If you're exploring AI development on the edge—whether it's smart robotics, computer vision, or autonomous systems—NVIDIA's Jetson platform offers two standout options: the Jetson AGX Orin Development Kit (253-9662) and the Jetson Orin Nano Super Development Kit (264-7384) . Both are built on the Ampere GPU architecture and share many core technologies, but they serve different needs in terms of performance, power, and price.
In this article, we'll break down the key differences and help you decide which board best fits your project.
Overview of the Contenders
NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super Development Kit (264-7384)
Aimed at developers who need powerful AI performance on a tight power budget, the Orin Nano brings remarkable capabilities to compact, low-cost AI applications.
- GPU: 1024-core NVIDIA Ampere GPU with 32 Tensor Cores
- CPU: 6-core ARM Cortex-A78AE
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR5
- AI Performance: Up to 67 TOPS
- Power Consumption: Configurable (7W / 25W modes)
- I/O: GbE, M.2 NVMe, USB 3.2, 2x CSI camera inputs
NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin Development Kit (253-9662)
The Orin NX is a mid-range powerhouse. It doubles the RAM, increases the AI throughput, and offers more CPU performance, making it suitable for heavy-duty edge AI tasks.
- GPU: 1024-core NVIDIA Ampere GPU with 32 Tensor Cores
- CPU: 8-core ARM Cortex-A78AE
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5
- AI Performance: Up to 275 TOPS
- Power Consumption: Configurable (10W / 25W modes)
- I/O: GbE, M.2 NVMe, USB 3.1, PCIe, CSI, and more
Which One is Right for Your Project?
| Jetson Orin Nano Super Development Kit | Jetson AGX Orin Development Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | NVIDIA Ampere with 1024 CUDA cores and 32 Tensor cores | NVIDIA Ampere with 2084 CUDA cores and 64 Tensor cores |
| CPU | 6-core Arm Cortex-A78AE v8.2 64-bit CPU (1.5MB L2 + 4MB L3) | 12-core Arm Cortex-A78AE v8.2 64-bit CPU (3MB L2 + 6MB L3) |
| Memory | 8GB 128-bit LPDDR5 (102GB/s) | 32GB/64GB 256-bit LPDDR5 (204.8GB/s) |
| Storage | Supports SD card slot and external NVM | 32GB/64GB eMMC 5.1 |
| Video Encode | 1080p30 supported by 1-2 CPU cores | 2x 4K60, 8x 1080p60, 16x 1080p30 (H.265) |
| Video Decode | 1x 4K60 (H.265), 2x 4K30 (H.265), 5x 1080p60 (H.265), 11x 1080p30 (H.265) | 1x 8K30 (H.265), 3x 4K60 (H.265), 6x 4K30 (H.265), 12x 1080p60 (H.265), 24x 1080p30 (H.265) |
| Power | 7W-25W | 15W-60W |
| Camera | 2x MIPI CSI-2 22-pin camera connectors | 16-lane MIPI CSI-2 connector |
| PCIe | M.2 Key M slot with x4 PCIe Gen3, M.2 Key M slot with x2 PCIe Gen3, M.2 Key E slot | x16 PCIe slot supporting: x8 PCIe Gen4 |
| USB | USB Type-A connector: 4x USB 3.2 Gen2, USB Type-C connector for UFP | 2x USB 3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1, USB Micro-B |
| Networking | 1xGbE connector | Up to GbE |
| Display | 1x DP 1.2 (+MST) connector | DisplayPort 1.4a (+MST) |
| Other I/O Ports | 40-pin expansion header (UART, SPI, I2S, I2C, GPIO), 12-pin button header, 4-pin fan header, DC power jack | 40-pin header (I2C, GPIO, SPI, CAN I2S, UART, DMIC), 12-pin automation header, 10-pin audio panel header, 10-pin JTAG header, 4-pin fan header, 2-pin RTC battery backup connector, DC power jack, Power, Force Recovery, and Reset buttons |
| Dimensions (W x L x H) | 103mm x 90.5mm x 34.77mm (Height includes feet, carrier board, module, and thermal solution) | 110mm x 110mm x 71.65mm (Height includes feet, carrier board, module, and thermal solution) |
Choose the Jetson Orin Nano Super Development Kit…
- You’re building low-power AI edge devices like smart sensors, basic surveillance cameras, or small robots.
- Your application doesn’t require multitasking across several heavy AI models.
- Budget and power efficiency are top priorities.
- You're prototyping or in early-stage development and want to keep hardware costs low.
Ideal for:
- Entry-level robotics
- Smart cameras
- Home automation
- Educational AI kits
Choose the Jetson AGX Orin if...
- Your application demands higher throughput—like simultaneous object detection, depth estimation, and voice recognition.
- You need more memory and compute power for real-time, multi-modal AI tasks.
- You're moving toward production with advanced capabilities in robotics, industrial inspection, or autonomous navigation.
Ideal for:
- Drones and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots)
- Industrial edge AI
- AI gateways with multiple sensors
- Advanced prototype-to-deployment workflows
Final Thoughts
Both boards offer incredible power efficiency and NVIDIA's signature AI acceleration, but the right choice comes down to the scope of your application:
- Jetson Orin Nano Super Development Kit (264-7384) = compact, cost-effective, and capable
- Jetson AGX Orin Development Kit (253-9662) = more muscle, memory, and flexibility
Whichever route you choose, you're stepping into one of the most exciting ecosystems in edge AI development. Both kits are available now from RS Group, ready to bring your AI ideas to life.
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