Skip to main content
BenchRove Beta

Same category

Raspberry Pi Pico vs ESP32

Compares two families of 3.3 V microcontroller boards: Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico 2 vs Espressif ESP32-DevKitC and ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1, and when to use each or both.

What is being compared

Both sides are microcontroller boards, so this is a like-for-like category. Pico is a board family designed by Raspberry Pi around its own RP2040/RP2350 chips. ESP32 is an Espressif chip family used on many boards; Espressif's own DevKitC boards stand in for it here. The Pico is not a Raspberry Pi computer: it does not run Linux.

BenchRove does not pick a winner. Each value and statement carries its own label: Documented (from a primary source), Inferred (reasoned from sources) or Unverified. No prices are shown. How we verify

What each side means here

Side by side

Values come from each product's own BenchRove record. A blank cell means our records have no sourced value for it.

Raspberry Pi Pico vs ESP32: documented values side by side
FieldRaspberry Pi PicoRaspberry Pi Pico (RP2040)Raspberry Pi PicoRaspberry Pi Pico 2ESP32ESP32-DevKitCESP32ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1
Chip RP2040, dual Arm Cortex-M0+ Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • mcu: RP2040 Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Pico is built on RP2040, a dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ chip with 264 kB internal SRAM. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

RP2350A, dual Cortex-M33 or Hazard3 RISC-V Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • mcu: Raspberry Pi RP2350A (dual Arm Cortex-M33 or Hazard3 RISC-V) Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Pico 2 uses the RP2350A: dual Cortex-M33 or Hazard3 processors at up to 150 MHz, 520 kB SRAM, 4 MB on-board flash. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

ESP32, dual Xtensa LX6 (in WROOM/WROVER module) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • module_options: ESP32-WROOM-32E, WROOM-32UE, WROVER-E, WROVER-IE Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • The ESP32 Get Started page describes ESP32 as a chip with Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz band), Bluetooth, dual Xtensa 32-bit LX6 cores and an ultra low power co-processor, and states the framework targets IoT applications with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and power management. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP-IDF · Espressif Systems · Get Started: Introduction; What You Need; Software; Installation; Build Your First Project · retrieved 2026-10-18

ESP32-S3 (in WROOM-1/1U/2 module) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • module_options: ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 / WROOM-1U / WROOM-2 Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

Clock speed 133 MHz Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
150 MHz Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • cpu_clock_max: 150 MHz Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

240 MHz (chip max) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • cpu_clock_max: 240 MHz Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Table 5-2 Recommended Power Supply Characteristics; note under Section 3 / 4 clock text · retrieved 2026-10-18

240 MHz (chip max) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • cpu_clock_max: 240 MHz Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Section 2.x Memory (512 KB on-chip SRAM); Table 5-2 Recommended Operating Conditions · retrieved 2026-10-18

SRAM 264 KB Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
520 KB Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • sram: 520 KB Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

520 KB (chip) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • sram: 520 KB Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Table 5-2 Recommended Power Supply Characteristics; note under Section 3 / 4 clock text · retrieved 2026-10-18

512 KB (chip) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • sram: 512 KB Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Section 2.x Memory (512 KB on-chip SRAM); Table 5-2 Recommended Operating Conditions · retrieved 2026-10-18

Flash 2 MB Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
4 MB Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • flash: 4 MB Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

4 or 8 MB (by module) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • flash_options: 4 MB (WROOM-32E/32UE variants in the guide) / 8 MB (WROVER-E/IE variants in the guide) Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

Up to 32 MB (by variant) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • flash: 32 MB Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • The board is available in variants (N32R16V, N8R8, 1U-N8R8); several N8/N8R2 variants are marked EOL. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

Wireless None (Pico W/WH add Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5.2) Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
None listed (Pico 2 W not covered) Evidence: Inferred
Source (1)
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
Wi-Fi + Bluetooth LE Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 is an entry-level development board with a general-purpose Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Low Energy MCU module. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

GPIO logic level 3.3 V Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • gpio_logic_level: 3.3 V Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi Ltd · Features list (Release 21, 03/07/2026); GPIO section: "GPIO is powered from the on-board 3.3 V rail and is therefore fixed at 3.3 V" · retrieved 2026-10-16

