Single Board Computers: x86 vs ARM vs RISC-V

A comparison of x86, ARM, and RISC-V processor architectures for single-board computers, with a focus on Java development. ARM dominates SBCs like Raspberry Pi with mature JVM support and power efficiency. x86 (Intel/AMD) offers maximum compatibility but higher power draw. RISC-V is an open-standard newcomer that is still maturing — currently 2-3x slower than ARM equivalents — but promising for open-source embedded projects. The author plans 2026 experiments running Java and Pi4J on Orange Pi, VisionFive 2, and other boards beyond the Raspberry Pi.