When your product needs outgrow a microcontroller, it's tempting to design a custom board with a faster microprocessor (MPU).

But custom MPU boards bring memory timing problems, power sequencing issues, certification complexities, and signal integrity headaches.

These are the kinds of bugs that cost you weeks of debugging and thousands in delayed production, which is why so many products use pre-integrated microprocessors instead.

In my latest video, I walk through ten affordable microprocessor platforms that open up possibilities you can't reach with typical microcontrollers.

Top 10 Affordable Microprocessors for Embedded Products

A System-on-Module, or SoM, puts the processor and DDR memory onto a small board that plugs into or solders onto your custom board.

All the tricky high-speed routing stays on the module, and your board only handles the connectors, sensors, and power circuits your product actually needs.

A System-in-Package, or SiP, goes even further by putting the processor and RAM inside a single chip package.

To you, it feels like placing one component, even though inside it's an entire subsystem.

In this video I cover everything from ultra-low-cost options for budget-sensitive projects to platforms with real-time control built in alongside Linux.

You'll see which ones work best when every cent matters, which ones give you precise timing control for industrial applications, and which ones offer the long-term software support that commercial products need.

If you've been wondering how to step up from microcontrollers without taking on all the layout risk yourself, this video will point you in the right direction.

Talk soon,
John