BinKey

raspberry-pi-pico-2w

7 min read

Important Note

This entire repo was AI created - including all of the data within. The intent was to A) help me with my personal electronics inventory; and B) see how I could use AI to make that process a bit easier. DO NOT TRUST!

Raspberry Pi Pico 2W

Details

  • Location: Cabinet-1, Bin 32
  • Category: Microcontroller Boards
  • Type: RP2350 Development Board with WiFi & Bluetooth (Pico Form Factor)
  • Microcontroller: RP2350 (Dual ARM Cortex-M33 or RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150MHz)
  • Brand: Raspberry Pi Foundation
  • Part Number: 6087
  • Quantity: 3
  • Product URL: https://www.adafruit.com/product/6087

Description

The Raspberry Pi Pico 2W is the Foundation’s latest wireless microcontroller board, built on the new RP2350 chip. It features dual-architecture capability (ARM Cortex-M33 or RISC-V Hazard3), WiFi, Bluetooth LE/Classic, and significant performance improvements over the original Pico while maintaining full pin compatibility.

Specifications

  • Microcontroller: RP2350 dual-core @ 150MHz (ARM Cortex-M33 or RISC-V Hazard3)
  • Memory: 520KB on-chip SRAM, 4MB on-board QSPI Flash
  • WiFi: 802.11n single-band 2.4GHz with WPA3 support
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth LE and Bluetooth Classic via Infineon CYW43439
  • GPIO Pins: 26 multi-purpose pins
  • ADC: 4x 12-bit analog inputs
  • PWM: 24 PWM channels
  • Peripherals: 2x UART, 2x SPI, 2x I2C, USB 1.1 controller
  • PIO: 3 blocks with 4 state machines each (12 total)
  • Power: 1.8-5.5V DC input
  • Operating Temperature: -20°C to +85°C

Dimensions

  • Board Size: 21mm x 51mm (0.83” x 2.0”)
  • Weight: ~3g
  • Form Factor: Standard Pico compatible

Image

Raspberry Pi Pico 2W

Features

  • Dual Architecture: Choose between ARM Cortex-M33 or RISC-V Hazard3 cores
  • Enhanced Performance: 2x faster than RP2040, with FPU on M33 cores
  • Expanded Memory: 2x SRAM (520KB) and 2x Flash (4MB) vs original Pico
  • Wireless Connectivity: WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth LE/Classic
  • Security Features: ARM TrustZone, signed boot, hardware TRNG, SHA-256 acceleration
  • Advanced Peripherals: HSTX for high-speed transmission, additional PIO block
  • Pin Compatibility: Fully compatible with original Pico and accessories
  • Soft Access Point: Support up to 4 WiFi clients
  • Programming Options: C/C++, CircuitPython, MicroPython, Arduino IDE

Wireless Capabilities

  • WiFi: 802.11n 2.4GHz with WPA3 security
  • Access Point Mode: Support up to 4 connected clients
  • Bluetooth LE: Low energy wireless communication
  • Bluetooth Classic: Traditional Bluetooth connectivity
  • Antenna: On-board antenna (licensed from ABRACON/ProAnt)

Security Features

  • ARM TrustZone for Cortex-M security architecture
  • Signed boot capability
  • 8KB antifuse OTP for secure key storage
  • Hardware True Random Number Generator (TRNG)
  • SHA-256 hardware acceleration
  • Fast glitch detection

Pinout Diagram

Official Raspberry Pi Pico 2W Pinout

Pico 2W Pinout

Basic Wiring Examples

Pico 2W Pin GP25 → Built-in LED (no external wiring needed)
OR
Pico 2W Pin GP2 → LED Anode (long leg)
LED Cathode (short leg) → 220Ω Resistor → Pico 2W GND

Note: Pin GP25 controls built-in LED

Button Input Circuit

Pico 2W 3V3 → 10kΩ Pull-up Resistor → Pico 2W Pin GP15
Pico 2W Pin GP15 → Button → Pico 2W GND

