Quick Answer
The A603 is a compact carrier for Jetson Orin Nano and Orin NX modules, but “four USB ports” does not mean four Type-A sockets. You get two Type-A ports, one 20-pin ZIF USB interface and one Micro-AB device port. Buy it for compact integration, not desktop-style connectivity.
Why the USB Count Changes the Decision
Our A603 Carrier Board listing says four USB connections, which is technically accurate but easy to misread. Seeed’s datasheet breaks them down as two USB 3.0 Type-A sockets, one USB 3.0 interface on a 0.5mm-pitch 20-pin ZIF connector, and one USB 2.0 Micro-AB port. Only two accept ordinary USB peripherals directly.
That distinction matters when planning cameras, storage, a keyboard and an accelerator. We would count the A603 as a two-port board unless the enclosure design already includes the correct ZIF breakout. A passive hub may add sockets, but it does not create more upstream bandwidth or power budget.
What Fits on the 87mm × 52mm Board
The current manufacturer datasheet gives the A603 as 87mm × 52mm × 26mm and 50g. It accepts Jetson Orin Nano 4GB/8GB and Orin NX 8GB/16GB modules, with a 9–20V DC input rated at up to 7A. The module, storage, wireless card, cooling and suitable power supply are separate system decisions.
| Interface | A603 provision | Practical consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | M.2 Key M, 2242 NVMe | Do not order a 2280 SSD for this slot |
| Wireless | M.2 Key E, 2230 | Wi-Fi/Bluetooth hardware is not built in |
| Camera | One 15-pin CSI connector | Plan for one native CSI camera path |
| Networking | One Gigabit Ethernet port | Useful for fixed edge-AI deployments |
| Expansion | 40-pin header plus 14-pin UART/CAN header | Check voltage levels and pinout before wiring |
This is why we place it in our AI and Machine Learning collection as an integration board rather than a complete computer. The A603 exposes useful I2C, SPI, UART, I2S and CAN signals, but the headers are engineering interfaces, not plug-and-play drone sockets.
A603 or J401?
Choose the A603 when size and a 2242 SSD matter more than abundant front-panel I/O. The reComputer J401 carrier board is the better development-bench choice: Seeed documents four USB 3.2 Type-A sockets, two 15-pin CSI connectors and an M.2 Key M 2280 slot. Its wider connector set is easier to prototype with, while the A603’s 87mm × 52mm footprint is easier to package.
For autonomous systems, start with the sensors and cabling rather than the TOPS figure. Our guides to optical flow for indoor autonomy and the Crazyflie AI-deck show the same rule at smaller scale: compute is only useful when the camera, data path, power and thermal design work together.
First Boot Without Guesswork
Install the module, 2242 NVMe drive and cooling before committing the enclosure. Seeed’s current A603 instructions use an Ubuntu host, forced-recovery mode and a board-specific JetPack image; select the image that matches both the Orin module and required JetPack branch. We would confirm recovery-mode USB detection before starting a long flash.
Do not power the finished system from an arbitrary bench lead merely because its voltage is inside the 9–20V range. Size the supply and wiring for the module’s selected power mode plus USB, NVMe, fan and camera loads, then provide margin for transients.
FAQ
Q: Does the A603 include a Jetson module?
A: No. It is a carrier board for compatible Orin Nano or Orin NX modules.
Q: Can I fit a standard 2280 NVMe SSD?
A: Not in the A603’s documented 2242 slot. Use a 2242 drive; choose the J401 if 2280 storage is a requirement.
Q: Does the A603 have built-in Wi-Fi?
A: No. It provides an M.2 Key E 2230 slot for a separate wireless module.