New Raspberry Pi RP2040 Clones Emerge on the Market

Accurate Clones and USB Issues

In recent years, the RP2040 microcontroller has become available as a standalone component, allowing third-party manufacturers to produce their own variants, including clones of the Raspberry Pi Pico. For instance, on the AliExpress platform, there are significantly cheaper versions available than the original product, with some priced as low as $2.25.

The board listed on AliExpress does not bear the Raspberry Pi logo on its silkscreen for obvious reasons, but it appears to have an identical component layout. The QSPI Flash integrated circuit is marked on the die as BY250156FS, indicating it is a Boya product. Although there are concerns regarding the quality of the flash ROM, recent analysis has revealed intriguing details. Observers have noted that while the laser markings identify the RP2040 as B2 stepping, the die identifies it as part of 'RP2 B0', suggesting it has B0 stepping. This may result in problems when attempting to use USB functionality due to hardware errors present in B0 and B1 steppings.

This serves as a warning for potential buyers: "caveat emptor".