Adafruit Metro RP2350: RP2350-Based Arduino-Compatible Board with Dual Cortex-M33, TPS563201 Buck Converter, and HSTX Expansion

The Adafruit Metro RP2350 is an Arduino-compatible development board based on the Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller. It features a dual-core ARM Cortex-M33 processor running at 150MHz, 528KB of RAM, and 16MB of QSPI flash for program storage. The board operates at 3.3V logic and includes a 5V buck converter (TPS563201) that accepts a 4.5V to 17V DC input and provides up to 2A output.

It offers 37 available GPIOs, with 23 on the socket/SPI headers, 12 on the HSTX port, and 2 for USB host functionality. Six of these GPIOs also support analog input. The board includes a microSD card slot configured for SPI interfacing, with additional pins for SDIO, though SDIO support is not available in Arduino or Python. An onboard RGB NeoPixel is also included for status indication or visual feedback.

Designed for embedded development, the Metro RP2350 provides a familiar Arduino form factor with expanded I/O options and debugging capabilities. It supports programming in Arduino and CircuitPython, making it suitable for a range of applications requiring flexible connectivity and performance.

Adafruit Metro RP2350 specifications:

• Processor: Raspberry Pi RP2350
  • Dual ARM Cortex-M33 cores @ 150MHz
  • 8KB OTP memory, QSPI PSRAM support
• Memory: 528KB SRAM, 16MB external QSPI flash
• Storage: MicroSD card slot (SPI interface, SDIO-ready)
• Expansion:
  • 37 pin headers (23 on socket/SPI headers, 12 on HSTX port, 2 for USB host)
  • 6 analog-capable GPIOs
  • RX/TX switch for UART pin remapping
  • 22-pin 3-lane differential HSTX FPC port (Raspberry Pi 5 compatible)
  • Stemma QT port for I2C peripherals and sensors
• USB: USB Type-C port for power and data
• Debug: Pico Probe debug port – 3 pin JST SH compatible
• Misc:
  • Reset and Boot buttons
  • RX / TX switch for swapping D0 and D1 locations
  • Onboard RGB NeoPixel
  • Onboard #23 LED
  • On/off switch for DC jack
  • USB host breakout pads with controllable 5V power
• Power:
  • 5V buck converter (TPS563201) with 6-17V DC input, up to 2A output
  • USB Type-C for power and data
  • 5.5mm / 2.1mm DC jack for 6-12VDC power
• Dimension: TBD

The Adafruit Metro RP2350 is an Arduino-compatible development board powered by the Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller. It features a ROM USB UF2 bootloader for drag-and-drop firmware updates and supports C/C++, unofficial Arduino compatibility, MicroPython, and CircuitPython. The RP2350 integrates hardware SHA-256 acceleration, a random number generator, 24 PWM channels, and a USB 1.1 controller with host and device support, including bit-banging USB host capabilities.

The board ships with the A2 revision of the RP2350, which is affected by the E9 erratum, impacting certain GPIO and PIO functions. In specific configurations, external pull-down resistors of 8.2K or lower are required. As of February 2025, no updated revision is available.

We have previously covered several RP2350-based development boards, including the Adafruit Feather RP2350, Challenger+ RP2350, SparkFun Pro Micro-RP2350, Interstate 75 W, and Raspberry Pi Pico 2. Feel free to check them out if you’re interested in these products.

The Adafruit Metro RP2350 is available in two variants: one with PSRAM and one without. The version without PSRAM is priced at $24.95, while the PSRAM variant costs $27.95. More details can be found on the Adafruit Learn page.

Please follow and like us: