The Micro RP2040: Unleash Your Creativity
The Micro RP2040 from SB Components is a smaller version of the Raspberry Pi Pico's RP2040 chip. It is here to help you unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life in a compact and affordable package. Much like its big brother, the Raspberry Pi Pico, this breakout board is based on the RP2040 chip from Solder Party. However, there's one key difference - it includes a built-in USB C interface.
In many ways, the Micro RP2040 bears a strong resemblance to Solder Party's RP2040 Stamp. Both boards utilize the same processor and pinout, and both require surface mount soldering. However, the Micro RP2040 has sacrificed a few GPIO pins in order to accommodate the onboard USB interface. It does bear software debug (SWD) pins for debugging purposes.
Despite the obvious trade-off, the Micro RP2040's design still follows the Raspberry Pi Pico's castellations, allowing for surface mount soldering. You can technically use it in a breadboard, but you'll need to be careful about soldering GPIO pins to prevent shorting.
For a mere $4.50 (approx. £3.50), you can get your hands on the Micro RP2040 from SB Components. It's hard to argue with the price, especially when you consider the alternatives. Sure, a version with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth would be nice, but the limitations of the form factor are what prevent their inclusion.
If you're looking for something a little more powerful, check out our list of the best Raspberry Pi 3B+ boards. You'll also want to read up on the best Raspberry Pi Pico cases, since this little guy is a bit more susceptible to damage.
