The AAEON PICO-TWL4 Rev.B is a Pico-ITX board offering a choice between Intel Processor N150 (6W) or Core 3 Processor N355 (15W). It features dual LAN (2.5GbE + GbE), mSATA + SATA storage, and +12V Phoenix terminal block power input—designed for industrial edge devices.
AAEON has announced and is selling the PICO-TWL4 Rev.B, an industrial board in the Pico-ITX form factor. Available in two SKU configurations with Intel Twin Lake generation processors—Processor N150 (6W) or Core 3 Processor N355 (15W)—this board packs dual 2.5GbE + GbE LAN, serial ports, GPIO, and other industrial I/O into a compact 100×72mm footprint. Pricing starts at US$247 on the eShop, with quotes and orders also available through the contact form.
However, storage expansion is limited to mSATA + SATA, making it unsuitable for NVMe-centric deployments. Additionally, the eShop explicitly states that "coolers and heatsinks are not included," so overlooking thermal design could cause issues in production environments.
Table of Contents
Specifications
| ■ AAEON PICO-TWL4 Rev.B | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Processor N150 (4C, 0.80GHz, 6W) or Core 3 Processor N355 (8C, 1.90GHz, 15W) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Memory | DDR5-4800 SODIMM ×1, up to 16GB (Non-ECC) |
| Storage | SATA 6Gb/s ×1, mSATA/mini PCIe ×1 (default mSATA, switchable via BIOS) |
| Ethernet | 2.5GbE (Intel I226) ×1, 1GbE (Realtek RTL8111H) ×1 |
| Video Output | HDMI 1.4 (4K@30Hz) ×1, LVDS ×1 (default) / eDP 1.4 (option, shared connector) |
| USB | USB 3.2 Gen2 ×2 (external), USB 2.0 ×4 (internal) |
| Expansion | M.2 2230 E-Key ×1, mini PCIe/mSATA ×1, 4-bit GPIO, SMBus/I2C, TPM 2.0 |
| Serial | COM1-2: RS-232/422/485, COM3-4: RS-232 |
| Power | +12V Phoenix 2-pin (default), optional DC Jack / +9–36V adapter support |
| Dimensions | 100×72mm (Pico-ITX), approx. 0.08kg |
| OS | Windows 10/11 (64-bit), Ubuntu 22.04.2 (Kernel 5.19) |
This industrial board fits Intel N150 or N355 into a Pico-ITX form factor, featuring dual 2.5GbE + GbE LAN, four serial ports, GPIO, and TPM 2.0. While NVMe is not supported, the configuration is sufficient for use cases like compact gateways or inspection equipment that don't require NAS-level storage performance.
Features
SoC/CPU
The PICO-TWL4 Rev.B is equipped with Intel Twin Lake generation processors. Two SKUs are available—Intel Processor N150 (4 cores, 6W) and Core 3 Processor N355 (8 cores, 15W)—allowing you to choose TDP and performance based on your application.
The integrated Intel UHD Graphics supports HDMI 1.4 (4K@30Hz), plus LVDS (default) or eDP 1.4 (optional) on a shared connector for industrial panels, enabling up to two simultaneous displays. This makes it easy to envision configurations like edge control plus touch panel HMI.
Note that NPU (dedicated AI block) was not confirmed in official primary sources. If edge AI inference is your main objective, you should consider adding an external accelerator.
Power and Cooling
The standard power input is a +12V Phoenix 2-pin terminal block. This makes it easy to tap into industrial power distribution lines, and the "hard to unplug" design is an advantage. However, reversing polarity could instantly damage the board, so wiring should be managed with labels and procedures.
Options include a lockable DC jack and power adapter cards supporting +9–36V expansion for in-vehicle or vibration-prone environments.
For cooling, there's a 4-pin Smart Fan header on the board, but the eShop explicitly states that "coolers and heatsinks are not included." While the 6W TDP of the N150 might work with chassis-based cooling, operating the N355 at its 15W TDP regularly will require a separate heatsink or fan.
