Kontron, a global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), is pleased to announce the launch of its new 3.5-inch SBC-PTL at CES2026. The latest generation of Kontron’s 3.5-inch SBC product family is based on the brand-new Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (codenamed “Panther Lake”). This new single-board computer offers a powerful, energy-efficient solution for demanding AI applications and meets the specific requirements of industrial edge computing. It enables direct image data processing and autonomous decision-making without the need for a cloud connection or associated latency. Samples will be available to customers in the second quarter of 2026.

The 3.5-inch SBC-PTL utilizes an innovative computing architecture based on Intel® Core ™ Ultra 3 Series processors, supporting up to 16 cores, an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for energy-efficient AI inference, and up to 12 Xe GPU cores for high-performance AI workflows (up to 180 TOPS) and video analytics. This hybrid architecture enables the efficient execution of complex, parallel AI pipelines—without a separate GPU. This allows AI workloads to be processed directly at the data source, significantly reducing latency and overcoming connectivity barriers.

With integrated Intel® Xe Matrix Extensions ( Intel® XMX) and specific OpenVINO™ optimizations, the 3.5-inch SBC-PTL further enhances the performance of any computer system. Furthermore, it can drive up to four 6K displays simultaneously, enabling highly detailed visual output.

Improved scalability

The board features two DDR5 SO-DIMM sockets (up to 7200 MHz) and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (two Type-A, one Type-C) as well as two USB 2.0 ports (one Type-A). The 3.5″ SBC-PTL offers 2.5 GbE with TSN and dTPM 2.0 support, ensuring low-latency, real-time communication within and between systems, which is crucial for real-time AI processing.

In addition, three M.2 slots are available for SSDs, WLAN, Bluetooth, WWAN, and other expansions. Finally, the 3.5″ SBC-PTL supports a board-to-board connector and a board-to-wire connector, providing additional I/O ports or graphics/AI acceleration cards without the limitations of small form factors.

Robust and safe

The 3.5″ SBC-PTL is designed for harsh environments and supports a wide input voltage range (9V to 36V). It features an integrated TPM 2.0 security chip for enhanced hardware-level security, protecting user data and network access and ensuring operational integrity against cyber threats. Some variants are designed for continuous (24/7) operation under harsh conditions and high system loads.

Different versions are available for both industrial temperature ranges (-40 °C to 85 °C) and commercial temperature ranges (0 °C to 60 °C).

Long-term availability

The 3.5”-SBC-PTL ensures long-term availability of up to 10 years from the release date due to embedded key components and is CE, FCC, ICES, UKCA and UR compliant (UL-Recognized).

Powerful and secure AI applications ‘out of the box’

At CES 2026, Kontron will also unveil a high-performance industrial box PC, also based on the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. The new “KBox A-151-PTL” is specifically designed for AI workflows at the industrial edge and features a seamless security ecosystem (“KontronAIShield”) that detects threats, protects data, and ensures compliance – keeping infrastructures secure and resilient against cyberattacks.

Samples of the KBox A-151-PTL will be available after the motherboard launch.

Kontron