MetaComputing AI PC (Arm Mainboard)
The MetaComputing AI PC Mainboard is the first Arm-based third-party mainboard for the Framework Laptop 1312. Developed by Switzerland-based MetaComputing in collaboration with CIX Technology and announced in December 2025, it is powered by the CIX CP8180 (CIX P1) SoC with a 12-core Arm CPU and a 45 TOPS NPU13.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| SoC | CIX CP8180 (CIX P1)12 |
| CPU | 12-core Arm CPU: 8× Cortex-A720 + 4× Cortex-A520 up to 2.6 GHz12 |
| NPU | Up to 45 TOPS12 |
| GPU | Arm Immortalis-G720 MC10 (10-core Mali)1 |
| Process | 6 nm1 |
| Memory | 16 GB / 32 GB LPDDR5 (soldered)3 |
| Storage | M.2 NVMe SSD3 |
| Wi-Fi | M.2 Key-E 22303 |
| OS | Linux (Ubuntu 25.04 pre-installed)14 |
| BIOS | TianoCore EDKII4 |
| Price | From $599 (mainboard + 16 GB + 1 TB SSD); ~$798–$1,468 depending on config34 |
Software
Pre-installed with Ubuntu 25.04 on Linux 6.6 kernel (CIX fork)4. Supports Vulkan GPU acceleration via the Mali GPU4. The SoC vendor maintains an upstream kernel at github.com/cixtech/cix-linux-main5.
Performance
Reviewers (notably Jeff Geerling) report4:
- Idle power: ~7.9 W (after BIOS update, down from 11 W)
- Maximum power: ~26.5 W under load
- Geekbench 6: In line with Radxa Orion O6 and Minisforum MS-R1
- GPU: Vulkan working via Immortalis-G720
Availability
First launched at CIX Ecosystem Conference in November 2025 and available through the MetaComputing Store13. Pricing has fluctuated due to memory shortages, with full builds ranging from $1,280 to $1,4684.
Related Projects
| Project | Description |
|---|---|
| DC-ROMA RISC-V Mainboard | First-gen RISC-V mainboard (StarFive JH7110) |
| DC-ROMA RISC-V Mainboard II | RISC-V AI PC mainboard (ESWIN EIC7702X, 40 TOPS) |