What computer do you need for Autodarts?

A modern quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and — most importantly — enough USB bandwidth to carry three simultaneous camera streams. A compact mini PC with an SSD is the sweet spot: silent, small enough to sit invisibly by the board and cheap to run continuously.

Does Autodarts need a powerful computer?

No. Autodarts is not demanding by modern standards, and USB bandwidth trips up more machines than CPU speed does. A machine that shares one internal USB controller across its ports can drop frames with three cameras attached even when the processor is barely working.

Can you run Autodarts on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes. The Pi is officially supported and is small, silent and cheap to run. It is still a Linux single-board computer, though: you image the SD card and install and update from the command line. If that sounds like fun it will serve you well; if it does not, this is not the place to learn.

Can you run Autodarts on a laptop?

Yes, and it is a sensible first experiment. Two things make it awkward long term: laptops with few USB ports often share one internal controller between them, which can cause dropped frames with three cameras, and the board computer needs to be present and awake every time you want to throw. A laptop that leaves the room or sleeps mid-leg makes the setup feel flaky when the software is blameless.

How much RAM does Autodarts need?

8GB is the practical figure — enough for the board software plus a browser showing the scoreboard, with headroom.

Does Autodarts run on Windows, macOS or Linux?

All three. The board software runs on each, so the choice of machine is really about USB bandwidth, whether it can live permanently by the board, and how much setup you want to do yourself.

Guide · 31 August 2026 · 6 min read

Which computer should you use for Autodarts?

Autodarts needs a computer near the board to run the detection software and read three cameras at once. It does not need to be powerful by modern standards — but a few specific things matter, and they are not the ones people usually shop for.

We run Autodarts on hardware in real UK pubs, week in, week out. This is what we have learned about each option.

What the job actually demands

Three things decide whether a machine will run Autodarts happily:

USB bandwidth for three simultaneous camera streams — this trips up more machines than CPU speed does
A modern quad-core processor — detection is bursty, and four cores keep it smooth while the rest of the system runs
8GB of RAM — enough for the board software plus a browser showing the scoreboard, with headroom

The laptop you already own: fine to try, awkward to live with

A spare laptop is the natural first experiment and plenty of people start there. The catches show up in daily use: laptops with few USB ports often share one internal USB controller between them, and three cameras on one controller means dropped frames. If cameras misbehave on a laptop, spread them across different ports, or drop the camera resolution.

The bigger problem is practical: the board computer needs to be there, on, every time you want to throw. A laptop that leaves the room, sleeps, or updates itself mid-leg makes the whole setup feel flaky when the software is blameless.

Raspberry Pi: officially supported, honestly fiddly

The Pi is a legitimate option and the Autodarts platform supports it well. It is small, silent and cheap to run. But it is a Linux single-board computer: you image the SD card, install and update from the command line, and maintain it the same way. If that sentence sounds like fun, a Pi will serve you well. If it does not, this is not where to learn.

A small dedicated mini PC: what we actually recommend

A compact quad-core mini PC with 8GB of RAM and an SSD is the sweet spot: proper USB bandwidth for three cameras, silent or near-silent, small enough to sit invisibly by the board, and cheap to run 24/7. Set it up once, and after that you never touch it — you play from your phone or the TV while it does its job in the background.

This class of machine is exactly what we run under the boards in the venues we operate, and it is what our pre-configured mini PC is: Autodarts installed, tested against a real board before dispatch, so the computer question is answered before the box is open.

Quick comparison

Spare laptop — cost: free; setup: easy; lives by the board: no; USB reliability: variable
Raspberry Pi — cost: low; setup: technical; lives by the board: yes; USB reliability: good
Mini PC (dedicated) — cost: modest; setup: easy (none, pre-configured); lives by the board: yes; USB reliability: good

What computer do you need for Autodarts?: A modern quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and — most importantly — enough USB bandwidth to carry three simultaneous camera streams. A compact mini PC with an SSD is the sweet spot: silent, small enough to sit invisibly by the board and cheap to run continuously.
Does Autodarts need a powerful computer?: No. Autodarts is not demanding by modern standards, and USB bandwidth trips up more machines than CPU speed does. A machine that shares one internal USB controller across its ports can drop frames with three cameras attached even when the processor is barely working.
Can you run Autodarts on a Raspberry Pi?: Yes. The Pi is officially supported and is small, silent and cheap to run. It is still a Linux single-board computer, though: you image the SD card and install and update from the command line. If that sounds like fun it will serve you well; if it does not, this is not the place to learn.
Can you run Autodarts on a laptop?: Yes, and it is a sensible first experiment. Two things make it awkward long term: laptops with few USB ports often share one internal controller between them, which can cause dropped frames with three cameras, and the board computer needs to be present and awake every time you want to throw. A laptop that leaves the room or sleeps mid-leg makes the setup feel flaky when the software is blameless.
How much RAM does Autodarts need?: 8GB is the practical figure — enough for the board software plus a browser showing the scoreboard, with headroom.
Does Autodarts run on Windows, macOS or Linux?: All three. The board software runs on each, so the choice of machine is really about USB bandwidth, whether it can live permanently by the board, and how much setup you want to do yourself.

Skip the computer question entirely

Our mini PC arrives with Autodarts installed and configured, bench-tested on a real board, with a free remote setup call. Plug in power, network and cameras.

See the mini PC