When choosing a microcontroller for your next project, the ESP32 and Raspberry Pi Pico 2 are two strong contenders. Both offer their advantages, but which one better fits your needs?
This article compares the popular ESP32 Dev Kit C with the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 and helps you choose the best board for your next project!
ESP32 vs Pico 2: Before we start
Before we can compare both boards, you need to know that there’s not just a single ESP32. In fact, the ESP32 comes in multiple versions and variations with different specs.
In this comparison, we will have a look at the most popular ESP32 development board; the ESP32 Dev Kit C (V4).
For more details on other variants of the ESP32, check out this guide.
The Raspberry Pi Pico 2’s RP2350 is also used in many other boards with different specifications, but we will look at the original Pico 2 (W) board from Raspberry Pi. In addition, note that Raspberry Pi does not only produce microcontrollers. They also create mini-computers the size of a credit card that must not be confused with the Pico series.
Check out the differences between the Raspberry Pi mini-computers and microcontrollers, like the Arduino Uno, in this article.
Overview of the ESP32 Dev Kit C
The ESP32 Dev Kit C is a powerful development board featuring Espressif’s ESP32-WROOM-32 microcontroller module, which is based on the Tensilica LX6 dual-core processor. It is well-known for its robust connectivity and high performance in IoT applications.
As standard, the ESP32 comes with Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth (Classic and BLE) connectivity and supports Espressif’s ESP-NOW communication protocol.
Also, it offers multiple GPIO pins with support for ADC (Analog-to-Digital), DAC (Digital-to-Analog), I2C, SPI, UART, and PWM. Another special feature is the ESP32’s CAN bus support.
Overview of the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350)
The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 is the latest iteration of the Raspberry Pi Pico series, offering improved performance and power efficiency. It uses the RP2350 microcontroller which offers two ARM-Cortex M33 and 2 RISC-V cores.
As standard, the Pico 2 does not come with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity. However, there’s a W version of this board (Pico 2 W) that offers wireless connectivity as well.
The Pico 2 also offers many GPIO pins with support for ADC, I2C, SPI, UART, and PWM.
Probably the biggest edge the Pico 2 has over the ESP32 is its power efficiency. In idle, the Pico 2 draws as little as 20 mA, making it perfectly suited for battery-powered projects.
ESP32 vs. Pico 2: Direct Comparison
| Feature | RPi Pico 2 (W) | ESP32 Dev Kit C V4 |
| MCU | RP2350 with 2 ARM-Cortex M33 and 2 RISC-V cores | ESP32-Wroom-32 Dual Core Tensilica LX6 |
| Clock Speed | 150 MHz | 80 MHz / 240 MHz |
| Power Consumption (idle / sleep) | ~ 20 mA / ~ 10 µA | ~ 250 mA / ~ 10 µA (deep-sleep) |
| SRAM | 520 kB | 512 kB |
| Flash Storage | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.2 (W model only) | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, ESP-NOW |
| Security Features | Arm Trustzone, 8 kB OTP, Secure Boot, Hardware SHA-265 accelerator | Secure Boot, Flash Encryption, Cryptography Co-Processor, Hardware Random Generator |
| USB port | Micro-USB | Micro-USB or USB-C |
| Price | 5$ (Pico 2) / 7$ (Pico 2 W) | 6$ – 9$ |
Processing Power
As you can see, the ESP32 offers a higher clock speed and more performance compared to the Pico 2.
The Pico 2, however, offers 2 RISC-V cores besides the usual ARM-Cortex cores for improved power efficiency. You can either use both ARM-Cortex M33 cores, both RISC-V cores or one ARM-Cortex core and one RISC-V core simultaneously.
Wireless Connectivity
When it comes to wireless connectivity, the ESP32 has a slight advantage over the Pico 2, because the Pico doesn’t come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as standard. If you need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support on the Raspberry Pi Pico 2, go with the Pico 2 W.
Also, the ESP32 offers support for Espressif’s ESP-NOW peer-to-peer wireless communication protocol.
Programming Support
Both microcontrollers offer their own C/C++ software development kits; the Espressif-IDF and the PicoSDK. Additionally, they can be programmed with MicroPython and in the Arduino IDE.
There is huge community support and much documentation for both boards as well.
Check out this guide, to install the ESP32 in Arduino IDE.
Check out this guide, to install the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 in Arduino IDE.
Dimensions
ESP32 Dev Kit C Dimensions (54.4mm × 27.9mm)
Raspberry Pi Pico 2 Dimensions (51mm × 21mm). The dimensions are the same for the Pico 2 W.
ESP32 vs. Pico 2: Which Microcontroller Should You Choose?
Of course, which microcontroller you would want to get depends on what you need for your project, but here’s my recommendation.
Choose the ESP32 Dev Kit C if you need built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ESP-NOW connectivity as well as higher processing power. This is especially useful in IoT applications and projects that involve machine learning (AI on Edge).
Choose the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 if your focus lies on power efficiency. If you need wireless connectivity with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well, choose the Pico 2 W.
Also, I can recommend the Pico 2 for beginners who want to get into embedded systems and microcontrollers as the Pico community offers very beginner-friendly MicroPython resources to learn from.
Conclusion
Both the ESP32 Dev Kit C V4 and the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 offer excellent features for different applications. If connectivity and processing power are crucial, the ESP32 is a better option. If you need an efficient, low-power microcontroller, the Pico 2 is a strong competitor.
In the end, it all comes down to your project’s needs!
Also, check out the comparison between the Pico 2 and the original Pico.
Have you used either of these microcontrollers? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Thanks for reading!
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