Arduino Uno R4 Minima and R4 WiFi Boards: Power-Packed Development Platforms with Renesas RA4M1 Cortex-M4 Core and Enhanced Connectivity

27 June 2023 - 0 Comments

Arduino has introduced two new versions of their popular development board, the Arduino UNO R4 Minima and Arduino UNO R4 WiFi. These boards come with significant upgrades, including a more powerful 32-bit processor, STEMMA QT/Qwiic connectivity, and an onboard LED matrix display.

The Arduino UNO R4 Minima undergoes a complete hardware overhaul while maintaining the familiar UNO footprint. It features a 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4 processor running at 48MHz, providing improved speed, memory, connectors, and connectivity options compared to previous versions. The board retains the standard form factor, shield compatibility, and 5V power supply of the UNO range. Powered by the Renesas RA4M1 SoC, it offers 32kB of SRAM and 256kB of flash storage, a significant increase from the UNO R3.

In addition to the processor upgrade, the UNO R4 incorporates other notable enhancements. It adopts the modern USB Type-C connector for efficient data and power transfer. The improved thermal design allows for the power input of up to 24V through the DC power input jack. Furthermore, the inclusion of a 12-bit ADC and a CAN bus expands the board's capabilities, making it suitable for automotive projects and those requiring multiple shield add-ons.

The UNO R4 Minima is designed as a powerful learning and prototyping tool. It features a 32-bit microcontroller, expanded memory, and maintains compatibility with existing shields. On the other hand, the UNO R4 WiFi combines the RA4M1 microprocessor with the ESP32-S3, providing enhanced processing power, expanded memory, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. It maintains the UNO form factor, operates at 5V, and offers additional features such as extended voltage tolerance, HID support, and a Qwiic connector.

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