Pico2 XL and Pico2 XXL Open Source Hardware Boards with Raspberry Pi RP2350B MCU

Recently, Olimex released two open-source hardware development boards, the PICO2-XL and PICO2-XXL, that are powered by the Raspberry Pi RP2350B MCU. A multitude of GPIO ports, significant memory and storage capabilities, and support for various peripherals are the features that make these boards ideal for a broad range of projects, from straightforward jobs to more intricate ones like edge computing and the Internet of Things.

The PICO2-XL is intended for smaller, more straightforward tasks. It features a small, flat-bottom design and 2MB of external QSPI flash. Because of this, it is perfect for simple applications where size and ease of use are important factors. The PICO2-XXL, on the other hand, is designed for more difficult jobs. It has a microSD card port, 16MB of QSPI Flash, 8MB of PSRAM. This makes it ideal for edge computing and IoT applications.

Specifications: 

• SoC – Raspberry Pi RP2350B MCU
• CPU- 
• Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33, running at 150MHz with Arm TrustZone.
• Dual-core 32-bit Hazard3 RISC-V at 150MHz.
• Simultaneous usage of up to two cores.
• Memory- 
• 520KB SRAM.
• 8KB OTP storage (One-Time Programmable).
• Security- Secure boot support
• Package- QFN-80 (10 × 10 mm)
• Memory (for PICO2-XXL only)- 8MB PSRAM
• Storage- 
• PICO2-XL: 2MB QSPI Flash storage
• PICO2-XXL: 16MB QSPI Flash and MicroSD card slot
• Connectivity and Interfaces-
• USB Type-C port for power and programming
• 2 × dual 20-pin headers (2.54mm pitch) with 48 GPIO pins
• 4-pin Qwiic/STEMMA QT I2C connector
• UEXT connector for expansion
• Additional Features- 
• Reset button and Boot button
• Status LED indicator
• Power Supply:
• 1.8V to 5.5V DC via USB-C or VSYS
• Dimensions:
• 50mm × 28mm × 8.3mm

The PICO2-XL and PICO2-XXL, like other RP2350 boards, may be used with well-known development environments including Arduino, MicroPython, and the Raspberry Pi C-SDK. This simplifies programming for those who are accustomed to these environments.

As open-source hardware, Olimex has made a wealth of design files and documentation available on GitHub, including PDF schematics, KiCAD files, and Gerber files. Users may completely comprehend and alter their designs because of this transparency.

The PICO2-XL is available for €5.00 (around $5.14), while the PICO2-XXL is priced at €9.00 (approximately $9.26). Both boards are available for purchase directly from the Olimex store. RP2350B microcontroller developers now have an interesting new choice with Olimex's PICO2-XL and PICO2-XXL. The memory, storage, and performance of these boards vary, making them suitable for both basic and complex projects. The PICO2 series is a free, adaptable, and reasonably priced development platform that may be used to construct a powerful Internet of Things application or a small, space-efficient device.