Broad market launch of Variscite's i.MX 8M PLUS System on Module solutions
Variscite is pleased to announce the broad market launch of VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and DART-MX8M-PLUS with the latest i.MX 8M Plus production silicon from NXP. The general availability launch takes place following Variscite’s highly successful selective launch in early 4Q2020. More than a hundred of its early access customers and partners already received the complete VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and DART-MX8M-PLUS development kits for their own evaluation and end-product design.
The broad market launch will offer Variscite’s customers the option to select either commercial or industrial graded modules with production-ready hardware and software to facilitate their end product design and production.
System on Module Features
The new System on Module solutions run on a 1.8GHz (commercial grade) or 1.6GHz (Industrial grade) quad Cortex™-A53 ARM 64-bit core with 800MHz Cortex™-M7 real-time co-processor with dedicated Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI / ML) capabilities within an integrated NPU engine.
The VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and the DART-MX8M-PLUS also offer advanced multimedia features and extensive connectivity interfaces such as high-performance 2D/3D GPU, H.265 HD video encode/decode, up to 4K HDMI, HD LVDS, high-quality voice processing, DSI certified dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth/BLE, dual USB3, dual GbE, dual CAN-FD, and PCIe.
Pin2Pin Product Family Compatibility
Both SoMs are compatible with Variscite’s Pin2Pin product family, which allows our customers to enjoy significant long-term advantages of scalability options as well as reduced development time, costs, and risks.
The VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS is part of the VAR-SOM Pin2Pin product family, starting from i.MX6UL/6ULL modules through i.MX 6, i.MX 8M Nano, i.MX 8M Mini, up to i.MX 8X up to i.MX 8QuadMax based modules.
The DART-MX8M-PLUS is a tiny SoM measuring only 55x30mm, offering Pin2Pin compatibility with the i.MX 8M Mini and i.MX 8M based modules.
VAR-DT8MCustomBoard v2.0
Variscite’s broad market launch will also include an optimized version of VAR-DT8MCustomBoard v2.0, DART-MX8M-PLUS’s carrier board, to provide a better evaluation and reference platform for the DART-MX8M-PLUS specific interfaces and feature-set.
The VAR-DT8MCustomBoard also supports the DART-MX8M-MINI and the DART-MX8M for scalability between the different iMX 8M platforms.
VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and DART-MX8M-PLUS Evaluation Kits
The evaluation kits of the VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and DART-MX8M-PLUS include the SoM with the Symphony Board or the VAR-DT8MCustomBoard carrier board, respectively. The kit also includes an optional LVDS display with a touch panel, optional display bridges, and a new set of cameras that allow our customers to leverage the modules’ advanced multimedia features.
Availability and pricing:
The VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and the DART-MX8M-PLUS System on Modules and associated evaluation kits are available for orders in both samples and production quantities. Please contact our sales team for further details.
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As AI-driven demand accelerated through 2025, memory chip shortages developed as semiconductor manufacturers shifted capacity to large-volume buyers, leaving many sectors, including medical, industrial, edge/IoT, and robotics poorly served. Climbing prices and lengthening lead times, exacerbated by knock-on effects across other SoM components, have created two clear pressure points. SoM vendors relying on outsourced manufacturing have limited flexibility when availability drops, leaving customers facing the same delays. Separately, product developers who chose chip-down architectures over SoM-based designs must procure components on their own. Those buying in smaller quantities are routinely pushed down supplier priority lists, and in many cases cannot get supply at all.