3.3 V (fixed) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • operating_voltage: 3.3 V Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Pico 2 IO voltage is fixed at 3.3 V; the board exposes 26 multi-function GPIO, three usable for ADC. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

3.3 V Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • GPIO logic level is 3.3 V. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

3.3 V Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • operating_voltage: 3.3 V Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Section 2.x Memory (512 KB on-chip SRAM); Table 5-2 Recommended Operating Conditions · retrieved 2026-10-18

Programmable I/O (PIO) state machinesPIO is a Raspberry Pi silicon feature that the ESP32 records do not list; ESP32 offers other peripherals (I2S, DAC, etc.). 8 Evidence: Documented
Source (1)
12 Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • pio_state_machines: 12 count Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

PIO not listed; PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, I2S, SPI listed Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • programmable_functions: PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, I2S, SPI Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

Peripheral list not in the S3 DevKitC record.
ADC inputs ADC count not in the Pico (RP2040) record. 3 usable (12-bit) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • analog_inputs: 3 count Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • analog_input_resolution: 12 bit Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

ADC listed; ADC2 unusable during Wi-Fi under MicroPython Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • programmable_functions: PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, I2S, SPI Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • On the ESP32 port, ADC block 2 is also used by Wi-Fi: reading block 2 pins while Wi-Fi is active raises an exception, per the MicroPython ESP32 quick reference. Evidence: Documented

    From MicroPython · MicroPython project · ESP32 quick reference: WLAN; ADC; Hardware I2C bus · retrieved 2026-10-18

Not in the S3 DevKitC record.
Power input 1.8-5.5 V (VSYS) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)
1.8-5.5 V (VSYS, buck-boost) Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • input_voltage_min: 1.8 V Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • input_voltage_max: 5.5 V Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

USB 5 V, 5V pin or 3V3 pin: exactly one Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • power_options: USB 5V, 5V header pin, or 3V3 header pin (mutually exclusive) Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Power must come from exactly one of Micro USB, 5V pin, or 3V3 pin, otherwise board/supply can be damaged. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

5 V via either USB port; LDO to 3.3 V Evidence: Documented
Source (2)

  • power_regulator: 5 V to 3.3 V LDO Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • The board has two USB ports: a Micro-USB USB-to-UART port and an ESP32-S3 USB OTG port compliant with USB 1.1; either can supply power. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

Documented programming C SDK, MicroPython; drag-and-drop over USB Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • Pico is programmable in C and MicroPython and supports drag-and-drop programming over USB mass storage. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

C SDK, MicroPython Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • The Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico 2 datasheets each point readers to MicroPython (via the Pico-series Python SDK book) as a way to get code running on the board. Evidence: Documented

    From MicroPython · Raspberry Pi Ltd · Pico datasheet, Getting started tip · retrieved 2026-10-18

ESP-IDF, Arduino-ESP32, MicroPython Evidence: Documented
Source (3)

  • ESP-IDF is Espressif's development framework for its SoCs and runs on Windows, Linux and macOS; it is released under the Apache License 2.0. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP-IDF · Espressif Systems · README.md (repository root): intro and Quick Reference · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • The Arduino-ESP32 project, supported by Espressif Systems and the community, lists ESP32 and ESP32-S3 (among other ESP32-series SoCs) as supported in stable releases, with Windows, Linux and macOS as supported operating systems and the Arduino IDE as the supported IDE. Evidence: Documented

    From Arduino vs ESP32 · Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19

  • The MicroPython documentation (last updated 16 Oct 2026) has quick references for ports including ESP32, Raspberry Pi RP2xxx, Renesas RA, pyboard, ESP8266, Zephyr and others. Evidence: Documented

    From MicroPython · MicroPython project · Documentation home: ports list and versions · retrieved 2026-10-18

ESP-IDF, Arduino-ESP32 Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • The Arduino-ESP32 project, supported by Espressif Systems and the community, lists ESP32 and ESP32-S3 (among other ESP32-series SoCs) as supported in stable releases, with Windows, Linux and macOS as supported operating systems and the Arduino IDE as the supported IDE. Evidence: Documented

    From Arduino vs ESP32 · Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19

Stated production lifetime Until at least January 2036 Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • The Pico 1 series will remain in production until at least January 2036. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

