It has been 6 years since the launch of the Raspberry Pi Zero, a SBC board It was barely $ 5 (and the W version was $ 10) and was a great choice for many makers who needed something much smaller than normal Pi models. To continue facilitating the path of all users who need the advantages of this board, they have now launched the new Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, a board that costs about $ 15 and has integrated wireless technology.
These plates were used in multitude of DIY projectsFrom some nifty home gadgets, to smart speakers, and even hospital fans created by makers during the pandemic. Now you can continue extending the applications of these boards with the power and news that the update brings you ...
What is the Raspberry Pi Zero 2W?
Like the other Raspberry boards, it is an SBC (Single Board Computer), that is, a cheap computer implemented on a small board. This version Raspberry Pi Zero 2W costs about $ 15, a very cheap price for everything you can give of yourself.
As for the hardware, it comes equipped with the same Boradcom BCM2710A1 SoC that has the Raspberry Pi 3, with cores based on Arm and that can reach 1Ghz speed. In addition, it also includes a 2 MB capacity LPDDR512-type SDRAM memory. A major performance leap for larger workloads. In fact, this variant has outperformed its predecessor by 5.
In addition, the board has another series of input and output elements, such as its microSD slot that serves as a storage medium and for the operating system, its USB port, etc., with which you can connect other peripherals, such as a keyboard and mouse, and screen to complete your computer.
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W: the technical specifications
Inside the small Raspberry Pi Zero W many surprises are hidden. The Technical specifications most notable are:
- Broadcom BCM2710A1 SoC, with four ARM cores of 64-bit type Cortex-A53 at 1 Ghz.
- 512 MB of LPDDR2 RAM.
- IEEE 802.11b / g / n wireless connectivity module for 2.4Ghz WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2, BLE.
- 1x USB 2.0 port with OTG.
- Compatible with 40-pin Hat.
- MicroSD memory card slot.
- Mini HDMI port.
- Composite video and reset pin soldered.
- CSI-2 for webcam connection.
- Compatible with codecs: deco H.264, MPEG-4 (up to 1080p at 30 FPS) and enco H.264 (up to 1080p at 30 FPS).
- Support for the OpenGL ES 1.1 graphical API. and 2.0
- It can run a multitude of Raspberry Pi-compatible operating systems.
On the other hand, another of the great novelties of the SoC, that is, of the central chip of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, is that it uses 3D packaging, that is, with stacked dies. This achieves a package with PoP technology (Package on Package) in which the SDRAM chip is just above the chip of the processing chip, obtaining a SiP (System-in-Package). In short, a modest chip in size, but with a lot inside ... Unfortunately, it would still be a challenge to put 1 GB in that package, so there will be no version with 1GB of RAM.
Food
On the other hand, another interesting thing about the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is your PSU, that is, your power supply. For this, a new official USB power adapter has been launched. It is a retrofitted Raspberry Pi 4 adapter, with a USB micro-B connector instead of a USB-C, as well as having a current reduced to 2.5A.
This adapter has a cost of about $ 8 and is purchased independently. There are different types, to adapt to European, American, British, Chinese plugs, etc.
Availability
Finally, if you are wondering about the availability of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, it is currently available in the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Hong Kong. Soon more countries such as Australia and New Zealand will be added, which will arrive in November ...
The Raspberry Pi Foundation itself has announced that this product is not immune to semiconductor shortages worldwide, so there won't be as many units available. It is planned to launch about 200.000 units this year, and in the future another 250.000 units in the middle of 2022.