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Sam Hocevar’s project-piCo has a preliminary KiCad design for a Raspberry Pi Pico 2-style board that replaces the official board’s Micro-USB connector with USB Type-C. It is an open design project, not a finished or commercially available board: the repository describes the Pico 2 design as preliminary and provides design files rather than a product listing.
What is the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 USB-C clone?
Project-piCo is Hocevar’s reverse-engineering project for Raspberry Pi Pico-family boards. Its aims are to add USB Type-C and make the board design files more accessible. The repository includes a preliminary design for an RP2350-based Pico 2 board.
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The proposed change is the connector, not a different microcontroller platform. Raspberry Pi’s official Pico 2 is based on the RP2350; project-piCo describes its design as an RP2350 Pico 2 board as well. The project does not establish that its layout has been manufactured or validated.
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Why does the official Pico 2 still use Micro-USB?
The official, non-wireless Raspberry Pi Pico 2 uses Micro-USB for power and data, according to Raspberry Pi’s Pico-series documentation. Hocevar’s project proposes USB Type-C instead. In Hackster’s report, Hocevar said he was excited by the Pico 2 announcement but disappointed that the new board retained Micro-USB, adding: “Of course, I got right to work on correcting this issue.” (Hackster.)
#1 Best Overall
- The Raspberry Pi Pico is a beginner-friendly microcontroller board that uses MicroPython to give you a taste of the Internet of Things and microcontrollers. The RP2040 is a well-designed microprocessor that can be utilized in almost any Internet of Things project. It has enough power to complete the task quickly.
- 【Raspberry Pi RP2040 Microcontroller】Raspberry Pi Pico features Dual-core ARM Cortex M0+ processor, flexible clock running up to 133 MHz. With 264KB of SRAM, and 2MB of on-board Flash memory.Supports up to 16 MB of off chip flash memory via a dedicated QSPI bus
- 【Multiple Software Support】Pico has rich and complete software support, it comes with a complete Rasberry Pi official C/C++ SDK, Micropython SDK.The programming and burning of Pico need to be carried out on the computer. Supported operating systems and computers include:Raspberry Pie with Raspberry Pi OS,Other platforms equipped with Debian based Linux system Computer with MacOS, Computers with Windows, etc.
- 【Rich Hardware Interface】Raspberry Pi Pico has 30 GPIO pins, 4 pins for analog signal input and 26 × multi-function GPIO pins, 2 × SPI, 2 × I2C, 2 × UART, 3 × 12-bit ADC, 16 × controllable PWM channels.USB 1.1 supported by host and device, The installation mode can be flexibly selected by users to facilitate welding with other development boards.
- 【Build Project in Tiny Size】Only 2.1cm*5.1cm ( as small as your thumb). Pico has been designed to use either soldered 0.1" pin-headers or can be used as a surface-mountable 'module'.
USB Type-C is therefore the headline hardware distinction; it does not imply a new RP2350 capability or a change to the official board’s specifications.
How the preliminary design compares with the official Pico 2
| Feature | Official Raspberry Pi Pico 2 | Project-piCo Pico 2 design |
|---|---|---|
| Connector | Micro-USB for power and data, per Raspberry Pi documentation. | USB Type-C is the project’s stated design aim. |
| Processor platform | RP2350. | Described in the repository as a preliminary RP2350 Pico 2 board design. |
| Design or product status | Official board with specifications published by Raspberry Pi. | Preliminary KiCad design files; the cited sources do not establish a finished or commercially available board. |
| Compatibility | Raspberry Pi says Pico 2 is hardware- and software-compatible with Pico 1. | No cited test establishes drop-in compatibility or validates the preliminary clone layout. |
The official Pico 2’s published specifications include dual Arm Cortex-M33 or dual Hazard3 RISC-V processors, 520 KB SRAM, 4 MB on-board flash, operation up to 150 MHz, and a USB 1.1 controller and PHY with host and device support. These are official-board specifications, not independent validation results for project-piCo’s design. See Raspberry Pi’s Pico 2 product page and Pico-series documentation.
Rank #2
- ⚙️【Ready-to-Use RP2040 Development Board】Equipped with pre-soldered pin headers, this RP2040 development board is ready for wiring and prototyping without additional soldering. It is designed for electronics enthusiasts, students, makers, and developers to build and test embedded projects.
Is Hocevar’s Pico 2 design finished or available to buy?
Not according to the cited project materials. The repository calls the Pico 2 design preliminary and lists KiCad design files, not a purchase listing. The available information does not establish that the board has been manufactured, tested, or released as a finished product. The project’s status could change; its repository is the primary place to check the current files and description.
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Where are the project-piCo design files?
Hocevar publishes the project in the project-piCo GitHub repository. It contains KiCad design files for reverse-engineered Pico-family boards, including the preliminary RP2350 Pico 2 design. The project’s stated goal is to make such designs more accessible; accessing design files should not be confused with buying a finished USB-C board.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Latest Version: Higher core clock speed, double memory, more powerful Arm cores, optional RISC-V cores (compared to the 1 series)
- Switchable Cores: Allows users to choose between dual industry-standard Arm Cortex-M33 cores and dual open-hardware Hazard3 cores
- Compatibility: Delivers a significant performance boost, while retaining software- and hardware-compatible with the 1 series
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
Rank #4
- Advanced Dual-Core Processor: Features a 133 MHz ARM Cortex M0+ with 264KB SRAM and 2MB Flash for fast, flexible project development
- Extensive Software Support: Program easily for official Raspberry Pi C/C++ and MicroPython SDKs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi OS
- Rich Hardware Interfaces: Offers 30 GPIO pins, 4 analog inputs, and support for SPI, I2C, UART, ADC, and PWM for versatile connectivity
- USB-C powered and ready for diverse applications in DIY electronics, education, and prototyping
- Compact IoT Starter Kit: Ideal for beginners to experience IoT with the efficient RP2040 processor; robust performance and swift task completion
Rank #3
- Latest Version: Higher core clock speed, double memory, more powerful Arm cores, optional RISC-V cores (compared to the 1 series) (This W version has onboard wireless LAN and Bluetooth)
- Switchable Cores: Allows users to choose between dual industry-standard Arm Cortex-M33 cores and dual open-hardware Hazard3 cores
- Compatibility: Delivers a significant performance boost, while retaining software- and hardware-compatible with the 1 series
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
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