Until at least January 2040 Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • Raspberry Pi guarantees availability of Pico 2 until at least January 2040. Evidence: Documented

    From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

DevKitC lifecycle not checked. Several N8/N8R2 variants marked EOL Evidence: Documented
Source (1)

  • The board is available in variants (N32R16V, N8R8, 1U-N8R8); several N8/N8R2 variants are marked EOL. Evidence: Documented

    From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

What they have in common

  • Both are small 3.3 V microcontroller boards that fit on a breadboard and run the one program you load onto them. Neither runs an operating system like Linux. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • gpio_logic_level: 3.3 V Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi Ltd · Features list (Release 21, 03/07/2026); GPIO section: "GPIO is powered from the on-board 3.3 V rail and is therefore fixed at 3.3 V" · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • ESP32-DevKitC is a small ESP32-based dev board by Espressif with most I/O pins broken out to headers, usable on a breadboard. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Pico is built on RP2040, a dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ chip with 264 kB internal SRAM. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Both can be programmed in C (Raspberry Pi's C SDK; Espressif's ESP-IDF) or in MicroPython, which has documented ports for RP2xxx and ESP32. Both have UART, SPI, I2C and PWM. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (5)

    • Pico is programmable in C and MicroPython and supports drag-and-drop programming over USB mass storage. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • ESP-IDF is Espressif's development framework for its SoCs and runs on Windows, Linux and macOS; it is released under the Apache License 2.0. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP-IDF · Espressif Systems · README.md (repository root): intro and Quick Reference · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • The MicroPython documentation (last updated 16 Oct 2026) has quick references for ports including ESP32, Raspberry Pi RP2xxx, Renesas RA, pyboard, ESP8266, Zephyr and others. Evidence: Documented

      From MicroPython · MicroPython project · Documentation home: ports list and versions · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • MicroPython documents hardware I2C through the machine.I2C class on both the ESP32 port (two hardware I2C peripherals) and the RP2 port. Evidence: Documented

      From MicroPython · MicroPython project · ESP32 quick reference: WLAN; ADC; Hardware I2C bus · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • programmable_functions: PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, I2S, SPI Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

Key differences

  • Wireless is the main dividing line. The ESP32 and ESP32-S3 chips on these boards have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in (other ESP32-series chips are not covered here). The plain Pico and Pico 2 have none, and you need the W versions (Pico W/WH; Pico 2 W) to get wireless. Evidence: Inferred

    Evidence (4)

    • Espressif describes the ESP32 as a single 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth SoC (system on a chip) designed by Espressif Systems, and states the ESP32 series is available as a chip or module. Evidence: Documented

      From Arduino vs ESP32 · Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19

    • Pico W and WH add 2.4 GHz 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.2. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • pico 2 - wireless: None listed in the Pico 2 datasheet text read; Pico 2 W not covered. Evidence: Inferred

      From Compare boards: documented capabilities · Raspberry Pi Ltd · Pico 2 datasheet: key features; getting started · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • On ESP32 and on Wi-Fi-equipped RP2 boards (the RP2 page names Pico W and Pico 2 W), MicroPython provides the network.WLAN class for station and access-point Wi-Fi interfaces. Evidence: Documented

      From MicroPython · MicroPython project · network.WLAN class description · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Programmable I/O (PIO) is a Raspberry Pi silicon feature that the ESP32 records do not list: small state machines (8 on Pico, 12 on Pico 2) that can run precisely timed pin patterns without the main processor. ESP32 boards offer a different set of peripherals, such as I2S and a DAC. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • pio_state_machines: 8 count Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • pio_state_machines: 12 count Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • programmable_functions: PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, I2S, SPI Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Speed and memory: ESP32 chips run at up to 240 MHz with about 512-520 KB of SRAM. Pico runs at 133 MHz with 264 KB, and Pico 2 at 150 MHz with 520 KB. The ESP32 numbers are chip-level, so treat this as a rough guide. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • cpu_clock_max: 240 MHz Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Table 5-2 Recommended Power Supply Characteristics; note under Section 3 / 4 clock text · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • cpu_clock_max: 133 MHz Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Relative to Pico: flash 2 MB to 4 MB, clock 133 to 150 MHz, SRAM 264 kB to 520 kB, Cortex-M0+ to Cortex-M33 plus RISC-V Hazard3, PIO blocks 2 to 3. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Each family has its own gotchas. On ESP32-DevKitC, GPIO6-11 belong to the flash chip, power must come from exactly one source, and under MicroPython the ADC2 pins cannot be read while Wi-Fi is on. Pico 2 has only three ADC-capable pins. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (4)

