Hailo • Hailo8 M.2 Chip vs. AI Hat

I would like to a Hailo8[L] chip with the WaveShare PoE M.2 (or potentially other M.2 HATS), but I am miffed at the pricing for Hailo8 chips.

• the WaveShare Hailo-8 AI M.2 chip (26 TOPs) is $180
• the RPi AI Hat+ (26 TOPs) is $120.
• the old RPi AI HAT Kit with the M.2 (13 TOPs) is deprecated... (why is it gone??) but was $80.

It seems to me the chip alone should be cheaper than the integrated one? Has anyone else noodled on this and found a solution besides just marketing, like maybe manufacturing process??

AND, how does one get a Hailo-8 (26 TOPs) or Hailo-8L (13 TOPs) as an M.2 chip without getting raked over the coals on up-charge?

Bonus: I potentially need a couple dozen for some builds, so is the only real option going to Hailo or an authorized reseller for an inquiry?

Would love a little history or marketing lesson on this one. Thanks in advance!

Statistics: Posted by glitteryio — Sat Aug 09, 2025 3:28 am

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