Ka-Ro TX Module Selection & Cross-Compatibility Guide

TX Module Selection Guide — the printable version: Download PDF
Ka‑Ro TX (TXCOM) Series · SO‑DIMM Computer on Module

TX Module
Selection & Cross-Compatibility
Guide

A designer's reference to the Ka-Ro TX (TXCOM) family of pluggable SO-DIMM Computer-on-Modules — pin-compatible modules on one standard 200-pin connector, spanning STM32MP, i.MX 9, i.MX 8M, i.MX 6 and Renesas RZ. Pick the performance class your application needs and keep one carrier board.
16 modules compared
One 200-pin SO-DIMM connector
Pluggable & swappable
Current range 3.3 V I/O
Published by Strategic Embedded  ·  TX modules manufactured by Ka-Ro electronics GmbH. Module range & classification per the Ka-Ro distribution price list (2026-03); specifications compiled from manufacturer datasheets and the TX-Standard guide. Always confirm against the current datasheet of the specific ordering variant.  ·  Rev. 2026-06
The TX Compatibility Concept
TX Series Guide

One connector, one pinout — swap modules freely

Every TX module is a pluggable SO-DIMM Computer-on-Module seated in a single ruggedized 200-pin connector — the same proven style used for notebook memory. All modules share the Standard TX (TXCOM) pinout: Ethernet, USB, SD/SDIO, SPI, UART, I²C, the camera and parallel-LCD interfaces and the control/power signals always land on the same connector pins, regardless of whether the silicon is ST, NXP or Renesas. As the TX-Standard puts it: "simply unplug one module and replace it with another — no redesign is necessary."

One form factor · 200-pin SO-DIMM

67.6 mm-long edge-connector card, typically 26 mm tall (TX53 and the i.MX 6 family TX6S/DL/Q are 31 mm). Pluggable — no resoldering: prototype, RMA and field-upgrade simply by exchanging the module.

SoC RAM eMMC / NAND 200-pin edge connector · keyed notch

Scalable performance · one carrier

The TX range spans from Cortex-A7/A9 modules (i.MX 6, in NXP longevity to 2035) to quad/hexa-core Cortex-A53/A55 parts with on-module NPU and PCIe/USB3 — all on the same connector. Develop once, then diversify the product line by fitting a faster (or cheaper) module without touching the PCB.

Common core — Ethernet, USB 2.0, SD/SDIO, SPI, UART, I²C, camera, parallel LCD & control: on every TX module, on the same pins.
Extended — LVDS, SATA, PCIe, USB 3.0, MIPI-DSI, 2nd camera/Ethernet, TV-out: module-specific.
Interchangeable I/O voltage: every current module runs 3.3 V I/O, so modules swap with no baseboard voltage change. (The TX standard also supports 1.8 V modules via baseboard level shifters — the only 1.8 V part here is the legacy TX51.) Ethernet on the TX connector is 10/100 per the standard, even where the SoC is Gigabit-capable.
Two practical checks: (1) Extended interfaces vary — LVDS, SATA, PCIe, USB 3.0, MIPI-DSI, a 2nd camera/Ethernet and TV-out are module-specific; restrict a universal carrier to the common core. (2) Module height — most modules are 26 mm tall; TX53 and the i.MX 6 family (TX6S/DL/Q) are 31 mm — allow the vertical clearance if you want them to drop in.
Module Comparison
Current generation

Current-generation TX modules

The actively-distributed, pin-compatible TX family. The i.MX 6 UltraLite (TX6UL) remains current in NXP's longevity program to 2035; the older i.MX 6 Solo/DualLite/Quad are listed as legacy (next page). All current modules are 3.3 V I/O.