    • GPIO6-11 (CLK, D0-D3, CMD) are used for SPI flash and should be avoided. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Power must come from exactly one of Micro USB, 5V pin, or 3V3 pin, otherwise board/supply can be damaged. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • On the ESP32 port, ADC block 2 is also used by Wi-Fi: reading block 2 pins while Wi-Fi is active raises an exception, per the MicroPython ESP32 quick reference. Evidence: Documented

      From MicroPython · MicroPython project · ESP32 quick reference: WLAN; ADC; Hardware I2C bus · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • Pico 2 IO voltage is fixed at 3.3 V; the board exposes 26 multi-function GPIO, three usable for ADC. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Power: Pico boards accept 1.8-5.5 V on VSYS. ESP32-DevKitC takes 5 V over USB or its 5V pin, or 3.3 V on its 3V3 pin, using only one of these at a time. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • input_voltage_max: 5.5 V Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • VSYS accepts 1.8-5.5 V via an on-board buck-boost SMPS; recommended maximum ambient operating temperature is 70 C. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • power_options: USB 5V, 5V header pin, or 3V3 header pin (mutually exclusive) Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-DevKitC · Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Lifecycle: Raspberry Pi states Pico stays in production until at least January 2036 and Pico 2 until at least January 2040. Several ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 variants are already marked end-of-life, so check the exact variant. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • The Pico 1 series will remain in production until at least January 2036. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Raspberry Pi guarantees availability of Pico 2 until at least January 2040. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • The board is available in variants (N32R16V, N8R8, 1U-N8R8); several N8/N8R2 variants are marked EOL. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

When Raspberry Pi Pico fits

  • Choose a Pico or Pico 2 when you don't need wireless and want precisely timed I/O (PIO), simple drag-and-drop programming over USB, a wide 1.8-5.5 V input range, or a long stated production lifetime. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (4)

    • pio_state_machines: 8 count Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Pico is programmable in C and MicroPython and supports drag-and-drop programming over USB mass storage. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • input_voltage_max: 5.5 V Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • Raspberry Pi guarantees availability of Pico 2 until at least January 2040. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

  • Pick Pico 2 over Pico for more memory (520 KB SRAM, 4 MB flash), a faster clock, and the option of RISC-V cores. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (1)

    • Relative to Pico: flash 2 MB to 4 MB, clock 133 to 150 MHz, SRAM 264 kB to 520 kB, Cortex-M0+ to Cortex-M33 plus RISC-V Hazard3, PIO blocks 2 to 3. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico 2 · Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18

When ESP32 fits

  • Choose an ESP32 board when the project needs Wi-Fi or Bluetooth from the start, or more raw clock speed, and when you want Espressif's ESP-IDF Wi-Fi libraries or the Arduino IDE through Arduino-ESP32. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (3)

    • Espressif describes the ESP32 as a single 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth SoC (system on a chip) designed by Espressif Systems, and states the ESP32 series is available as a chip or module. Evidence: Documented

      From Arduino vs ESP32 · Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19

    • ESP-IDF includes Wi-Fi libraries for ESP32 that support station mode (ESP32 connects to an access point), AP mode, and station/AP coexistence. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP-IDF · Espressif Systems · Wi-Fi API reference: Introduction · retrieved 2026-10-18

    • The Arduino-ESP32 project, supported by Espressif Systems and the community, lists ESP32 and ESP32-S3 (among other ESP32-series SoCs) as supported in stable releases, with Windows, Linux and macOS as supported operating systems and the Arduino IDE as the supported IDE. Evidence: Documented

      From Arduino vs ESP32 · Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19

  • Choose the S3 DevKitC-1 for a native USB OTG port and larger memory options. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (2)

    • The board has two USB ports: a Micro-USB USB-to-UART port and an ESP32-S3 USB OTG port compliant with USB 1.1; either can supply power. Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • psram: 16 MB Evidence: Documented

