Arduino Announces New AI- and Robotics-Focused VENTUNO Q Hybrid SBC
the thought "what if UNO Q, but more?" has certainly crossed my mind, and Arduino have answered that emphatically with the new VENTUNO Q.
I knew the writing was on the wall as soon as I received my advanced prototype of the "Q"riously-named Arduino UNO Q: the Qualcomm acquisition was happening, and Arduino products would soon start reflecting it. The UNO Q is an impressive hybrid single-board computer, featuring a Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210 capable of running Linux, coupled with an STM32U585 microcontroller. This gives it the power and ease of use of a Raspberry Pi-type device, with the real-time accuracy and control of a "classic" Arduino. And the fact that you can plug a keyboard and monitor into this $44 machine and start developing without a separate computer makes it one of my favourite new boards from the past six months. I've been having fun with the 4GB version, but the thought "what if UNO Q, but more?" has certainly crossed my mind, and Arduino have answered that emphatically with the new VENTUNO Q.
"Ventuno" means "twenty-one" in Italian – a nod to Arduino's 21st birthday – and while the VENTUNO Q may not be 21 times as powerful as the UNO Q, it's a significant enough step up to be worthy of new nomenclature. The UNO Q's quad-core Cortex-A53 QRB2210 is no slouch, but the VENTUNO Q's Octa-core Dragonwing IQ-8275 is a serious application processor, with a built-in 40 dense TOPS NPU, capable of running Llama2 13-billion-parameter models, and generating 9 tokens per second. Couple that with 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 64 GB of built-in storage (plus an M.2 connector if you want to add more), and an Adreno (no relation) 623 GPU, and the VENTUNO Q starts to look like a fully-blown Edge AI computer. And full-sized HDMI and USB Type A ports mean you can connect a monitor and keyboard directly, without requiring a USB-C hub/dock/dongle like the UNO Q.
The VENTUNO Q is a real "kitchen sink" dev board, with an astonishing array of connectors and compatibility. While Arduino UNO shield support may be expected, the 40-pin Raspberry Pi header and compatibility was a surprise! Modulino and Qwiic connectivity is predictable, and advanced carrier headers for high-speed cameras, displays, and sensor fusion are par for the course with a board of this class. As complex and intimidating as the board may appear, the fact that it supports Arduino App Lab means that interoperability between the SOM and MCU will be made simple by the same easy-to-use Bridge from the UNO Q, and complex functionality can be incorporated in a few clicks with App Lab's powerful Brick building blocks.
The VENTUNO Q is expected to be available in Q2 2026 for under $300. As usual, we hope to go hands-on before launch for a thorough review and an opinionated deep-dive into this highly-anticipated new hardware!
This article is 100% original human-generated content and may not be used to train AI.