The congatec conga-TC300 is a basic edge AI COM Express Type-6 Compact module utilizing 15W Intel Core Series 3 “Wildcat Lake” SoCs, which include up to the Core 7 350 hexa-core processor.
This module accommodates up to 64GB of DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, and offers optional onboard UFS 3.1 storage, an Intel i226 2.5GbE controller, and two 220-pin board-to-board connectors that provide access to I/Os like SATA, DDI, LVDS or eDP display interfaces, USB4, USB 3.2, USB 2.0, PCIe Gen4/Gen3, among others.
Specifications for the conga-TC300 include:
Wildcat Lake SoC Options:
– Intel Core 3 305: 6-core CPU with 2 P-cores at 1.5/4.3 GHz and 4 LPE-cores at 1.4/3.3 GHz, 1-core Intel Xe3 Graphics @ 2.3 GHz, no NPU.
– Intel Core 5 320: 6-core CPU with 2 P-cores at 1.5/4.6 GHz and 4 LPE-cores at 1.4/3.4 GHz, 2-core Intel Xe3 Graphics @ 2.5 GHz, NPU @ 16 TOPS.
– Intel Core 7 350: 6-core CPU with 2 P-cores at 1.5/4.6 GHz and 4 LPE-cores at 1.4/3.6 GHz, 2-core Intel Xe3 Graphics @ 2.6 GHz, NPU @ 17 TOPS.
– Common features: 15W PBP, 6 MB Intel Smart Cache.
Memory and Storage:
– Supports up to 64GB DDR5 @ 6400 MT/s using 1 SO-DIMM socket.
– Optional UFS 3.1 flash storage on the module.
Networking:
– Intel i226 2.5GbE controller supporting TSN on specific product versions.
Interfaces:
– 2x 220-pin high-density connectors.
– Storage: 2 SATA (total 4, but multiplexed).
– Video: Up to 2 DDI (shared with USB4), LVDS or eDP.
– Audio: HDA and optional Soundwire.
– Networking: 2.5Gbps Ethernet.
– USB: Up to 2 USB4 (with dedicated BIOS), 4 USB 3.2 Gen2, up to 8 USB 2.0.
– PCIe: 4 PCIe Gen4, additional 4 PCIe Gen3 (optional via PCIe switch).
– Low-speed I/Os: 2 UART, GPIOs, GPSPI, optional LPC or eSPI, SMB, and optional I2C or I3C.
Board Controller:
– Next Gen 6 congatec Board Controller with multi-stage watchdog, non-volatile user data storage, board statistics, and power loss control.
Security:
– Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0).
Other Features:
– AMI Aptio UEFI firmware with congatec Embedded BIOS, OEM customization, LCD/backlight control.
– Power Management: ACPI 6.0 with battery support.
– Size: 95 x 95 mm (PICMG COM Rev 3.1 Type 6 Compact).
– Temperature: Operating 0°C to 60°C, Storage -20°C to 80°C.
– Humidity: Operating 10 to 85% relative humidity, Storage 5 to 85%.
Considering the limitations of the Wildcat Lake processors with six PCIe Gen4 lanes, congatec has allocated four lanes to the connectors, one for the 2.5GbE controller, and one for the SATA ports or a PCIe Gen4 to 4x PCIe Gen3 switch. They used a USB 3.2 hub for multiple USB 3.2 interfaces as the CPU supports only two.
Congatec supports various operating systems including Microsoft Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, Ubuntu Pro Linux, and conga-zones Hypervisor, with additional support for ctrlX OS and KontronOS. The conga-TEVAL/COMe 3.1 carrier board is available for evaluation, with both active and passive cooling solutions offered.
The conga-TC300 is aimed at economical edge AI tasks in sectors like robotics, industrial automation, medical equipment, transportation, smart cities, and retail/POS, serving as an upgrade for systems initially based on Intel Atom or Celeron needing AI capabilities. Though it’s the first Wildcat Lake COM Express module encountered, other hardware using Intel’s latest SoCs exists, such as Advantech’s MIO-