However, even the most successful startup products typically run only a few thousand units before requiring a major design revision: bold new ideas make bold assumptions that rarely survive contact with end customers. Fresh clarity on market requirements and user feedback often necessitates changes. In a fail-forward-fast environment, cost-optimising a CPU-RAM-ROM triad doesn’t make sense. It would be like assigning top software developers to first hand-optimise code loops, instead of experimenting with new features and user requirements.

When design requirements are bound to change within the span of a few thousand units, spending tens of dollars extra per unit to buy a modularised CPU-RAM-ROM triad from SoM vendors amortises nicely, compared to the costs required to roll one from scratch. Starting with a well-validated processing core also reduces the risk of schedule delays due to unforeseen complications, while freeing up engineering resources to work on features that are truly unique to your product.

A real life example of this philosophy is Formlabs’ choice to use a SoM inside the Form 2 (read the full tear-down here: hsmag.cc/MPWHAP). Despite having ample venture capital and engineering resources, they wisely focused their efforts on building a better printer, instead of a cheaper or better computer. The wisdom to see past the BOM, and to focus on the issues that make or break a product, is arguably one of the essential competencies that any startup needs if it hopes to eventually grow into a billion-dollar business.