article3 min read
Raspberry Pi 5 vs CM4 for Edge Compute: A Decision Record
The Pi 5's PCIe 2.0 lane changes the edge compute calculus significantly. When to use it versus the CM4 on a custom carrier board.
Jan 15, 20240 views
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Hardware Reviews
Development board reviews, sensor evaluations, and electronic component testing
13 articles•Updated regularly•Curated by Manish
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nRF9160 DK First Impressions: LTE-M Modem Bring-Up and Power Profiling
The nRF9160 integrates an LTE-M/NB-IoT modem with an ARM Cortex-M33. Bring-up is straightforward with nRF Connect SDK; power profiling reveals the modem's real current budget.
March 25, 2024
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article4 min read
Current Probe Shootout: Keysight N2780A vs Pearson 110 vs Rogowski Coil
Measuring switching converter current at 500 kHz requires a current probe with adequate bandwidth. Three probes, one test bench, and a clear recommendation for each budget tier.
Nov 7, 20230 views
article4 min read
ESP32-S3 as a Development Target: GPIO Matrix, PSRAM, and USB-OTG Notes
The ESP32-S3's GPIO matrix is powerful and confusing. PSRAM access through the cache hierarchy has gotchas. USB-OTG on the dedicated USB pins finally works reliably.
Sep 3, 20230 views
article4 min read
Siglent SDS2104X Plus: Mid-Range Scope Capabilities at Entry Price
1 GSa/s, 200 MHz bandwidth, and a serial decode bundle that would have cost extra on the Rigol. A detailed look at where the Siglent wins and where it doesn't.
Jun 25, 20230 views
article3 min read
Pinecil V2 Soldering Iron: A Bench Engineer's Honest Assessment
The Pinecil V2 is genuinely good at 90% of my bench work. The 10% where a Hakko 888D still wins matters for fine-pitch QFN rework.
Feb 8, 20230 views
article4 min read
Logic Analyzer Shootout Under $500: Saleae vs Kingst vs DSLogic
Three logic analyzers, same test bench, same firmware under debug. Timing accuracy, protocol decoder quality, and software reliability differ more than the spec sheets suggest.
Dec 14, 20220 views
article4 min read
JBC CD-2SHE Rework Station: Is It Worth Five Times the Price of a Hakko?
The JBC heats up in under two seconds and the sleep/hibernate feature preserves tip life dramatically. Whether that justifies the price depends on your volume.
Jul 19, 20220 views
article4 min read
Rigol DS1054Z Review: Four Years of Daily Use
The DS1054Z is the entry oscilloscope everyone recommends. After four years of real embedded debugging use, here is what holds up and what I work around.
Mar 10, 20220 views
article3 min read
UM25C USB Power Meter: The $20 Tool I Use Every Day
Logging voltage sag, peak current draw, and cable resistance with a $20 meter has saved hours of oscilloscope time during USB-C bring-up. Workflow and caveats.
Aug 5, 20210 views
article4 min read
Fluke 87V vs UNI-T UT61E: Does the Price Gap Matter for Bench Work?
The Fluke 87V is the industry standard for a reason. The UNI-T UT61E is a credible bench meter at a fifth of the price. An honest comparison for the working engineer.
Mar 20, 20210 views
article3 min read
JTAG Debugging With a $10 FT232H: Limits and Workarounds
An FT232H in MPSSE mode can act as a JTAG adapter for occasional use. The speed ceiling and reliability issues make it a backup, not a primary tool.
Oct 28, 20200 views