Introduction

When selecting an embedded industrial core board, engineers often fall into a common trap: focusing solely on CPU clock speed and core count while overlooking the processor's ecosystem — whether documentation is complete, drivers are mature, the community is active, and long-term supply is stable.

EBYTE's industrial computing product line covers three major processor ecosystems:

These three core boards share a similar positioning — entry-level industrial Linux core boards — but the processor ecosystems behind them are fundamentally different. This article provides an in-depth comparison across ecosystem maturity, architecture design, development experience, and cost structure, helping you find the processor that is truly "the best fit for your project."

Core thesis: The purpose of this article is not to declare which processor has "stronger specs," but to determine which one is "better suited for your project."

Product Overview

1.1 ECK20-6Y28C Series (NXP i.MX6ULL)

Key Selling Points:

• One of the highest-volume embedded processors globally

• Extremely rich community resources (NXP official forum, Yocto, Buildroot)

• Long-term supply commitment (NXP LTS program, 15+ years)

• Industrial-grade wide temperature range: -40~85°C

1.2 ECK10-13xA Series (ST STM32MP135)

Key Selling Points:

• Dual-core heterogeneous architecture (A7 runs Linux + M4 runs real-time control)

• Shares the same ecosystem as STM32 MCUs — can reuse a large amount of MCU code

• Rich timers, PWM, ADC, and other peripherals

• OpenAMP-based asymmetric multiprocessing (AMP) on Cortex-M4

1.3 ECK30-T13IA Series (Allwinner T113-i)

Key Selling Points:

• Triple-core heterogeneous: dual A7 + RISC-V coprocessor + HiFi4 DSP

• Fully domestic components, stable supply,不受国际制裁影响

• H.265/H.264 hardware encode/decode

• Most competitive pricing

In-Depth Processor Ecosystem Comparison

Core Differences Overview

Key Differences — In-Depth Analysis

1. Ecosystem Maturity: i.MX6ULL's "Unrivaled Dominance"

The i.MX6ULL is the "evergreen tree" of the entire embedded Linux field. Based on NXP's powerful i.MX6 series — which has been on the market for over 10 years — it has accumulated:

• Tens of thousands of technical blog posts, community threads, and application notes

• Extremely mature NXP official Yocto/Buildroot support

• Native support in virtually all mainstream Linux distributions

• Engineers can almost always find answers on Google when encountering issues

The STM32MP135 ecosystem is also excellent, leveraging ST's massive user base and the official OpenSTLinux distribution for rapid onboarding. ST also provides bridging tools to the STM32 MCU ecosystem, making it easier for MCU developers to migrate.

The Allwinner T113-i, as a newer entrant, has an ecosystem that is rapidly maturing. EBYTE provides a complete BSP package (U-Boot + Kernel 6.1), but community resources are relatively limited. For experienced Linux developers, this is not a problem; for newcomers, more exploration may be required.

2. Architecture Design: From Single-Core to Triple-Core Heterogeneous

• i.MX6ULL: The "purest" design — single-core Cortex-A7. All tasks (Linux system, application logic, control) run on the same core. Advantages: simple system, high reliability, easy debugging. Disadvantage: limited real-time performance (Linux is not a real-time OS).

• STM32MP135: Dual-core heterogeneous (A7 + M4). The A7 runs Linux for upper-layer applications and GUI, while the M4 independently runs bare-metal or FreeRTOS for high real-time tasks (motor control, PWM generation, high-speed sensor acquisition). Dual-core communication is achieved through the OpenAMP framework. This is ST's core differentiation advantage.

• Allwinner T113-i: Triple-core heterogeneous (A7 + RISC-V + DSP). Dual A7 cores provide strong computing power; the RISC-V coprocessor can be used for low-power standby or specific acceleration tasks; the HiFi4 DSP is optimized for multimedia audio processing. This architecture has a clear advantage in multimedia decoding and voice interaction scenarios.

3. Multimedia Capability: Allwinner's "Overwhelming Advantage"

Conclusion: If your project requires video playback (e.g., digital signage, HMI animation), camera image processing, or voice interaction, the Allwinner T113-i's hardware multimedia capabilities are unmatched by the i.MX6ULL and STM32MP135.

4. Cost Structure: Which One is "Better Value"?

Conclusion: From a BOM cost perspective, the Allwinner T113-i is the most advantageous. However, from a development cost (engineering hours, time-to-market) perspective, the i.MX6ULL has the lowest total cost. For mass production projects, long-term supply stability and supply chain risk must also be considered.

Technical Specifications Quick Reference

Application Scenarios: Which One Should You Choose?

Scenario 1: Industrial Remote Monitoring Terminal / Serial Server

• Requirements: 8 UART channels, 2 Ethernet ports, reliable operation, cost-sensitive

• Recommendation: i.MX6ULL (ECK20-6Y28C)

• Rationale: 8 UART channels are a must-have. The i.MX6ULL's industrial temperature range perfectly suits outdoor/factory environments. The mature ecosystem ensures development efficiency.

