When did Gen 2 SBC start?
The widely cited starting point for the Gen 2 era of single-board computers (SBCs) is February 2015, with the release of the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B. However, there is no universal official designation for Gen 2 across all manufacturers, so the label can vary by vendor and by community interpretation.
What “Gen 2” means in the SBC world
In practice, “Gen 2” is an informal way to describe boards that deliver a noticeable jump in CPU performance and memory over the original generation, often accompanied by improved I/O and connectivity. The term does not have a single, industry-wide definition, so different ecosystems may apply it differently.
Raspberry Pi as the most cited origin
Among enthusiasts and developers, the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is frequently pointed to as the moment Gen 2 began for mainstream SBCs. It introduced a quad‑core ARM processor and 1 GB of RAM, a substantial upgrade over the original Raspberry Pi (released 2012) and helped solidify the idea of a second-generation line in the hobbyist and education markets.
Timeline and milestones
Below is a concise, illustrative timeline of events commonly associated with Gen 2 discussions. It is intended to show what is widely referenced rather than to prescribe an official category boundary.
- February 2015 — Raspberry Pi 2 Model B released, featuring a 900 MHz quad‑core ARM Cortex‑A7 CPU (BCM2836) and 1 GB RAM, widely regarded as the starting point for Gen 2 in mainstream SBCs.
- 2016 — Raspberry Pi 3 Model B launches, bringing integrated Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth with a more capable CPU; many observers mark it as a new generation, though some discussions classify it under a broader Gen 3 umbrella, depending on the source.
- 2015–late 2010s — Other SBC vendors (BeagleBone, ODROID, Banana Pi, Orange Pi, etc.) release faster boards that the community sometimes informally label as Gen 2, reflecting the era’s push toward more capable, compact computing platforms.
These items illustrate a pattern: Gen 2 is often anchored to Raspberry Pi milestones but remains an informal label that varies by context and vendor.
Implications for users and developers
Understanding whether a board qualifies as Gen 2 helps with expectations around performance, software compatibility, and community support. When selecting a board, consider the following factors rather than relying solely on the Gen 2 label.
How to decide which Gen 2 board fits your needs
Evaluate CPU performance, RAM amount, GPU capabilities, I/O options (USB, Ethernet, GPIO), storage interface, and the strength of the software ecosystem. For education, hobby projects, or quick prototyping, a Gen 2-era board like Raspberry Pi 2 or Raspberry Pi 3–class devices may offer ample support and resources. For more demanding workloads or industrial use, look at newer, purpose-built SBCs and verify long-term availability and security updates.
Summary
Gen 2 SBCs are defined more by a period of rapid capability advancement than by a fixed official standard. The February 2015 release of the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is commonly cited as the practical start of Gen 2 in mainstream SBC discourse, but the label remains informal. Consumers should assess the technical needs and ecosystem support of a board rather than relying solely on the Gen 2 designation.
