Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040)
by Raspberry Pi
SKU: PSA-CMP-PICO
No reviews yetTypical India street price
₹280–₹550
RP2040 board programmed in MicroPython or C — great for PIO timing tricks.
Interface: GPIO, PIO, ADC, I2C, SPI, UART
Great for Thonny + MicroPython; pin map differs from NodeMCU kits.
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Concept
Raspberry Pi Pico is a dual-core RP2040 microcontroller board (not a Linux Pi). It shines in MicroPython classes and precise timing via PIO state machines.
A little theory
RP2040: dual Cortex-M0+ at up to 133 MHz, SRAM-rich for an MCU, USB 1.1 device/host, and Programmable I/O (PIO) that can bit-bang custom protocols off the CPU. All GPIO is 3.3 V. Three ADC inputs (plus temperature sensor). No built-in Wi-Fi on the plain Pico — use Pico W for wireless. In the classroom, treat Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) as a intermediate part using GPIO, PIO, ADC, I2C, SPI, UART. Typical India street price is about ₹280–₹550. Always verify voltage and pin labels on your exact module — silk screens vary across clones. Start with a datasheet or trusted learn guide, power the part correctly, share GND with the MCU, and test with a simple blink/read sketch before building the full project. Measure voltages with a multimeter when something fails, and keep actuator current off the MCU regulator.
How it works in a project
Hold BOOTSEL, plug USB, drop a .uf2 (MicroPython or CircuitPython). Or use Thonny. For C/C++ use the Pico SDK or Arduino-Pico core.
Classroom & project use
- MicroPython class sets
- High-speed IO / PIO demos
- USB gadgets
- Timing-critical sensors
Buying in India
Precautions
- 3.3 V only — no 5 V on GPIO
- Do not short 3V3 to VBUS
- Pico W antenna needs clearance
Specifications
| MCU | RP2040 |
| Clock | 133 MHz |
| Logic | 3.3V |
| Cores | 2× Cortex-M0+ |
| ADC | 3 channels |
| Category | Microcontrollers |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Voltage | 3.3V |
| Interface | GPIO, PIO, ADC, I2C, SPI, UART |
Pinout
GP0–GP28 GPIO (3.3 V) ADC: GP26–28 (ADC0–2) I2C0 default GP0/1; I2C1 GP2/3 (reassignable) 3V3(OUT), VSYS, GND, USB
