When a compact embedded system has to fit into a limited installation space while still providing Ethernet, serial communication, multiple displays, storage, expansion, and wide DC power support, a standard desktop motherboard can be too large or lack the required industrial interfaces. A 3.5" subcompact board provides a smaller platform that can be integrated into dedicated industrial and embedded systems.
Aaeon GENE-APL6W2-A11-F005, Intel Atom E3950, 3.5” SubCompact Board
The Aaeon GENE-APL6W2-A11-F005 is a 3.5" SubCompact Board powered by the Intel Atom E3950 processor. The 4-core, 4-thread processor operates at 1.60GHz and can reach up to 2.00GHz while using a 9.5W processor power rating. This provides a compact computing platform for embedded systems that need practical processing performance without requiring a full-size motherboard.
The board supports DDR3L 1866 memory through a single SODIMM slot, with up to 8GB of non-ECC memory. Its Intel SoC integration, UEFI BIOS, TPM 2.0 security, Wake on LAN, 255-level watchdog timer, and RTC battery provide useful functions for embedded system operation and remote management.
For display and multimedia applications, the board supports VGA, LVDS, and HDMI interfaces and can drive up to three simultaneous displays. It also provides Realtek ALC897/892 audio with Line-In, Line-Out, and Mic interfaces. These capabilities allow the board to support operator displays, embedded control interfaces, information terminals, and other systems requiring multiple display outputs.
Connectivity is one of the board's strengths, with two Intel i210/i211 Gigabit Ethernet ports, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0 interfaces, and several serial communication ports. COM2 and COM3 support RS232/422/485 with 5V/12V/RI support, while additional RS232 interfaces provide further device connectivity. Internal SATA III, mSATA, DIO/GPIO, I2C/SMBus, and expansion interfaces allow the board to be adapted to different embedded system requirements.
The GENE-APL6W2-A11-F005 operates from +9-36V and supports AT/ATX power, making it suitable for systems requiring flexible DC input. Its 146mm x 101.7mm dimensions help simplify integration into space-constrained enclosures, while the WITAS2 operating temperature of -40~85°C supports use in demanding environments. With TPM 2.0, watchdog functionality, industrial communication interfaces, and CE/FCC Class A certification, it is suitable for embedded industrial computing and control applications.
Key features
- Intel Atom E3950 4C/4T processor with up to 2.00GHz
- 3.5" SubCompact Board form factor
- Supports up to 8GB DDR3L SODIMM memory
- VGA, LVDS, HDMI with up to 3 simultaneous displays
- 2 x Intel Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 ports
- RS232/422/485 and RS232 serial interfaces
- SATA III, mSATA and full-size mPCIe expansion
- +9-36V power input and WITAS2 -40~85°C operating temperature
Specifications
| System |
|
| Form Factor |
3.5" SubCompact Board |
| CPU |
|
| CPU |
Intel Atom E3950 (4C/4T,1.60GHz, up to 2.00GHz, 9.5W) |
| Chipset |
Integrated with Intel® SoC |
| Memory Type |
DDR3L 1866, Single Channel SODIMM x 1, Non-ECC (Max.8GB, up to 1600MHz) |
| BIOS |
UEFI |
| Wake on LAN |
Yes |
| Watchdog Timer |
255 Levels |
| Security |
TPM 2.0 |
| RTC Battery |
Lithium Battery 3V/240mAH |
| Dimensions |
5.75" x 4" (146mm x 101.7mm) |
| OS Support |
Windows 10 (64bit), Linux Ubuntu 21.04.0/Kernel 5.10 |
| Power |
|
| Power Requirement |
+9-36V (Optional: +12V) |
| Power Supply Type |
AT/ATX |
| Connector |
Phoenix 2-pin Connector |
| Power Consumption |
Intel® E3950, DDR3L 1866MHz 8G, 2.36A @+12V(TYPICAL),
Intel® E3950, DDR3L 1866MHz 8G, 2.41A @+12V(MAX)
|
| Display |
|
| Video |
VGA, LVDS, HDMI |
| Multiple Display |
Up to 3 Simultaneous Displays |
| Audio |
|
| Codec |
Realtek ALC897/892 |
| Audio Interface |
Line-In / Line-Out / Mic (Audio function not available for WiTAS SKU) |
| External I/O |
|
| Ethernet |
Intel® i210/i211, 10/100/1000Base, RJ-45 x 2 |
| USB |
USB3.2 Gen 1 x 2 |
| Serial Port |
COM1 (RS232) |
| Video |
VGA x 1 |
| Internal I/O |
|
| USB |
USB 3.2 Gen1 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2 |
| Serial Port |
COM2, COM3 (RS232/422/485, support 5V/12V/RI), COM4 (RS232) |
| Video |
LVDS1 x 1, LVDS2/HDMI x 1(Default: LVDS2) |
| SATA |
SATA III x 1 |
| +5V SATA Power Connector |
+5V SATA Power Connector x 1 |
| Audio |
Audio Header x 1 (Audio function not available for WiTAS SKU) |
| DIO/GPIO |
8-bit |
| SMBus/I2C |
I2C/SMBus x 1 (Default: I2C) |
| Expansion |
|
| Mini PCIe/mSATA |
Full-size mPCIe x 1 |
| Half-size mSATA |
Half-size mSATA x 1 |
| M.2 |
— |
| Others |
— |
| Environment & Certification |
|
| OPERATING TEMP |
WiTAS2 (-40~85°C) |
| MTBF (Hours) |
374,567 |
| EMC |
CE/FCC Class A |
| Others |
|
| Others |
SIM, DIO x 8 |
| Order info |
|
| Model |
GENE-APL6W2-A11-F005 |
| CPU |
E3950 |
| DISPLAY |
VGA, LVDS, HDMI |
| LAN |
GbE x 2 |
| USB |
USB 3.2 Gen1 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2 |
| RS-232 |
2 |
| RS-232/422/485 |
2 |
| Storage |
SATA x 1, mSATA x 1 |
| Expansion slot |
MiniCard x 1 (Full) |
| TPM |
2.0 |
| POWER |
12V |
| Temperature |
WITAS2 (-40~85°C) |
| others |
SIM, DIO x 8 |
