pico-ITX form factor with Ethernet, HDMI 1.4 port, and two USB 2.0 as well as eMMC for storage. The target applications are different, and the Beagleboard 2 is mainly designed for developers and hobbyists, although it might end up into products too, especially since it’s mostly compatible with the original BeagleBone.
The PocketBeagle 2 is now available on Digikey and Mouser for $29.00. The official product page may have more information.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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