> Is there any reasonable option with software support that comes even close to what RPI offers? I don't want an SBC where I have to use some strange back ported, super old, kernel with little to no chance of getting updates.

aarch64-wise, not quite yet I think, but I have hope for the RK3588. https://gitlab.collabora.com/hardware-enablement/rockchip-35...

> Maybe I should just go for an X86 board? Lattepanda Delta, or Khadas Mind whenever that's released. Not even that more expensive.

Yeah, x86-64 would certainly be a safe choice if you have the budget for it. I'd add ODROID-H3/ODROID-H3+ to this list.

Pine64 makes SBCs with the same goal as their PinePhones to get mainline Linux on them. That effort expands to many boards that use the same SoC. So the rk3399 used in the PinePhone. Their newer board uses rk3588 which isn't completely mainlined yet. But I think these are the best bet for software support.

https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/QuartzPro64_Development#Upstrea...

You could also get a framework laptop mainboard with a case: https://frame.work/products/cooler-master-mainboard-case

Isn't the link you posted, only for the case?

You can also buy mainboards[1] and expansion cards[2] (usb-c, hdmi etc.) from the same website. Depending on how beefy of a computer you want there are mainboards from 299 USD to 700 USD. So for ~500 USD you can get a very powerful tiny-ish computer. It obviously won't have the IO capabilities of pi-like hobby boards but it'll function great as a thin client for running linux / home automation stuff.

[1]: https://frame.work/marketplace/mainboards [2]: https://frame.work/marketplace/expansion-cards

> "normal" USB-C power

I have no idea what kind of USB-C PSU one can call "normal", but allowing higher voltages would be really good.

"Normal" would be a voltage-current combination, that isn't likely to lead to 10% lost energy just in the cable and connectors alone.

12V @ 2.25A would have been much more sensible: With a 100mΩ cable you'd lose 1.8% instead of 10%

The right choice would've been 9V 2.8A, because it's what USB PD-compliant chargers offer. For a 25W charger powering a 25W device, that's the only combination which is guaranteed to be available.

Using 5V 5A means you have to essentially use the official power brick, because very few third-party chargers support it. It really sucks.