AMD VEK385 Evaluation Kit: Engineers Can Now Prototype Embedded AI in Minutes, Not Months

Essential Points

• VEK385 integrates the AMD 2VE3858 adaptive SoC, combining heterogeneous processors for preprocessing, AI inference, and post-processing on a single chip
• AIE-ML v2 compute tiles use the MX6 datatype and deliver up to 3X the TOPS per watt versus first-generation Versal AI Edge devices running INT8
• Scalar compute capacity in Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 is 10X higher than first-generation Versal AI Edge products, based on eight Cortex-A78AE and ten Cortex-R52 cores
• Engineers can begin evaluation within minutes using ready-to-run example designs, the System Controller, and flexible JTAG, OSPI, and UFS boot modes

Embedded AI development has long been stuck in a slow loop of hardware bring-up, driver debugging, and toolchain setup before a single inference runs. AMD’s VEK385 Evaluation Kit breaks that cycle. Built around the Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 2VE3858 adaptive SoC, this platform compresses weeks of integration work into a single session, targeting engineers building safety-critical, long-lifecycle AI systems for robotics, automotive, industrial, and vision markets.

What Makes the 2VE3858 Architecture Different

The VEK385’s core is not a conventional FPGA or a standalone AI accelerator. It is a heterogeneous adaptive SoC that handles preprocessing, AI inference, and post-processing on a single chip, eliminating the power, area, and complexity overhead of multi-chip solutions.

The 2VE3858 device combines eight Arm Cortex-A78AE application processor cores running at up to 2.2 GHz, ten Cortex-R52 real-time cores running at up to 1.05 GHz, programmable logic, DSP Engines, and AIE-ML v2 AI Engine tiles in one package. That integration matters: in multi-chip architectures, data moves between discrete devices for each processing stage, introducing latency and consuming board space.

AMD’s AIE-ML v2 compute tile uses the MX6 datatype instead of INT8, delivering up to 3X the TOPS per watt compared to first-generation Versal AI Edge devices. This efficiency gain is based on AMD internal projections using a 2-row by 8-column subarray at 1 GHz, 0.7V AIE operating voltage, and 60% vector utilization, with a note that final product performance may vary. For power-constrained edge deployments, this efficiency difference directly influences whether a design remains viable in production.

Scalar compute capacity also receives a major upgrade. Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 delivers 10X higher scalar compute versus first-generation Versal AI Edge products, based on combined total DMIPs from the eight Cortex-A78AE and ten Cortex-R52 cores. This is a pre-silicon estimate, and final product DMIP performance may vary per AMD’s official documentation.

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VEK385 Connectivity: Built for Real Industrial Conditions

This is not a stripped-down demo board. The breadth of interfaces means a single VEK385 unit can evaluate multiple product variants, from an industrial robot controller to a 4K smart camera, without hardware swaps.

Rapid Bring-Up: What “Minutes, Not Months” Actually Means

The System Controller and Board Evaluation Tool handles board setup and target configuration directly, so the board can be customized to the target use case without manual low-level bring-up steps that typically consume an engineer’s first days with a new platform.

Ready-to-run example designs, including HDMI and MRMAC reference designs, are available out of the box. Engineers do not start from a blank project. Flexible boot modes including JTAG, OSPI, and UFS support rapid testing of OS image configurations, PL bitstreams, and embedded application stacks in sequence.

Target Markets Where VEK385 Delivers Measurable Value

AMD positions this kit specifically for applications requiring high security, high reliability, long lifecycle, and safety-critical operation. The underlying silicon architecture, including the Cortex-A78AE application cores and Cortex-R52 real-time cores, maps directly to the functional safety requirements that automotive and industrial designs demand.

Key verticals AMD identifies for Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 and the VEK385 platform:

• Autonomous driving and ADAS systems running sensor fusion at the edge
• Sensor-fusion smart cameras for industrial and surveillance workloads
• Medical imaging systems requiring deterministic AI processing
• Aerospace and defense platforms with long-lifecycle silicon requirements
• Robotics and industrial control leveraging CAN-FD and deterministic I/O
• Broadcast and professional AV systems handling multi-channel 8K workflows

VEK385 vs. VEK280: The Generation Difference

The VEK280, AMD’s previous Versal AI Edge evaluation kit, used the XCVE2802 adaptive SoC with first-generation AIE-ML compute tiles operating on INT8 data types and Cortex-A72 application cores. The VEK385 advances to the 2VE3858, which brings AIE-ML v2 tiles using the MX6 datatype, Cortex-A78AE cores replacing the A72 generation, ten Cortex-R52 real-time cores, and 10X higher scalar compute capacity.

AMD also recommends the VEK385 for Versal Prime Series Gen 2 evaluations, making it a dual-purpose platform. Engineers evaluating both adaptive SoC families need only one board, reducing hardware procurement cost and accelerating comparative benchmarking.

Considerations Before Ordering

The VEK385 is an evaluation platform, not a production-qualified board. AMD explicitly states it is not intended for volume production and does not require complete reliability and production qualification. Engineering teams should not use VEK385 hardware in production contexts where board-level qualification documentation is mandatory.

The 3X TOPS per watt and 10X scalar compute figures are AMD internal projections and pre-silicon estimates respectively, both carrying the qualification that final product performance may vary. Engineers should treat these as directional indicators during evaluation, not as guaranteed production silicon specifications.

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