Summary of W600-PICO – A NEW $2 WIFI IOT BOARD THAT RUNS MICROPYTHON
The W600-PICO is a new, affordable IoT board from Wemos priced at $2.10. Unlike previous models, it comes preloaded with MicroPython firmware, eliminating setup complexities. Based on the Winner Micro W600 Arm Cortex-M3 SoC, it competes directly with ESP8266 boards by offering robust features like 2.4GHz WiFi and hardware cryptography at a lower cost. The board supports various interfaces via breakout headers and includes a reset button and micro USB port for power and programming.
Parts used in the W600-PICO:
- Winner Micro W600 Arm Cortex-M3 WiSoC
- MicroPython firmware
- 9 x PWM pins
- 15 x GPIO pins
- 1 x UART interface
- 1 x I2C interface
- 1 x SPI interface
- Wake Up pin
- Reset Button
- +5V and +3.3V power pins
- GND pin
- Micro USB port
- CH340 USB to TTL chip
- Real Time Clock
The beauty of capable computing is that aside from being cheap enough, it should also be good enough.
While we have seen some great WiFi IoT boards like Wemos D1 mini and Lolin32, there has not been anything like the newly launched W600-PICO board from Wemos. The new W600-PICO board, based on Winner MicroW600 Arm Cortex-M3 WiSoC, is the cheapest board ever from Wemos to come preloaded with a MicroPython firmware for just $2.10 + shipping.
Unlike the previous W600-based boards which have stayed as designed and probably been used as a WiFi-to-serial board only, the new W600-PICO seems to be a rather more interesting one, perhaps first viable competitor, for the nearly ubiquitous ESP8266-based boards due to its feature set and lower cost. The board which runs MicroPython out of the box and is built around an Arm Core might be preferred to the already existing Espressif-based boards, asides features, it also has a price point to match them with.
The W600-PICO board breaks out with two 10 pin headers: 9 x PWM, 15 x GPIO, 1 x UART, 1 x12C, 1 x SPI , Wake Up, Reset, + 5V , +3.3v and GND pins. Its other features include:
- Wireless connectivity – 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4 up to 150 Mbps
- SoC – Winner Micro W600 Arm Cortex-M3 MCU running @ 80MHz with 1 MB flash
- Misc – Reset Button
- USB – 1 x Micro USB port for power and programming which is connected using a CH340 USB to TTL chip
- 3.3V I/O voltage
- Real Time Clock and hardware cryptography support
- Power supply – 5V through the micro USB port.
- Dimensions – 33 x 20.3 mm and
- Weight – 3 grams
Coming preloaded with MicroPython, the toolchain problem people experience with previous W600-based boards will no longer exist. Users who purchased the board already seem to be satisfied with it as they affirm it is all good and that the Micropython works immediately.
Read more: W600-PICO – A NEW $2 WIFI IOT BOARD THAT RUNS MICROPYTHON
- What makes the W600-PICO different from previous W600 boards?
The W600-PICO is preloaded with MicroPython firmware, whereas previous boards required manual toolchain setup. - How much does the W600-PICO cost?
The board costs $2.10 plus shipping. - Does the W600-PICO support wireless connectivity?
Yes, it features 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n WiFi up to 150 Mbps. - What processor runs on the W600-PICO board?
It uses the Winner Micro W600 Arm Cortex-M3 MCU running at 80MHz. - Can the W600-PICO be programmed via USB?
Yes, it has a Micro USB port connected via a CH340 USB to TTL chip for power and programming. - What voltage levels does the W600-PICO use for its I/O?
The board operates with 3.3V I/O voltage. - Does the W600-PICO have hardware security features?
Yes, it includes hardware cryptography support. - What are the dimensions of the W600-PICO board?
The dimensions are 33 x 20.3 mm.
