# Hardkernel ODROID

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/odroid/

5 people recommended Hardkernel ODROID in Hacker News comments and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Single-board computers from Hardkernel, with complete hardware documentation including schematics and PCB layout, used for small clusters and home projects. Critics note they are underpowered next to Intel and AMD machines.

Summary written by Claude from 6 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Complete schematics and PCB layout published (1 comment in the sample): "provide complete hardware documentation, including schematics and PCB layout" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47500109))
- Multiple CPU options in one series (1 comment in the sample): "ODROID uses either a 4-core or an 8-core CPU of the same Gracemont-based series" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46070037))
- Used for small ARM clusters (1 comment in the sample): "I have an old arm cluster made of Odroid boards for that purpose." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46714499))

## What people warn about

- Vanilla kernel lacks hardware acceleration (1 comment in the sample): "the vendor kernel supported MFC hardware acceleration but the vanilla kernel didn't/doesn't" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47303397))
- SD card failed within three years (1 comment in the sample): "Within 3 years the SD card was dead" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47400997))

## Other single-board computers people recommend

- [Raspberry Pi](https://hackerapproved.com/p/raspberry-pi/): 307 recommend, 87 mixed, 235 criticize
- [Raspberry Pi Zero](https://hackerapproved.com/p/raspberry-pi-zero/): 62 recommend, 12 mixed, 22 criticize
- [NVIDIA Jetson](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nvidia-jetson/): 18 recommend, 7 mixed, 17 criticize
- [Raspberry Pi 2](https://hackerapproved.com/p/raspberry-pi-2/): 10 recommend, 1 mixed, 2 criticize

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.hardkernel.com/)

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Hardkernel ODROID", https://hackerapproved.com/p/odroid/ (5 recommend, 0 mixed, 2 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.