Scenario 2: Industrial HMI + Motion Controller

• Requirements: 1080P touchscreen + real-time motor control (stepper/servo)

• Recommendation: STM32MP135 (ECK10-13xA)

• Rationale: The M4 coprocessor independently runs real-time control algorithms while the A7 handles GUI display. The dual-core heterogeneous architecture is a perfect match for this scenario.

Scenario 3: Digital Signage / Smart Multimedia Terminal

• Requirements: 1080P video playback, audio output, low cost

• Recommendation: Allwinner T113-i (ECK30-T13IA)

• Rationale: Hardware H.265/H.264 decoding capability is a crushing advantage. The HiFi4 DSP optimizes audio experience. Dual-core A7 smoothly runs Qt/Web applications.

Scenario 4: Domestic Sourcing Replacement Projects

• Requirements: Must use domestic chips, supply chain autonomy

• Recommendation: Allwinner T113-i (ECK30-T13IA)

• Rationale: Fully domestic component design,不受国际制裁影响, stable supply, cost-friendly.

Scenario 5: Data Acquisition & Protocol Conversion Gateway

• Requirements: Multi-sensor access, protocol conversion (Modbus/CAN/MQTT), cloud platform connection

• Recommendation: i.MX6ULL (ECK20-6Y28C) or STM32MP135 (ECK10-13xA)

• Rationale: Both are capable. For serial-heavy applications → choose i.MX6ULL. For Gigabit Ethernet and future expansion → choose STM32MP135.

EBYTE Core Advantages

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1: Can the clock speed difference between i.MX6ULL (792MHz) and Allwinner T113-i (1.2GHz dual-core) be felt in real applications?

A: In single-threaded, light-load applications (simple HMI, data acquisition gateway), the difference is barely noticeable. However, in multi-tasking, high-compute-load scenarios (running a web server, Qt interface, and database simultaneously), the T113-i's dual-core advantage becomes apparent. Additionally, the T113-i's hardware video decoding capability is something the i.MX6ULL completely lacks.

Q2: In what scenarios is the STM32MP135's M4 coprocessor truly useful?

A: The M4 coprocessor provides "irreplaceable" value in the following scenarios:

• Motor control: Running FOC algorithms with cycle times below 200μs

• PLC logic: Low-latency control logic execution

• High-speed sensor acquisition: AD conversion, encoder pulse counting

• Safety-critical functions: Running independently from Linux, the system can still maintain control during Linux failures

If your project has absolutely no need for these real-time control tasks, then the M4 coprocessor's additional cost becomes a burden.

Q3: Is the Allwinner T113-i's ecosystem and documentation really much worse than NXP and ST?

A: Yes, the gap objectively exists. NXP and ST's documentation and community resources have been accumulated over more than a decade. Allwinner's business model leans more toward "reference design + original factory support," with less publicly available official documentation and lower community activity. However, as a partner, EBYTE has already completed core adaptation and driver development for customers, providing a complete BSP package. For development based on EBYTE core boards, the amount of code you need to write yourself is significantly reduced.

Q4: How should I weigh the temperature range when selecting?

A: This is a critical differentiator:

Selection advice: If your product needs to operate outdoors in northern winter conditions (below -20°C), the i.MX6ULL or Allwinner T113-i is mandatory. If used only indoors or in temperature-controlled cabinets, the STM32MP135 is perfectly adequate.

Q5: Is NXP's Long-Term Supply (LTS) program important in real projects?

A: Extremely important, especially in the following scenarios:

• Medical devices (FDA registration, long certification cycles)

• Industrial control (5~10 year product lifecycle)

• Aerospace/Military (strict component traceability requirements)

NXP's i.MX6 series has a committed supply period of 15+ years. ST also has a similar LTS program. Allwinner, as a company originating from the consumer electronics market, has relatively weaker long-term supply guarantees. If you need 10 years of stable supply, the i.MX6ULL is the safer choice.

Q6: What is OpenAMP and how does it work on the STM32MP135?

A: OpenAMP (Open Asymmetric Multi-Processing) is an open-source framework that enables communication between the Cortex-A7 running Linux and the Cortex-M4 running bare-metal/FreeRTOS. It provides:

• RPMsg (Remote Processor Messaging): A virtio-based messaging protocol for inter-processor communication

• Resource management: Lifecycle management of the remote processor (loading, starting, stopping firmware)

• Shared memory: Efficient data exchange through shared memory regions

This allows the M4 to handle time-critical tasks while the A7 manages the Linux stack, all communicating seamlessly.

Q7: How does the Linux BSP quality compare among the three platforms?

A:

Q8: Can I migrate software between these three platforms easily?

A: Application-level software written in standard C/C++/Python can be ported with moderate effort, as all three run Linux. However, you will need to:

• Adapt device tree files for each platform

• Recompile drivers for the target kernel

• Adjust hardware-specific code (GPIO numbers, peripheral addresses, etc.)

• Verify BSP-level functionality on the new platform

EBYTE's unified Linux software architecture helps minimize these migration costs.

Final advice: There is no "best processor" — only the processor that is "best for your project." Instead of obsessing over spec sheet numbers, go back to your product requirements: What temperature range is needed? How many interfaces? How demanding are the real-time requirements? How long is the supply cycle needed? Clarify these, and the answer will naturally follow.