Module SoC CPU cores RAM Flash AI / NPU Key connectivity Size Temp °C
TX8P i.MX 8M Plus 4× A53 @1.6 + M7 + HiFi4 2 GB LPDDR4 8 GB 2.3 TOPS USB3+USB2, 2× 10/100 ETH, 2× CAN-FD, LVDS/DSI/HDMI, 2× MIPI-CSI, PCIe Gen3 26 -30→85
TXMP2 STM32MP257 2× A35 @1.5 + M33 1 GB LPDDR4 4 GB 1.35 TOPS USB2 + USB3 or PCIe Gen2, 2× 10/100 ETH, 3× CAN-FD, RGB/LVDS/DSI, MIPI-CSI 26 -40→85
TX93 i.MX 93 2× A55 @1.5 + M33 1 GB LPDDR4 4 GB Ethos-U65 2× USB2, 2× 10/100 ETH, 2× CAN-FD, RGB/LVDS/DSI, MIPI-CSI 26 -25→85
TX91 i.MX 91 1× A55 @1.4 512 MB LPDDR4 4 GB — 2× USB2, 2× 10/100 ETH, 2× CAN-FD, 24-bit RGB, parallel camera 26 -25→85
TX8M i.MX 8M Mini 4× A53 @1.6 + M4 1–2 GB DDR3L 4 GB — 2× USB2, 1× 10/100, MIPI-DSI or LVDS, MIPI-CSI, PCIe 26 -25→85
TXMP STM32MP157 2× A7 @650 + M4 512 MB DDR3L 4 GB — 3× USB2, 1× 10/100, 2× CAN-FD, 24-bit RGB + MIPI-DSI 26 -25→85
TXRZ Renesas RZ/G2L 2× A55 @1.2 + M33 0.5–1 GB DDR3L 4 GB — 2× USB2, 2× 10/100 ETH, 2× CAN, RGB/LVDS/DSI, MIPI-CSI, Mali-G31 GPU 26 -40→85
TX6UL i.MX 6UltraLite 1× A7 @528 256 MB DDR3 128 MB / 4 GB — 2× 10/100 ETH, 2× USB2, 2× CAN, 1× cam, ADC, crypto; no PCIe/LVDS 26 -25→85
At a glance: TX8P is the flagship (NPU + USB3 + PCIe + dual camera); TXMP2 matches it on AI/PCIe with the widest temp range and 3× CAN-FD. TX93/TX91 are efficient i.MX 9 options; TXMP/TXRZ cover the ST and Renesas ecosystems; TX6UL is the long-life entry option.
TXMP SD-card note: the standard TXMP-1570 (STM32MP157) has two pins outside the TX standard, so its SD-card interface does not work on a standard TX carrier. Use the TXMP-1571 variant, which is fully TX-standard-compliant, if you need the SD interface on a standard mainboard.
Module Comparison
Legacy

Legacy TX modules

Mature ARM9 / Cortex-A8 / Cortex-A9 modules (Ka-Ro legacy price list) — for maintaining existing products and long-life industrial designs. Same connector and TX pinout; note the 31 mm-tall parts and the 1.8 V TX51.

Module SoC CPU cores RAM Flash Key connectivity / notes Size Temp °C
TX6Q i.MX 6Quad 4× A9 @1.0 GHz 1 GB DDR3 128 MB / 8 GB 2× USB2, 1× 10/100, 2× CAN, 2× cam, PCIe; LVDS+SATA (option) 31 -20→70
TX6DL i.MX 6DualLite 2× A9 @800 1 GB DDR3 128 MB / 4 GB 2× USB2, 1× 10/100, 2× CAN, 2× cam, PCIe; LVDS (option) 31 -40→85
TX6S i.MX 6Solo 1× A9 @800 256/512 MB 128 MB / 4 GB 2× USB2, 1× 10/100, 2× CAN, 2× cam, PCIe; LVDS (option) 31 -40→85
TX53 i.MX 537 (A8) 1× A8 @800 MHz–1 GHz 512 MB DDR3 128 MB NAND 2× USB2, 1× 10/100+1588, 2× CAN, 2× cam, TV-out; LVDS+SATA (option) 31 -40→85
TX51 i.MX 515 (A8) 1× A8 @800 256 MB 128 MB NAND 2× USB2, 1× 10/100, 2× cam, TV-out, SPDIF, ATA; 1.8 V I/O 26 -20→70
TX28 i.MX 287 (ARM9) 1× ARM9 @454 128 MB 128 MB NAND 2× 10/100 ETH + L2 switch + 1588, 2× USB2, 2× CAN; no camera 26 -40→85
TX28S i.MX 283 (ARM9) 1× ARM9 @454 64 MB DDR2 128 MB NAND 1× 10/100, 2× USB2, CAN; 5 V supply only 26 0→70
TX25 i.MX 25 (ARM9) 1× ARM9 @400 64 MB SDRAM 128 MB NAND 1× 10/100, USB2 OTG+Host, CAN, 1× cam, touch 26 -40→85
Lifecycle: these are long-standing parts kept for existing designs. TX51 is 1.8 V I/O and needs a level-shifted baseboard. TX27, TX48, the TXA5 and TXSD-410E proposals are not part of the current range. Confirm current availability with Ka-Ro before a new design-in.
Inter-Module Compatibility
Interfaces & mechanical across the family

