You can run Python just fine in 64MB (were you thinking 64KB?). I've written substantial multi-threaded Python applications on boards like that. It used to be a lot of memory! But increase it if you want. You can run Micropython pretty comfortably with 64KB by the way. CPython might need more like 1MB, idk.

With a full Linux with a somewhat modern stack? In the 2000s, sure. In 2025? I doubt that.

On https://www.espressif.com/en/products/socs/esp32-p4 it says 768K. 32MB might be possible with SPI ram.

Yeah, like I said: the SPI RAM (also called PSRAM) is in-package. It's not a separate package, but integrated inside the ESP32-P4 package. It's only called SPI RAM because internally the ESP32 transparently connects to it via SPI.

The OS actually does useful things (multiple processes with memory protection) which is the point of wanting to run it instead of an MCU.

The ESP32 family utilizes FreeRTOS which gives you multiple processes, but sadly no MPU.

Just depends if you really need memory protection on such a tiny devices. I guess, some use cases need it, but I wouldn't think too many.

Yikes, that is pretty expensive, considering that most cheap Android phones have way more compute power AND a phone with a display etc.

Raspberry Pis in all shapes (except maybe the Zero line) are pretty expensive for the hardware.

But you buy long term support. There's hardly any other SBCs with nearly that level of software and hardware long term support. They sell each of their devices for around 12 years and give software support for at least that time. For low-quantity production, that's amazing.

At a prior job we designed an optical network bypass tap with a CM3 in it to provide a REST api and a Web UI. It was so simple to build all that and the 12 years of support meant that we didn't have to redesign anything over that time.

Most other SBC manufacturers are quite spotty with their LTS and their long-term hardware availability.

Plus of course there is the whole Pi Zero series. Shouldn't these CM's cost less rather than more?

The cheapest Pi Zero 2W (which is technically identical to the CM0) costs €17.80, which is a bit more than the $18 minimum price from the announcement. The more expensive variant of the CM0 ($26) includes EMMC storage on board which replaces the SD card. €8 isn't exactly much for a large SD card.