Processors & Compute
What is SoM?
System on Module
A system on module (SoM) packages a processor, memory, and support circuitry as a ready-made board that drops onto a custom carrier, speeding development.
A SoM lets teams skip the hardest part of a high-speed design (routing DDR memory and the processor) and focus on their application-specific carrier board — a common path for Linux and edge-AI products.
Why teams use a SoM
A system-on-module carries the processor, DRAM, flash, power management and often Wi-Fi/Bluetooth on a small pre-validated board. The product team designs only a carrier board with the connectors and application circuitry, which removes the riskiest high-speed layout and shortens time to market.
SoM vs chip-down design
A SoM costs more per unit but saves engineering time and certification effort, so it usually wins at low and medium volumes. At high volumes a chip-down design (placing the processor and memory directly on your own board) lowers unit cost. Many products start on a SoM and move chip-down later.
Common SoM families
NVIDIA Jetson, NXP i.MX 8/9 modules, TI Sitara (AM62x/AM64x) modules and Raspberry Pi Compute Module. At the small end, MCU-class wireless modules (Espressif, Nordic) play a similar pre-certified role, although they are radio modules rather than SoMs.
SoM FAQ
- What does SoM stand for?
- SoM stands for system on module: a compact board with a processor, memory and power that plugs into a custom carrier board.
- What is a carrier board?
- The carrier (or baseboard) is the custom PCB that holds the SoM and adds the product's connectors, sensors, power input and other circuitry.