====== Raspberry Pi Pico & Other RP20x0 ======
<color #db5f0b>Jun 2026</color>
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{{ :raspberry-pi-pico.png?200 |}}
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===== Introduction =====
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The Raspberry Pi Pico is completely different to the previous generations of Raspberry Pi computers. The main difference between a Raspberry Pi 5 and a Raspberry Pi Pico is that they are two completely different classes of devices designed for totally different purposes.

    * Raspberry Pi 5 = a full computer (runs Linux, HDMI, USB, Wi‑Fi, multitasking)
    
    * Raspberry Pi Pico = a microcontroller (runs tiny programs, no OS, ultra‑low power)

==== Raspberry Pi Vx — a full single‑board computer (SBC) ====

  * Runs a full operating system (Raspberry Pi OS / Linux)

  * Works like a tiny desktop PC

  * Has HDMI, USB 3.0, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet
 
  * Can run browsers, servers, databases, GUIs, Python apps, etc.

  * CPU: Quad‑core 2.4 GHz

  * RAM: 4–16 GB

  * Designed for: computing, media, robotics, servers, learning Linux

==== Raspberry Pi Pico — a microcontroller board ====

  * Runs one program at a time (no OS)

  * Programmed in MicroPython or C/C++

  * No HDMI, no OS, no multitasking

  * Ultra‑low power, instant boot

  * CPU: Dual‑core 133 MHz

  * RAM: 264 KB

  * Designed for: sensors, GPIO control, embedded electronics, IoT

This aligns with comparisons showing the Pi 5 is dramatically faster (36× CPU speed), has gigabytes of RAM, and supports 64‑bit computing, while the Pico is tiny and optimized for embedded tasks. 
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    *[[Raspberry Pi Pico Hardware]]\\ 
    *[[Raspberry Pi Pico Pinouts]]\\ 
    *[[RP2040 Zero]]\\ 
    *[[Thonny]]\\ 
    *[[Micro Python]]\\