Code: Pin(15, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP).value() returns 1 when not pressed, 0 when pressed

I2C Device Connection

I2C Device VCC → Pico 2W 3V3
I2C Device GND → Pico 2W GND
I2C Device SDA → Pico 2W Pin GP4 (I2C0 SDA)
I2C Device SCL → Pico 2W Pin GP5 (I2C0 SCL)

Alternative I2C: Pin GP2 (SDA1), Pin GP3 (SCL1)

SPI Device Connection

SPI Device VCC → Pico 2W 3V3
SPI Device GND → Pico 2W GND
SPI Device SCK → Pico 2W Pin GP18 (SPI0 SCK)
SPI Device MOSI → Pico 2W Pin GP19 (SPI0 TX)
SPI Device MISO → Pico 2W Pin GP16 (SPI0 RX)
SPI Device CS → Pico 2W Pin GP17 (SPI0 CSn)

Analog Sensor Reading

Sensor Output → Pico 2W Pin GP26, GP27, GP28, or GP29 (ADC0-3)
Sensor VCC → Pico 2W 3V3
Sensor GND → Pico 2W GND

Code: ADC(0).read_u16() returns 0-65535 (0-3.3V)

UART Communication

Device TX → Pico 2W Pin GP1 (UART0 RX)
Device RX → Pico 2W Pin GP0 (UART0 TX)
Device VCC → Pico 2W 3V3
Device GND → Pico 2W GND

Alternative UART: Pin GP4 (TX1), Pin GP5 (RX1)

Battery Power Connection

LiPo Battery + → Pico 2W VSYS
LiPo Battery - → Pico 2W GND
Battery voltage monitoring → Pico 2W Pin GP29 (ADC3)

Note: VSYS accepts 1.8V-5.5V input

Programming Setup Guide

  1. Download MicroPython UF2 from micropython.org
  2. Hold BOOTSEL button while connecting USB
  3. Drag UF2 file to RPI-RP2 drive
  4. Board reboots with MicroPython
  5. Use Thonny IDE or terminal for programming

CircuitPython Setup

  1. Download CircuitPython UF2 from circuitpython.org
  2. Hold BOOTSEL button while connecting USB
  3. Drag UF2 file to RPI-RP2 drive
  4. Board reboots as CIRCUITPY drive
  5. Edit code.py to program

Arduino IDE Setup

  1. Install Arduino IDE
  2. Add RP2040 board package URL in preferences
  3. Install “Raspberry Pi Pico/RP2040” boards
  4. Select “Raspberry Pi Pico 2” from Tools → Board
  5. Hold BOOTSEL for first upload

Programming Examples

MicroPython - WiFi Connection

import network
import time
 
# Connect to WiFi
wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
wlan.active(True)
wlan.connect('YOUR_SSID', 'YOUR_PASSWORD')
 
# Wait for connection
while not wlan.isconnected():
    print('Connecting to WiFi...')
    time.sleep(1)
 
print('Connected to WiFi')
print('IP address:', wlan.ifconfig()[0])

MicroPython - HTTP Request

import network
import urequests
import time
 
# Connect to WiFi (use code from above)
wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
wlan.active(True)
wlan.connect('YOUR_SSID', 'YOUR_PASSWORD')
 
while not wlan.isconnected():
    time.sleep(1)
 
print('Connected to WiFi')
 
# Make HTTP request
try:
    response = urequests.get('http://httpbin.org/json')
    print('Response:', response.json())
    response.close()
except Exception as e:
    print('Error:', e)

MicroPython - Bluetooth LE Beacon

import bluetooth
import struct
import time
from machine import Pin
 
# Initialize Bluetooth
ble = bluetooth.BLE()
ble.active(True)
 
# LED for status indication
led = Pin(25, Pin.OUT)
 
def ble_advertise():
    # Create advertising data
    name = "Pico2W-Beacon"
    payload = struct.pack('<B', len(name) + 1) + struct.pack('<B', 0x09) + name.encode()
 
