7 superpowers of a Raspberry Pi Pico that beat the regular Pi

The Raspberry Pi Pico might seem small and simple compared to the bigger Pi models, but it has some cool features that make it ideal for specific projects. Unlike the full single-board computer (SBC) form factor of the primary Raspberry Pi models, the Raspberry Pi Pico takes the form of a microcontroller.

This means it can be used more flexibly to power things, process inputs and outputs, and control hardware. This gives you more options when working with electronics or building systems that need to be quick and efficient. Here are seven scenarios where a Pico would be better-suited than the standard Raspberry Pi, and how you can use these advantages to improve your projects.

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Explore the Pico’s low-power benefits

Learn why reduced energy consumption is great for longevity

The Pico is an excellent choice for battery-saving projects. It uses less power than a complete Raspberry Pi SBC and can last for days or weeks on a small battery. You can also save power by slowing down the clock or putting the Pico to sleep.

The Pico is perfect for projects with remote sensors. You don’t have to worry about running out of battery or dealing with complicated power systems. The Pico also doesn’t get too hot and works well in warm places.

A regular Raspberry Pi needs a more powerful power supply and can heat up. It has a complete operating system, which means it has many background tasks that use power even when you’re not using the main program. While you can make some power-saving changes on a Raspberry Pi SBC, putting the SBC to sleep isn’t as easy as it is with the Pico microcontroller.

The Pico’s ability to work with different voltages and its low active current makes it easy to use solar power and wearable technology as well.

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Embrace the Pico’s real-time processing power

Why rapid response tasks are simpler on microcontrollers

The Pico microcontroller enables efficient handling of time-sensitive functions without the overhead of a comprehensive operating system. This allows for minimal latency in responding to sensor inputs or controlling outputs. In robotics and motion control applications, near real-time command issuance and sensor data reading are feasible.

In contrast, a complete Raspberry Pi runs Linux, a powerful operating system that introduces background processes that can disrupt time-critical code execution. Even with optimized software, the operating system’s inherent delays can complicate or even derail projects requiring precise timing.

The Pico offers a lean approach to software development, allowing code execution in bare-metal mode or with a lightweight runtime like MicroPython. This streamlined approach provides precise control over scheduling, enabling it to handle numerous tasks within microseconds or milliseconds. Thus, applications relying on strict timing, such as audio processing, servo control, or protocol handling, can be effectively implemented.

The Pico eliminates the operating system layer and ensures immediate attention to signals and interrupts. This is particularly advantageous for tasks like generating waveforms or reading rapidly changing sensor inputs. The project becomes predictable and consistent, allowing confident design around tight timing requirements.

5

Optimize hardware-level GPIO with Pico precision

Achieving deeper control of pins for robust performance

The Pico has direct control over its general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins, which is useful when you need to precisely manage external hardware. This allows you to toggle and configure pins in different modes quickly. In real life, this means you can do things like bit-bang custom protocols without needing a lot of extra software.

On the other hand, a regular Raspberry Pi also has GPIO access, but you often have to use libraries and can’t control everything as easily. The operating system can also slow things down or cause interruptions, which isn’t great for real-time signals. While you can still interact with hardware, it might not be as consistent or fast as a dedicated microcontroller.

The Pico’s programmable I/O (PIO) blocks are a game-changer. These blocks can handle complex I/O tasks independently, freeing up the processor. This means you can offload tasks like encoding, decoding, or signal generation to dedicated hardware, which results in super reliable hardware performance that follows exactly what you programmed it to do. You don’t have to worry about scheduling processes or background operations.

4

Design embedded USB systems with ease

Building custom USB peripherals is straightforward on Pico

The Pico is a chameleon when it comes to USB devices. You can turn it into anything, from a custom keyboard to a game controller or data acquisition tool. Just plug it into your computer, tablet, or other device, and you’re good to go.

In contrast, with a standard RPi, managing USB devices can be a bit tricky. The operating system can be complex, and you might need to do a lot of extra work to set things up. But with the Pico, it’s all plug-and-play. You simply connect it, and you’re ready to go.

One of the best things about the Pico is its small operating system. This means you can control everything directly without worrying about complicated software. You can even create your own USB classes or handle raw data in a way that is impossible with a larger Pi. This makes developing and testing your projects more manageable, especially if you’re working on something special.