      From ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16

Using them together

  • Both use 3.3 V logic and both have UART, SPI and I2C, so on paper their logic levels match. For example, an ESP32 board could handle Wi-Fi while a Pico handles PIO-timed I/O. This is an inference: we read no official guide for this pairing, did not check pin-level details, and have not tested it. Evidence: Inferred

    Evidence (1)

    • Inference: Pico GPIO is fixed at 3.3 V and ESP32-DevKitC GPIO is 3.3 V, and both boards document UART, SPI and I2C, so their logic levels on these buses match on paper and no 5 V/3.3 V level shifting should be needed. No official guide for this pairing was read, pin-level compatibility was not checked, and it was not tested by BenchRove. Evidence: Inferred

      Raspberry Pi Ltd · GPIO section · retrieved 2026-10-16

  • Often you won't need both: a Pico W or Pico 2 W adds wireless to the Pico family, and the choice comes down to the differences above. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (2)

    • Pico W and WH add 2.4 GHz 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.2. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

    • On ESP32 and on Wi-Fi-equipped RP2 boards (the RP2 page names Pico W and Pico 2 W), MicroPython provides the network.WLAN class for station and access-point Wi-Fi interfaces. Evidence: Documented

      From MicroPython · MicroPython project · network.WLAN class description · retrieved 2026-10-18

Caveats and limits

  • Pico W/WH and Pico 2 W have no full records. Their wireless figures come from the Pico record's claim and MicroPython docs only. ESP32 values are chip-level. Evidence: Documented

    Evidence (1)

    • Pico W and WH add 2.4 GHz 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.2. Evidence: Documented

      From Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) · Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16

Scope notes from BenchRove

What this page does and does not cover. These describe our review, not the products, so they carry no evidence label.

  • Category: both are microcontroller boards, so this is a like-for-like comparison. The levels still differ: Pico is a board family, and ESP32 is a chip family shown here through Espressif's own dev boards.
  • "Raspberry Pi Pico" is not a Raspberry Pi computer. For Pi 5 or Zero 2 W, see cmp-arduino-vs-raspberry-pi.
  • Documentation review only; nothing on this page was tested on hardware by BenchRove. No prices are given.

Guides

Compare specs in the table tool

Sources

Last updated 2026-10-19. Audited by BenchRove (documentation review; nothing was tested hands-on).

  1. Raspberry Pi Ltd · GPIO section · retrieved 2026-10-16
  2. Raspberry Pi · Specification list; Obsolescence section; intro paragraphs · retrieved 2026-10-16 · via Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040)
  3. Raspberry Pi Ltd · About Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (features, headline features); 3.3 Recommended operating conditions; availability statement · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via Raspberry Pi Pico 2
  4. Espressif Systems · Sections 'Power Supply Options', 'Header Block' footnote [2], 'Ordering Information' · retrieved 2026-10-16 · via ESP32-DevKitC
  5. Espressif Systems · Get Started: Introduction; What You Need; Software; Installation; Build Your First Project · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via ESP-IDF
  6. Espressif · Description of Components; Ordering Information table; Header Block; Hardware Revision Details · retrieved 2026-10-16 · via ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1
  7. Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Table 5-2 Recommended Power Supply Characteristics; note under Section 3 / 4 clock text · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via ESP32-DevKitC
  8. Espressif Systems · Features (CPU and Memory); Section 2.x Memory (512 KB on-chip SRAM); Table 5-2 Recommended Operating Conditions · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1
  9. MicroPython project · ESP32 quick reference: WLAN; ADC; Hardware I2C bus · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via MicroPython
  10. Espressif Systems · README.md (repository root): intro and Quick Reference · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via ESP-IDF
  11. Espressif Systems · Getting Started: About Arduino ESP32; Supported SoC's table; Supported Operating Systems; Supported IDEs; Arduino Core Reference · retrieved 2026-10-19 · via Arduino vs ESP32
  12. MicroPython project · Documentation home: ports list and versions · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via MicroPython
  13. MicroPython project · network.WLAN class description · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via MicroPython
  14. Espressif Systems · Wi-Fi API reference: Introduction · retrieved 2026-10-18 · via ESP-IDF