    # Start advertising
    ble.gap_advertise(100, payload)
    print("Advertising as:", name)
 
# Start advertising
ble_advertise()
 
while True:
    led.toggle()
    time.sleep(1)

MicroPython - Web Server

import network
import socket
import time
from machine import Pin
 
# Setup WiFi
wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
wlan.active(True)
wlan.connect('YOUR_SSID', 'YOUR_PASSWORD')
 
while not wlan.isconnected():
    time.sleep(1)
 
print('Connected to WiFi')
print('IP address:', wlan.ifconfig()[0])
 
# Setup LED
led = Pin(25, Pin.OUT)
 
# Create socket
addr = socket.getaddrinfo('0.0.0.0', 80)[0][-1]
s = socket.socket()
s.bind(addr)
s.listen(1)
 
print('Listening on', addr)
 
# Web server loop
while True:
    cl, addr = s.accept()
    print('Client connected from', addr)
 
    request = cl.recv(1024)
    request = str(request)
 
    # Parse request
    if 'GET /led/on' in request:
        led.on()
        response = "LED ON"
    elif 'GET /led/off' in request:
        led.off()
        response = "LED OFF"
    else:
        response = """
        <html>
        <body>
        <h1>Pico 2W Web Server</h1>
        <p><a href="/led/on">Turn LED ON</a></p>
        <p><a href="/led/off">Turn LED OFF</a></p>
        </body>
        </html>
        """
 
    # Send response
    cl.send('HTTP/1.0 200 OK\r\nContent-type: text/html\r\n\r\n')
    cl.send(response)
    cl.close()

Important Notes

Power Considerations

  • 3.3V Logic: All GPIO pins are 3.3V logic level
  • USB Power: Powered via USB with automatic switching
  • Battery Power: VSYS accepts 1.8V-5.5V input
  • Current Limit: 600mA peak from onboard regulator
  • Power Monitoring: Battery voltage available on ADC3

WiFi Performance

  • 2.4GHz Only: Single-band 802.11n wireless
  • WPA3 Support: Modern security protocols
  • Range: Typical indoor range 30-50 meters
  • Antenna: Onboard PCB antenna (keep clear of metal)
  • Power Consumption: ~80mA during active WiFi transmission

Bluetooth Capabilities

  • Bluetooth 5.2: LE and Classic support
  • Central/Peripheral: Both roles supported
  • Range: Typical 10-30 meters depending on power class
  • Concurrent: Can run WiFi and Bluetooth simultaneously

Programming Considerations

  • Dual Architecture: Choose ARM Cortex-M33 or RISC-V Hazard3
  • Memory: 520KB SRAM, 4MB Flash
  • PIO Blocks: 3 blocks with 4 state machines each
  • Wireless Libraries: Built-in support for networking protocols

Applications

  • IoT Projects: WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for smart home devices
  • Wireless Sensor Networks: Remote monitoring and data collection
  • Edge Computing: Local AI/ML processing with wireless communication
  • Robotics: Wireless control and telemetry for autonomous systems
  • Educational Projects: Learning embedded systems with modern connectivity
  • Prototyping: Rapid development of connected devices
  • Industrial Automation: Wireless monitoring and control systems
  • Wearable Technology: Bluetooth-enabled fitness and health devices

Programming Support

  • CircuitPython/MicroPython: Enhanced support with 4MB Flash
  • Arduino IDE: Full Arduino compatibility
  • C/C++ SDK: Official Raspberry Pi SDK
  • RISC-V Development: Affordable entry into RISC-V programming

Tags

microcontroller, rp2350, pico, raspberry-pi, wifi, bluetooth-le, bluetooth-classic, circuitpython, micropython, arduino, dual-architecture, wireless, iot

Notes

Important: This board uses the A2 version of RP2350 affected by erratum E9, which impacts some GPIO and PIO uses including high-impedance inputs and internal pulldowns. Use 8.2K or smaller resistors for pulldowns if required. The Pico 2W represents a major upgrade from the original Pico with 2x performance, 2x memory, wireless connectivity, and security features while maintaining full compatibility.

Graph View

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