Olimex has launched two new open hardware development boards — the RP2350-PICO2-BB48 and RP2350-PICO2-BB48R, both based on the Raspberry Pi RP2350B microcontroller. These boards expose all 48 GPIOs in a 0.6-inch dual-inline layout, making them ideal for breadboard prototyping, DIY electronics, and IoT experimentation.
The new BB48 and BB48R boards bring a breadboard-friendly form factor compared to previous PICO2-XL and PICO2-XXL versions. Designed with accessibility and expandability in mind, they include USB-C connectivity, BOOT and RESET buttons, a 2A 3.3V regulator, Qwiic/Stemma connectors, and debug pads.
The BB48R model adds 8MB PSRAM and a microSD card slot, enhancing it for projects that require more memory and data storage.
Pre-soldered headers make it easy to plug directly into a breadboard — perfect for prototyping, educational use, or retro computing projects.
Olimex RP2350-PICO2-BB48 and RP2350-PICO2-BB48R Specifications
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Microcontroller (MCU) | Raspberry Pi RP2350B |
| CPU Options | Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ 150 MHz with Arm TrustZone, or Dual-core RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150 MHz |
| Memory | 520 KB on-chip SRAM |
| External Memory | 8 MB QSPI PSRAM (BB48R only) |
| Storage | 16 MB QSPI flash (all versions); microSD slot (BB48R only) |
| USB | USB Type-C port for power and programming |
| GPIO | All 48 GPIOs exposed; 0.6″ (15.24 mm) breadboard-friendly DIL layout |
| Expansion | UEXT connector (UART, I²C, SPI), Qwiic/Stemma I²C connector |
| Buttons | BOOT and RESET |
| Power Supply | 5 V via USB-C or 1.8–5.5 V via VS pin; onboard 3.3 V regulator (2 A continuous, 3 A peak) |
| Indicators | Status LED |
| Dimensions | 69 × 18 mm; 4-layer PCB for better noise immunity and USB routing |
The RP2350-PICO2-BB48 series supports multiple programming environments:
- Raspberry Pi C SDK
- MicroPython (limited GPIO30–47 support)
- CircuitPython – full GPIO support available
- Arduino IDE – for simplified programming and compatibility across platforms
This wide support makes the board suitable for developers working on embedded systems, IoT nodes, and open-source hardware projects.
As an open hardware platform, Olimex provides a complete set of resources for the RP2350-PICO2-BB48 lineup:
- Schematics (PDF)
- Pinout diagram
- User manual
- EU and UKCA declarations of conformity
- KiCAD design files
- GitHub repository with design resources and firmware examples
Both variants are available now through the Olimex online store.
- RP2350-PICO2-BB48: €9.95 (~$11.65)
- RP2350-PICO2-BB48R (with PSRAM + microSD): €13.95 (~$16.30)
Whether you’re building compact IoT prototypes, exploring RISC-V architecture, or designing breadboard-based projects, the Olimex RP2350-PICO2-BB48 boards offer a robust and affordable open-source platform.
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