By - Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W is a $7 wireless microcontroller
- Designed for IoT projects; aimed at hobbyists and professionals
- Unofficial MicroPython build available now; official support coming soon
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has launched the Pico 2 W, a wireless successor to the $5 Pico 2 which came out just a couple of months ago. Priced at $2 more, the Pico 2 W is built around the RP2350 microcontroller and includes the same wireless modem featured in the original Pico W.
The RP2350 microcontroller builds upon the legacy of the RP2040, first introduced in 2021. It offers faster cores, more memory, floating-point support, optimized power consumption, and improved security through Arm’s TrustZone for Cortex-M.
For wireless functionality, the Pico 2 W is equipped with the CYW43439 modem, providing 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. The microcontroller supports programming through C and MicroPython libraries, offering flexibility for enthusiasts and engineers alike.
More to come
Eben Upton, co-founder of Raspberry Pi, said, “Many of the projects and products that people build on top of our platforms – whether that’s our Linux-capable Raspberry Pi computers, our microcontroller boards, or our silicon products – answer to the general description “Internet of Things”. They combine local compute, storage, and interfacing to the real world with connectivity back to the cloud.”
Raspberry Pi’s Pico 2 W, with its low price point and solid capabilities, is an appealing choice for hobbyists and professionals working on IoT projects like smart home hubs, environmental monitoring systems, and wireless weather stations, but Upton hints that this is just the beginning.
“We’re very pleased with how Pico 2 W has turned out. And, where the Pico 1 series ended with Pico W, we have a few more ideas in mind for the Pico 2 series. Keep an eye out for more news in early 2025,” he said.
The Pico 2 W is available to buy now, and for those eager to start experimenting, an unofficial MicroPython build for the new board is already available, with official support expected soon.
