RP2040 Core Gets Maker Praise
Backwoods Engineer calls the Arduino IDE with Earle F. Philhower's RP2040/RP235X core "finely-honed" [https://x.com/BackwoodsEnginr/status/2031103384355328133]. Meanwhile, Alex shared progress on an RP2350B board mimicking Raspberry Pi's minimal layout [https://x.com/averagearc/status/2030519464681406664].
The RP2040, Raspberry Pi's first microcontroller, debuted in January 2021 with the Raspberry Pi Pico, offering a versatile and affordable solution for embedded applications. Its dual-core ARM Cortex-M0+ processors clocked at 133 MHz and 264KB of SRAM made it a hit among hobbyists and professionals alike. The chip's accessibility and affordability have led to its integration into STEM programs, fostering the next generation of innovators. Earle F. Philhower III's Arduino core was an early community-led effort to enable Arduino IDE support for the RP2040. Released in March 2021, it predated official Arduino support, providing a crucial bridge for users familiar with the Arduino ecosystem. The core utilizes the bare Raspberry Pi Pico SDK and a custom GCC toolchain. The RP2350, launched in August 2024, is Raspberry Pi's second microcontroller, building upon the RP2040's success. It boasts dual ARM Cortex-M33 cores and dual Hazard3 RISC-V cores, offering a flexible architecture with a clock speed up to 150 MHz. The RP2350 also includes 520KB of SRAM and enhanced security features. The RP2350 comes in two main variants: the RP2350A with 30 GPIO pins and the RP2350B with 48 GPIO pins. The chip is software-compatible with the RP2040, ensuring a smooth transition for existing projects. Boards like the Waveshare RP2350B-Plus-W incorporate the RP2350B and offer features like Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5.2.