The Pico also has some excellent real-time capabilities. This means you can ensure that your inputs and outputs happen at the right time. This is especially important when working with timing-sensitive protocols because it can help avoid delays or conflicts.

3

Rely on the Pico for rugged creations

Exploring durability and cost advantages in challenging conditions

When building physical projects, especially those that might get bumped or shaken, choosing a board that’s easy to make and tough is a good idea. The Pico is a small board with only a few parts, so it’s easy to assemble and fit into custom cases. This makes it more stable than a bigger board with many connections and ports.

If you break a Pico, it’s much cheaper to fix or replace it than to buy a whole Raspberry Pi. This is especially important if you’re working on many different prototypes. This is also a big deal in schools or workshops, where money and durability are essential. Using the Pico can save money and allow teachers to focus on teaching or testing without worrying about expensive hardware issues.

The Pico has solderable pads, so you can easily attach it to a circuit board or mount it in a rugged enclosure. This makes it less likely that the connectors will loosen or that the cables will come unplugged during use. This is a simple and effective way to build a small and durable system that can handle a few bumps or drops.

By choosing the Pico, you can save time and money by focusing on other parts of your design. You can keep your final product the same size and stay within your budget. This makes it easier to build a reliable and affordable device.

2

Leverage the Pico’s analog input capabilities

Understanding why onboard ADC simplifies sensor-based projects

The Pico has a cool feature called an integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC). You can read analog signals directly from the Pico without extra hardware. This is especially handy when monitoring things like temperatures, voltages, or other analog readings from sensors. By not needing external ADC modules, you can save time and money.

On the other hand, a regular Raspberry Pi usually needs external ADC hardware or specialized HAT add-ons to get analog input. This means you must add extra wiring, spend more money, and deal with complicated code to talk to the ADC. The Pico makes everything easier, so you can easily monitor sensors in various projects.

The Pico can also take analog signals and turn them into digital data. This means you can make more precise and flexible measurements in environmental monitoring, robotics, and even basic DIY electronics. You can choose how often you want to sample the data, and you’ll get instant responses to changes. By putting all these tasks on a microcontroller, you can keep things running smoothly.

Whether you’re measuring a tiny sensor output or a changing voltage, the onboard ADC works well. This means you can focus on processing and analyzing the data, and you’ll end up with cleaner designs with fewer components and cables, especially if you’re working on prototypes or small devices with limited space.

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Simplify with instant Pico startup times

How reduced complexity speeds deployment and lowers overhead

When you turn on a Pico, it starts working right away – no need to wait for an operating system to boot. This is helpful for projects that must be ready to go as soon as you plug it in. It saves you precious seconds, which can be crucial in safety systems or devices that need to be able to respond quickly.

On the other hand, a regular Raspberry Pi takes longer to boot because it loads the kernel and other things in the background. This may be okay in general, but it can be a problem if you need to start running code right away. By the time a regular Pi is fully up and running, the Pico might have already done something or gotten some data.

The Pico has fewer software layers, which makes it less likely to crash. It doesn’t have to worry about corrupted operating system files or messed-up services. This means you don’t have to spend as much time keeping the system running, and you can focus on the important stuff.

Working with the Pico makes building and monitoring simple and user-friendly programs easy. Once you’ve set it up, you can trust that your code will run flawlessly every time you plug it in. This is especially useful for devices that must be fast and reliable.

Final thoughts on maximizing your Pico’s unique advantages

These are just a few areas where a Raspberry Pi Pico can be better than a regular Raspberry Pi for specific tasks. The Pico’s tiny microcontroller makes it the clear winner when you need low power, real-time processing, easy GPIO control, toughness, analog input, or instant startup. By using its resources wisely and reducing power consumption, you can build projects that are super precise and responsive.

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  Raspberry Pi Pico
  

  The Raspberry Pi Pico is an inexpensive microcontroller board with Raspberry’s in-house, ARM-based RP2040 chip. It’s programmable in C and MicroPython and features I/O options like I2C, SPI, and PIO.

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  Raspberry Pi Pico 2
  

  The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 is a microcontroller featuring powerful Arm cores and optional RISC-V cores. It offers a great amount of capabilities for running DIY and industrial projects.