Features of Microcomputer Boards

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Table of Contents
0:00 Opening
0:16 CPU Specifications
0:54 Built-in Module
1:26 Interface
2:25 Programming
3:04 Summary

Features of Microcontroller Boards｜Technical

I understand the features of microcontroller boards, but I don't know which one to choose in the end.

You're right, the microcontroller board should be decided based on the application!

In this article, we will explain how to choose a microcontroller board according to its application, for those who understand the characteristics of microcontroller boards but are not sure which one to choose in the end.

In the previous article, "[Introduction to Electronic Construction] Features of Microcontroller Boards and How to Select One," we provided basic information, so we recommend that you take a look at that article first.

By reading this article, you will know how to choose the right microcontroller board for your application, and you will not have to worry about which one you should choose now.
The microcontroller board we have selected for this project is shown below, so please use it as a reference in selecting a board.

Microcontroller board selected for this project

We will now explain each specification as we compare them.

CPU Specifications

First, we will compare the specifications around the CPU.

Below is a summary of the CPU and memory sizes used, which shows that the Raspberry Pi 4 has by far the highest specifications, to start with.

Raspberry Pi 4 is by far the highest spec.

On the other hand, however, the current consumption is high, so a power supply with a large current capacity may be required, which is a bit of a hurdle to use.

Due to high current consumption

If you do not need that many specs and want to reduce current consumption, Arduino Uno or microbit would be easier to use.

If you want to reduce current consumption, Arduino Uno or microbit is easier to use.

In addition, M5Stack BASIC and obniz use the same ESP32 series, so they have equivalent specifications.

M5Stack BASIC and obniz use the same ESP32 series, so they have equivalent specifications

Built-in Module

Next is a comparison of the built-in modules.

As for the wireless modules, which are probably the biggest concern for most people, all but the Arduino Uno have either WiFi or Bluetooth, or both.

All but Arduino Uno have either both or either WiFi or Bluetooth

Also, the M5Stack, which is still selling an all-in-one system, is found to have by far the most extensive lineup of sensors and modules.

M5Stack has by far the most sensors and modules.

Next, microbit and obniz are also fair to good.

Microbit and obniz are also so-so.

For those who want to play right away, we recommend choosing from the following three boards
The board to choose if you want to play right after you buy it.
  • m5stack
  • microbit
  • obniz

interface

Next, we will discuss the interface.

Looking at the input/output products, you can see that many boards have a dedicated power supply pin, either a 5V pin or a 3.3V pin.

Many boards have a dedicated power supply pin, either a 5V pin or a 3.3V pin

As explained in the video "[Basic Electronic Works] Two Power Supply Methods to Learn from Microcontroller Board Power Supply Pins｜Introduction to Practical Electronic Circuits with LTspice", the amount of current that can flow at 3.3V depends greatly on the conversion method from 5V to 3.3V.

As for general-purpose I/O pins, all boards have at least 10 pins, and you can see that PWM output is also supported by multiple pins.

For general-purpose I/O pins, all boards have at least 10 pins.

The same communication method with external modules is also common, with I2C, SPI, and UART.

Commonly equipped with I2C, SPI, and UART

Each board has a different policy regarding analog inputs and outputs, and in particular, having analog outputs is a feature unique to the M5Stack.

In particular, having an analog output is a feature unique to the M5Stack.

The Raspberry Pi 4 is prominent when it comes to the type of external module interfaces.

Raspberry Pi 4 sticks out

If you want to expand your dreams of what you can do with a microcontroller board, you can't go wrong by buying a Raspberry Pi 4.

programming

Finally, we compared them from a programming perspective.

Python, the most popular programming language, can be used with the following three microcontroller boards.

Microcontroller board with Python
  1. Raspberry Pi 4
  2. M5Stack BASIC
  3. microbit

Block programming, popularized by Scratch, is also available on most boards, including the Raspberry Pi 4.

Block programming is also available on most boards, including the Raspberry Pi 4.

This area depends on what language you want to learn and whether you prefer block or text-based programs.

Choose the one that is right for you.

If you are a complete beginner in programming, you can try any board and start with a block program.

Try the block program first.

summary

In this issue, we have compared microcontroller boards in a slightly more technically in-depth manner.

We have also created a table summarizing the above, which can be found at the URL below.

http://start-electronics.com/basic/spec-matome/

The information presented here is based on my own research and may be out of date due to updates, etc. Please use it only as a reference.

We also post other videos and articles that help beginners learn electronics from scratch in a systematic way, including explanations of the minimum knowledge and tools that a beginner in electronics should acquire.

If you are just getting started with electronics, be sure to check out our other articles and videos!

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