Storage and Expansion
Storage consists of SATA 6Gb/s ×1 and an mSATA/mini PCIe slot ×1. The mSATA/mini PCIe slot is switchable via BIOS, with mSATA as the default.
The M.2 slot is 2230 E-Key ×1, intended for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules. However, some official press releases mention "M.2 2280 E-Key," creating a discrepancy in size specifications. We recommend verifying the actual mounting size from datasheet diagrams before purchasing.
The block diagram shows PCIe "x1" configuration, but the generation (Gen3/Gen4) was not confirmed in official primary sources. Since this isn't designed for high-speed NVMe SSD transfers, consider a different board if storage performance is a priority.
Networking
LAN consists of dual 2.5GbE (Intel I226) and 1GbE (Realtek RTL8111H). This configuration is ideal for compact router/gateway applications or industrial use cases requiring "management LAN + data LAN" separation.
Serial ports include COM1-2 with RS-232/422/485 support and COM3-4 with RS-232 support—four ports total. This is convenient when connecting to existing factory equipment or legacy measurement devices.
Design
The PICO-TWL4 Rev.B features a 100×72mm Pico-ITX form factor with main I/O consolidated on one edge.
The port side includes (from left): +12V terminal block, USB 3.2 Gen2 ×2, RJ-45 ×2 (2.5GbE + GbE), and HDMI 1.4, making cable routing straightforward.
The processor package and SODIMM slot are mounted on the bottom side, so enclosure design needs to account for "thermal path to the bottom" and "memory access clearance." While bottom-mounted SoCs aren't unusual for industrial SBCs, this is an easy detail to overlook when selecting a case.
Other Notes
GPIO is listed as "4-bit GPIO" in the official datasheet. However, pin assignments and voltage levels (3.3V/5V, etc.) were not confirmed in official primary sources. If GPIO control is your main objective, verify circuit information in the manual before proceeding.
Supported operating systems include Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and Ubuntu 22.04.2 (Kernel 5.19). BIOS/Driver/Manual downloads are available from the official download page, but official OS image distribution was not confirmed.
For included accessories, the datasheet contains a cable parts list, but there's no explicit statement that they're "included," so confirm when purchasing.
Conclusion
The PICO-TWL4 Rev.B is a Pico-ITX (100×72mm) board offering Intel N150 or N355 SKU options, packed with industrial I/O including dual 2.5GbE + GbE LAN, four serial ports, GPIO, and TPM 2.0.
Best suited for: Those building compact industrial gateways, inspection equipment, or edge control terminals. The +12V terminal block input and dual LAN work well with field wiring, and it's also a good fit for reusing existing industrial panels (LVDS/eDP).
Not ideal for: Those expecting NVMe-based storage or included heatsinks. Underestimating thermal design could lead to problems in production, so this board should be considered with the assumption that "you'll handle thermal design yourself."
| Vendor | Price (Reference) |
|---|---|
| AAEON eShop | From US$247 AAEON eShop |
Related Links
- Official Product Page (JP): https://www.aaeon.com/jp/product/detail/pico-itx_boards_pico-twl4_rev.b
- Official Specifications (JP): https://www.aaeon.com/jp/product/detail/pico-itx_boards_pico-twl4_rev.b/spec
- Official Press Release (EN): https://www.aaeon.com/en/news/detail/pico-twl4_announcement
- Official Datasheet PDF: https://newdata.aaeon.com.tw/DOWNLOAD/2014%20datasheet/Boards/PICO-TWL4%20Rev.B.pdf
- Official Manual PDF: https://newdata.aaeon.com.tw/DOWNLOAD/Manual/PICO-TWL4%20Rev.B.pdf
- AAEON eShop (Direct Sales): https://eshop.aaeon.com/pico-itx-board-intel-processor-n150-core3-n355-pico-twl4-rev-b.html