Raspberry Pi RP2040

What hackers pick instead

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Every quote

The 34 most detailed of 37 comments. Each links to the original.

1. rp2040/rp2350 are unironically one of the best MCUs on the market (esp. in their niche), both in documentation/API and price/perf and features/flexibility

   Recommends · Nov 2025

2. Looks like a $1 Raspberry Pi RP2040 (266 MIPS, 2 core, 32 bit, 264 kB on-chip RAM) could be a contender.

   Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Z2 – Lithographically fabricated IC in a garage fab”

3. PIOs are really a game changer, I have dumped a FPGA from the previous iteration to go rp2040.

   Recommends · May 2026 · in “DIY open-source ultrasound hardware on the rp2040/rp2350”

4. which was readily available at lower cost - so the decision to switch wasn't too hard

   Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “What I learned selling 2,500 MIDI recorders: Hardware is not so hard”

5. the PIO is such a good Swiss Army knife for working with custom digital protocols

   Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Building a 24-Bit Arcade CRT Display Adapter, from Scratch”

6. rp2040 were one of the few MCUs without stock issues or crazy prices

   Recommends · Nov 2025

7. It's relatively cheap (around $1 USD) and has tons of on-board RAM

   Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Building a 24-Bit Arcade CRT Display Adapter, from Scratch”

8. I cant tell you how awesome it is with minimal setup to get

   Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async”

9. Both the RP2040 and the RP2350 are amazing value these days

   Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Raspberry Pi Pico 2 at 873.5MHz with 3.05V Core Abuse”

10. it's really cheap to get from JLC, easy to prototype FAST

    Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Show HN: I made open source, zero power PCB hackathon badges”

11. I'm amazed at how easy it is to just get stuff done.

    Recommends · Nov 2025 · in “The Death of Arduino?”

12. it has great documentation and sensible peripherals

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async”

13. Always impressed with the PIO capabilities.

    Recommends · Nov 2025 · in “Driving TFEL with RP2040: Offloading the CPU step by step (2021)”

14. A capable SoC that costs around $1.

    Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “UNIX99, a UNIX-like OS for the TI-99/4A”

15. Broken ADC design on RP2040 with nonlinearity at certain codes (and they're not fixing it)

    Criticizes · Nov 2025

16. The ADCs on RP2040/2350 only have 12 bit resolution.

    Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Fully Featured Audio DSP Firmware for the Raspberry Pi Pico”

17. the whole RP2040 microcontroller line is great and I would encourage folks to support the smaller maker/OSHW companies

    Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’”

18. Using an RP2040 as a USB man-in-the-middle is a clever and cheap fix

    Recommends · Aug 2026 · in “Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker”

19. RP2040 trades fixed peripherals for a programmable timing fabric.

    Mixed · Dec 2025 · in “Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’”

20. RP2040 seems like maybe a bit overkill for a zero power badge

    Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “Show HN: I made open source, zero power PCB hackathon badges”

21. The last two use external QSPI flash, so hobby projects only.

    Mixed · Nov 2025 · in “Arduino Terms of Service and Privacy Policy update: setting the record straight”

22. using the RP2040 to get through prototyping and development

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “The U.S. Government Just Followed Through on Its Ban of DJI Drones”

23. You may be better off buying old 2040 inventory.

    Recommends · Sep 2026 · in “A 386 PC for Your RP2350”

24. It's a 32bit, dual core CPU running at 133MHz.

    Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Building a 24-Bit Arcade CRT Display Adapter, from Scratch”

25. it makes an excellent peripheral controller

    Recommends · Sep 2026 · in “New all in one 6502 computer (Neo6502kbd)”

26. Buy a dev board with an RP2040 in it

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async”

27. the RP2040 still has an edge for I/O

    Recommends · Oct 2026 · in “It took me nine years to hack my Xbox 360”

28. save for RP silicon like rp2040

    Recommends · Sep 2026 · in “Raspberry Pi blocks changing RAM chips”

29. RP2040 is a good modern option.

    Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Open-Source KiCad PCBs for Common Arduino, ESP32, RP2040 Boards”

30. Or just use the older RP2040.

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Of Boot Vectors and Double Glitches: Bypassing RP2350's Secure Boot”

31. I'm a fan of the RP2040 chip.

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async”

32. More importantly for many products, it offers no meaningful code security

    Criticizes · Jan 2026 · in “The U.S. Government Just Followed Through on Its Ban of DJI Drones”

33. it can't process it or send it over (12Mbps aka 1.5MB/s) USB

    Criticizes · May 2026 · in “DIY open-source ultrasound hardware on the rp2040/rp2350”

34. coupling it to a RP2040 takes most of that fun away again

    Criticizes · Sep 2026