NXP Ara240 M.2 Module
Discrete M.2 AI accelerator module delivering 40 eTOPS for plug-in generative AI at the edge
40 eTOPS | 16GB LPDDR4 onboard | M.2 2280 M-Key | PCIe Gen4 x4 | ~6.6W
View on NXP.comOverview
The NXP Ara240 M.2 module is a discrete neural processing unit (DNPU) packaged in the standard M.2 2280 M-Key form factor, delivering 40 eTOPS of AI acceleration via PCIe Gen4 x4. With 16GB of onboard LPDDR4 memory, it can run models up to 30 billion parameters (INT4) independently of host memory. At approximately 6.6W typical power, it enables fanless industrial deployments.
Specifications
| Specification | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NPU | NXP Ara240 (multiple NPU + VPU cores) | |
| AI Performance | 40 eTOPS | INT4, INT8, mixed precision |
| Onboard Memory | 16GB LPDDR4 | |
| Host Interface | PCIe Gen4 x4 (~8 GB/s) | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 M-Key (NGFF) | |
| Power | ~6.6W typical | |
| Max Model Size | Up to 30B parameters (INT4) | |
| Frameworks | TensorFlow, PyTorch, ONNX | |
| Software | NXP Ara SDK | |
| Status | Preproduction | |
| Compatibility | FRDM i.MX 8M Plus, FRDM i.MX 95, other M.2 M-Key hosts |
Use Cases
- Adding generative AI (LLM/VLM) inference to existing embedded systems via standard M.2 slot
- Accelerating computer vision and neural network workloads on NXP i.MX or other host platforms
- Low-power edge AI inference in industrial, medical, and retail devices without requiring a GPU