Interface & mechanical matrix — every TX module

All TX modules share one connector and the Standard TX pinout, so the common core (Ethernet 10/100, USB 2.0, SD/SDIO, SPI, I²C, UART, camera, parallel LCD, control) is on every module. The grid below covers the differentiators that decide a true drop-in swap: module height and the extended interfaces. (All current modules are 3.3 V I/O; the only 1.8 V part is the legacy TX51 — note 7.)

Module Size mm Ethernet USB 3.0 CAN Parallel LCD LVDS MIPI-DSI Camera PCIe SATA TV-out
Current generation
TX8P i.MX 8M Plus 26 2× ● ● · ● ● 2× MIPI ● · ·
TXMP2 STM32MP257 26 2× ●3 ● ● ● ● MIPI ●3 · ·
TX93 i.MX 93 26 2× · ● ● ● ● MIPI · · ·
TX91 i.MX 91 26 2× · ● ● · · par. · · ·
TX8M i.MX 8M Mini 26 1× · · · ●1 ●1 MIPI ● · ·
TXMP STM32MP157 26 1× · ● ● · ● par. · · ·
TXRZ Renesas RZ/G2L 26 2× · ● ● ● ● MIPI · · ·
TX6UL i.MX 6UltraLite 26 2× · ● ● · · 1× · · ·
Legacy
TX6Q i.MX 6Quad 31 1× · ● ● ●4 · 2× ● ●4 ·
TX6DL i.MX 6DualLite 31 1× · ● ● ●4 · 2× ● · ·
TX6S i.MX 6Solo 31 1× · ● ● ●4 · 2× ● · ·
TX53 i.MX 537 31 1× · ● ● ●4 · 2× · ●4 ●
TX51 i.MX 515 · 1.8 V 267 1× · · ● · · 2× · · ●
TX28 i.MX 287 26 2×5 · ● ● · · · · · ·
TX28S i.MX 283 26 1× · ● ● · · · · · ·
TX25 i.MX 25 26 1× · ● ● · · 1× · · ·
● available · not available 31 = 31 mm tall (vs 26 mm) Camera: par. = parallel CSI · MIPI = MIPI-CSI · 1×/2× = ports
1 — TX8M display is either MIPI-DSI or LVDS depending on the ordering variant (one at a time).
3 — TXMP2 offers either 1× USB 3.0 or 1× PCIe Gen2 (the two are muxed), plus 2× USB 2.0.
4 — LVDS (and SATA on TX6Q / TX53) is an order option (e.g. the "/LVDS" variant), not fitted on the base part.
5 — TX28 brings out 2× 10/100 Ethernet with an on-chip L2 switch + IEEE 1588; the TX28S (i.MX 283) has a single port.
6 — Per the TX standard, Ethernet is brought out as 10/100 on the connector even where the SoC is Gigabit-capable. Common core (USB 2.0, SD/SDIO, SPI, I²C, UART, camera, parallel control/power) is on every module and is not repeated here.
7 — TX51 is the only 1.8 V I/O module — it needs a baseboard with level shifters; all other modules are 3.3 V. Always confirm against the current datasheet of the specific ordering variant before layout.
Power Consumption
Measured across the current TX family

Power consumption — measured, not adjectival

Ka-Ro's own bench measurements, taken from a bare module with no peripherals attached, in three states: at the U-Boot prompt (cold-boot idle, before the OS starts), at the Linux prompt (kernel booted, no user workload), and Sleep (suspend-to-RAM / low-power state, wake sources active). All values in milliwatts at 3.3 V input. Add your own peripheral, display, radio and CPU-load budget on top.

