EPIA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

VIA EPIA (VIA Embedded Platform Innovative Architecture) is a series of mini-ITX and nano-ITX motherboards with integrated VIA processors. They feature a small size and low power consumption, so are particularly popular in the embedded market.^{[citation needed]}

VIA EPIA motherboards come in several flavours:

Nano-ITX versions, based on the VIA CoreFusion processor series.
Mini-ITX formfactor featuring VIA CPUs and Northbridges in separate packaging.

VIA EPIA PCBs are commonly used for portable devices such as a carputers, and for network applications such as firewalls^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Criticism

Although VIA EPIA motherboards are very efficient in terms of space, they are sometimes criticised for being too expensive for the processing power that they provide. It has been commented that other manufacturers, such PCChips and ASUS, provide more affordable solutions based on the same technologies, namely VIA's low-power processors. [1]

For example, under the PCChips brand it is possible to find two FlexATX models, M789CG (VIA C3 Samuel 2, 800MHz, VIA CLE266 based) and V21G (VIA C7, 1.5GHz, VIA CN700 based), both models had a price of less than $100 at the time of its release.