Waveshare RP2040-Zero is a compact Pico-like MCU board built around the official Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller. With a very small footprint, USB Type-C, castellated edges, and flexible GPIO breakout, this RP2040 development board is a strong choice for embedded control, wearable electronics, compact DIY devices, SMD carrier-board integration, and low-cost prototyping.

This Waveshare RP2040-Zero keeps the core advantages of the RP2040 platform, including a dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ CPU running up to 133MHz, 264KB SRAM, 2MB Flash, PIO state machines, and support for C/C++, MicroPython, and Arduino workflows. The castellated design also makes this RP2040-Zero especially useful when you want to solder the board directly onto a custom carrier PCB.

Features

• Official Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller for compact embedded development
• Dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ processor with clock speed up to 133MHz
• 264KB SRAM and 2MB onboard Flash
• USB Type-C connector for easier connection and power input
• Castellated module design for direct soldering onto carrier boards and compact custom hardware
• 29 multifunction GPIOs, with 20 available through edge pinout and others through solder points
• 2 x SPI, 2 x I2C, 2 x UART, 4 x 12-bit ADC, 16 x PWM channels
• 8 PIO state machines for custom peripheral interfaces and advanced embedded control
• Low-power sleep and dormant modes for energy-conscious projects
• C/C++, MicroPython, and Arduino support for flexible development workflows

Specifications

Applications

• Compact embedded systems where board size matters
• Carrier-board integration using castellated edges for direct soldering
• Wearables and mini DIY electronics based on the RP2040 platform
• MicroPython and Arduino projects for education and rapid prototyping
• Custom USB devices, HID peripherals, and small automation nodes
• Low-power embedded development using sleep and dormant modes

Product List

without header (SKU: Waveshare-20187)

• RP2040-Zero x1

with pre-soldered header (SKU: Waveshare-20335)

• RP2040-Zero with pre-soldered header x1

Other Content

Pinheader options

C/C++, MicroPython, and Arduino support

29 multifunction GPIO pins

What’s on board

Outline dimensions

The Waveshare RP2040-Zero is especially appealing for custom boards and embedded modules because the castellated edge design makes it easy to solder directly onto your own carrier PCB. If you are comparing RP2040 platforms and compact Raspberry Pi MCU boards, your site also has background reading on Waveshare and Raspberry Pi.

Resources

• Wiki
• Schematic
• 3D STEP File
• WS2812B Demo
• Raspberry Pi Pico Examples
• Thonny IDE
• Arduino-Pico Core
• RP2040 Datasheet
• RP2040 Hardware Design Guide

FAQ

What is the difference between the two variants of RP2040-Zero?
The without header version includes the bare RP2040-Zero board, while the with pre-soldered header version includes the same board with headers already soldered for easier breadboard or jumper-wire use.

Is RP2040-Zero good for custom PCB integration?
Yes. The castellated module design is one of the biggest advantages of Waveshare RP2040-Zero, making it suitable for direct soldering onto carrier boards and compact embedded hardware.

What development environments can be used with RP2040-Zero?
This board supports C/C++, MicroPython, and Arduino workflows, so it works well for beginners, makers, and professional embedded developers alike.