Module U-Boot idle [mW] Linux idle [mW] Sleep [mW] Notes
Current generation
TX8P i.MX 8M Plus 1900 1685 115 Flagship compute; NPU + GbE + PCIe.
TXMP2 STM32MP257 800 800 80 AI-class at <1 W idle — widest temp range.
TX93 i.MX 93 1110 725 150 Dual-A55 with 0.5 TOPS Ethos-U65 NPU.
TX91 i.MX 91 965 695 55 Single-A55 · lowest Linux idle in the NXP set.
TX8M i.MX 8M Mini/Nano 1110 900 130 Mini Quad variant (TX8M-1610).
TXMP STM32MP157 875 800 60 Dual-A7 · long-established low-power part.
TXRZ Renesas RZ/G2L 1040 960 985 Sleep is workload-dependent1.
TX6UL i.MX 6UltraLite 760 550 30 Lowest full-Linux idle in the family.
mW at 3.3 V VIN Bare module; no display, radio or peripheral load Add carrier + payload budget on top
1 — TXRZ "Sleep" per Ka-Ro's published measurement reflects the RZ/G2L default low-power state; the RZ/G2L supports deeper suspend modes that depend on which wakeup sources are enabled — see the Renesas mainline BSP notes.
Source: Ka-Ro electronics — www.karo-electronics.com/product-selection (Power consumption tab, Aug 2026 snapshot). Values are Ka-Ro bench measurements on evaluation carriers with all pins unconnected. Your carrier, peripheral and OS configuration will change the numbers; treat these as a comparative baseline, not a design margin.
Design-in Guidance
Cross-TX Compatibility Rules

Designing a future-proof TX carrier

Six rules to build one SO-DIMM carrier that hosts many TX modules across the product lifetime.

1 Design to the Standard TX pinout

Every TX module seats in the same 200-pin SO-DIMM connector and presents the same core pinout. Lay the carrier out to that standard and you can unplug one module and fit another — no PCB respin, no resoldering.

2 Plan I/O voltage — 3.3 V, with one 1.8 V exception

Every current TX module is 3.3 V I/O and interchanges directly. The only 1.8 V part is the legacy TX51, which needs baseboard level shifters; fit them if TX51 (or any future 1.8 V module) is in scope.

3 Build to the common-signal subset

Ethernet (10/100), USB 2.0, SD/SDIO, SPI, UART, I²C, the parallel camera and parallel LCD plus reset/boot/power are on every module. Treat LVDS, SATA, PCIe, USB 3.0, MIPI-DSI, a 2nd camera/Ethernet and TV-out as module-specific — only rely on them if every target module provides them.

4 Allow the mechanical envelope

Most modules are 26 mm tall; TX53 and the i.MX 6 family (TX6S/DL/Q) are 31 mm. Provide the larger vertical clearance (and a heatsink path) if those parts are on your roadmap, so they remain true drop-ins.

5 Size the supply rail

Most modules accept a single 3.0–5.5 V input; TX28S and TXMP2 expect 5 V. Provision the carrier for the highest-power module in your roadmap, with adequate current headroom.

6 Confirm against the per-variant datasheet

This guide standardises marketing-level specs and the TX-Standard pinout. Before release, cross-check the exact pin/alternate-function table and ordering options of each variant — extended interfaces such as LVDS/SATA are frequently order-time options, and a few variants (e.g. TXMP-1570 vs TXMP-1571) differ on standard-pin compliance.

Quick selector

Need PCIe?
TX8P, TXMP2, TX8M; legacy TX6Q/DL/S.
Need USB 3.0?
TX8P, or TXMP2 (USB3 or PCIe, muxed).
Need on-module AI / NPU?
TX8P (2.3 TOPS), TXMP2 (1.35 TOPS), TX93 (Ethos-U65).
Need LVDS display?
TX8P, TX93, TXMP2, TXRZ, TX8M(LVDS); legacy TX6/TX53 as option.
Need 2× Ethernet?
TX8P, TX91, TX93, TXMP2, TXRZ, TX6UL; legacy TX28.
Industrial -40 °C?
TXMP2, TXRZ; legacy TX6DL/S, TX53, TX25, TX28.
Lowest cost / entry?
TX6UL; legacy TX25 / TX28.
Vendor / ecosystem?
ST → TXMP/TXMP2 · NXP → TX6x/TX8x/TX9x · Renesas → TXRZ.
In short: design one SO-DIMM carrier to the Standard TX pinout (3.3 V I/O) with the common-signal subset, allow for the 31 mm parts, and you can move up and down the TX ladder — and switch silicon vendor — by simply swapping the module.