RP2040-Zero microcontroller - USB-C, 20 GPIO, pins soldered

Product overview

• Compact microcontroller board with RP2040 dual-core chip (up to 133 MHz)
• 264 KB SRAM, 2 MB flash memory, USB-C connection for programming and power supply
• 20 GPIO pins via pin headers, plus 9 additional pins as solder pads
• 2x SPI, 2x I2C, 2x UART, 4*12-bit ADC, 16x PWM, 8 programmable PIO state machines
• Addressable RGB LED, BOOT and RESET buttons integrated
• Programmable via drag and drop, MicroPython or C/C++ SDK
• Pin headers soldered on the underside, fits standard breadboards and sockets

Product description

The RP2040 microcontroller runs with two Arm Cortex-M0+ cores at an adjustable clock frequency of up to 133 MHz and features 264 KB SRAM and 2 MB external flash memory. Of the chip's 29 GPIO pins, 20 are accessible via the side pin headers, while the remaining pins are available as solder pads on the board. Its versatility lies in the combination of interfaces: two SPI, two I2C and two UART channels enable parallel communication with multiple sensors and actuators without wasting pins, four 12-bit ADC inputs convert analog signals, and 16 PWM channels control motors or LED brightness. Eight freely programmable PIO state machines extend the possibilities to protocols beyond the standard repertoire.

Power is supplied via USB-C, either directly from 5 V or via the integrated regulator from 3.3 V. An internal temperature sensor and hardware support for floating-point operations are also included. The board can be programmed via drag and drop over the USB connection as a virtual storage drive, or with MicroPython, CircuitPython and the C/C++ SDK, depending on requirements and preferences. The castellated contacts on the board allow it to be soldered directly onto carrier boards; in this case, the board is already fitted with straight pin headers, allowing it to be inserted into a breadboard like a classic DIP component.

The small footprint, the ability to combine various digital and analog interfaces, and support for multiple programming environments make the board suitable for sensor projects, such as recording environmental data and then processing or forwarding it. It is also suitable for control tasks in devices where space is limited, or for rapid prototypes where quick code changes are the priority.

A USB-C cable is required to connect the board to a computer. Programming is performed on this computer; no additional hardware such as a programmer or special development board is required.

Safety information

The board must not be installed in the household electrical circuit and is intended exclusively for building prototypes and for testing and development purposes. It operates with low voltage within the safe range. Work on or immediately adjacent to a building's electrical installation must be carried out by a qualified electrician; if you have questions about the power supply or mains connection, consult a qualified electrician before commissioning.

Scope of delivery

• 1x RP2040-Zero microcontroller, pins soldered on top / bottom