New SMARC-Compatible SoM Series Featuring i.MX 8M Plus Module Unveiled

Key Takeaways

The VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS module features a powerful NXP i.MX 8M Plus processor, designed for AI, machine learning, and advanced image processing.
Security is prioritized with a hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards like the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act.
Variscite plans to expand its SMARC series with the VAR-SMARC-MX95 in 2026, which will include advanced features for functional safety applications.

New SMARC-Compatible Module Launch

The recently unveiled VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS is built around the NXP Semiconductors i.MX 8M Plus processor, offering a 1.8GHz quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 CPU paired with an 800MHz Cortex-M7 real-time co-processor. This design enables support for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, as well as advanced image processing tasks.

Variscite claims the VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS balances high performance with low power consumption, providing more connectivity options than its predecessor, the DART-MX8M-PLUS. Key features include multiple USB interfaces, dual Ethernet controllers with IEEE 1588 precision time protocol support, expanded general-purpose input/output, and a secure real-time clock.

Targeted at industries such as industrial and commercial IoT, point-of-sale terminals, and medical equipment, the SMARC form factor is ideal for applications where size, weight, power, and cost are critical. The module’s design emphasizes security, integrating a hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, which performs cryptographic operations to protect sensitive data and comply with standards like the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act and FIPS 140-3 in North America.

Variscite emphasizes its capacity to provide customized configurations for the modules in smaller production volumes, beginning with order quantities as low as 20 units. Additionally, the company offers board support packages and direct support for various operating systems, such as Yocto, Debian, Android, FreeRTOS, and Zephyr.

Ofer Austerlitz, vice-president of business development and sales at Variscite, stated, “The VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS is an ideal choice for low-power, low-cost, yet high-performance devices.” He highlighted the company’s commitment to expand its portfolio with standards-based System on Modules (SoMs), enhancing support for customers developing secure next-generation products.

Introducing a SMARC-based Pin2Pin family, the VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS allows for performance upgrades or feature changes via module swaps while maintaining the same carrier board design, thereby reducing development time, costs, and risks across product lifecycles.

Looking ahead, Variscite plans to introduce the VAR-SMARC-MX95, based on NXP’s i.MX 95 processor, in 2026. This upcoming module is expected to feature a six-core architecture and a dedicated safety island for functional safety applications. Samples and evaluation kits for the VAR-SMARC series are slated for availability in the first quarter of 2026.

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