Pico W vs Pico 2 W: Is the RP2350 Upgrade Worth $1?
The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W is the clear upgrade over the original Pico W for nearly every project. For just $1 more, you get double the SRAM (520KB vs 264KB), double the flash (4MB vs 2MB), a faster Cortex-M33 processor that benchmarks 2x faster per MHz than the Cortex-M0+, hardware floating-point support, security features including ARM TrustZone and secure boot, and the option to run RISC-V cores — all in the same pin-compatible form factor.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Processing Power | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The RP2350's dual Cortex-M33 cores at 150MHz score 4.09 CoreMark/MHz versus the RP2040's Cortex-M0+ at 2.0 CoreMark/MHz — roughly double the throughput per clock cycle, compounded by the 13% clock speed increase from 133MHz to 150MHz. The M33 also includes a hardware single-precision FPU, eliminating the software floating-point penalty that slows sensor math and DSP workloads on the RP2040. Real-world, expect 2-2.5x faster execution for compute-bound tasks. |
| Memory and Storage | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The Pico 2 W doubles both SRAM (520KB vs 264KB) and onboard flash (4MB vs 2MB). The extra SRAM matters for applications that buffer sensor data, run display framebuffers, or handle TLS connections — WiFi + TLS alone can consume 80-100KB. With 520KB, the Pico 2 W has meaningful headroom for complex MicroPython applications that would exhaust the original Pico W's memory. |
| Wireless Connectivity | tie | Both boards use the identical Infineon CYW43439 wireless module providing 2.4GHz 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 5.2. Range, throughput, and protocol support are identical. If your project is bottlenecked by wireless performance, neither board has an advantage — both max out around 10Mbps TCP throughput in practice and share the same antenna design. |
| Security and Cryptography | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The RP2350 introduces a comprehensive security architecture that the RP2040 entirely lacks: ARM TrustZone for Cortex-M, signed boot with 8KB antifuse OTP for key storage, SHA-256 hardware acceleration, a hardware true random number generator (TRNG), and fast glitch detectors. For any IoT deployment where firmware integrity or credential storage matters — connected locks, payment terminals, industrial sensors — the Pico 2 W is the only viable choice. |
| I/O and Programmable State Machines | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The RP2350 expands PIO from 8 to 12 state machines and PWM from 16 to 24 channels, while maintaining the same 26 GPIO pins and identical UART, SPI, I2C, and ADC peripheral counts. The extra PIO state machines matter for projects that bit-bang multiple custom protocols simultaneously — driving LED strips while reading rotary encoders while generating audio, for example. Most hobbyist projects will never exhaust either chip's PIO capacity. |
| RISC-V Option | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The RP2350 includes dual Hazard3 RISC-V cores as an alternative to the ARM Cortex-M33 cores — you choose one pair or the other at boot, not both simultaneously. The RISC-V cores score 3.81 CoreMark/MHz (slightly below the M33's 4.09) but use an open ISA with no licensing restrictions. This is valuable for education, RISC-V ecosystem development, and organizations avoiding ARM licensing. The RP2040 has no RISC-V option. |
Which Board for Your Project?
| Use Case | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi IoT sensor network | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The 520KB SRAM provides comfortable headroom for WiFi + TLS stacks alongside sensor buffering. Hardware FPU accelerates sensor math (temperature compensation, filter algorithms) by 10-50x versus software float on the Pico W. Secure boot protects deployed firmware in the field. |
| MicroPython learning and prototyping | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | Double the flash (4MB) means more room for MicroPython libraries and user scripts. The 520KB SRAM reduces out-of-memory crashes that frustrate beginners working with WiFi and display libraries. Pin-compatible with the Pico W, so all existing tutorials and wiring diagrams apply unchanged. |
| Existing Pico W project with working code | Raspberry Pi Pico W | If your Pico W project is deployed, stable, and not hitting memory or CPU limits, there is no reason to swap boards. The Pico 2 W is a drop-in replacement physically, but firmware may need recompilation for the RP2350 — not worth the risk for a working deployment. |
| RISC-V development and education | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W | The RP2350's dual Hazard3 RISC-V cores make this the cheapest WiFi-enabled RISC-V development board available. Students and hobbyists can switch between ARM and RISC-V at boot to compare architectures on identical hardware — a learning opportunity no other board at this price offers. |
| Budget bulk deployment (100+ units) | Raspberry Pi Pico W | At scale, the $1 per-unit savings adds up. If the RP2040's 264KB SRAM and 133MHz clock are sufficient for your firmware, the Pico W remains the cheaper option. However, if your firmware needs TLS or secure boot, the Pico 2 W's security features may justify the premium. |
Where to Buy
Final Verdict
The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W is the default choice for any new project. For $1 more than the original Pico W, you get 2x the processing power (Cortex-M33 at 4.09 CoreMark/MHz vs Cortex-M0+ at 2.0), 2x the SRAM (520KB vs 264KB), 2x the flash (4MB vs 2MB), a hardware FPU, security features the RP2040 lacks entirely, and the option to boot RISC-V cores — all in the same pin-compatible footprint. The only reason to buy the original Pico W is maintaining an existing deployment where recompilation is not worth the effort, or shaving $1 per unit at volume. For everyone else, the Pico 2 W is the better board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Pico 2 W a drop-in replacement for the Pico W?
Physically, yes — the Pico 2 W has the same 51x21mm form factor, the same 40-pin header layout, and the same 26 GPIO pins. Software requires some changes: C/C++ projects need recompilation targeting the RP2350, and MicroPython needs the RP2350-specific firmware. Most MicroPython scripts will run unmodified once the correct firmware is flashed.
Can the Pico 2 W run ARM and RISC-V cores at the same time?
No. The RP2350 has four cores total — two Cortex-M33 and two Hazard3 RISC-V — but only one pair is active at any time. You select ARM or RISC-V at boot via a configuration flag. You cannot mix architectures during runtime. Most users will stick with the ARM cores for better toolchain support and floating-point performance.
Does the Pico 2 W support CircuitPython and Arduino IDE?
Yes. CircuitPython, MicroPython, and the Arduino IDE all support the RP2350. The C/C++ SDK (pico-sdk) has full RP2350 support. The Arduino core for RP2350 provides the familiar Arduino API. CircuitPython support was added shortly after launch with dedicated RP2350 builds.
Is the WiFi and Bluetooth performance different between the two boards?
No. Both boards use the same Infineon CYW43439 wireless module with the same antenna design. WiFi throughput, Bluetooth range, and protocol support are identical. If you are happy with the Pico W's wireless performance, the Pico 2 W will behave exactly the same.
Does the Pico 2 W use more power than the original Pico W?
The RP2350 actually idles at lower power than the RP2040 — approximately 80mW versus 100mW at idle, a 20% reduction. Under full load, power consumption is comparable. For battery-powered projects, the Pico 2 W is the better choice thanks to lower idle draw and the ability to finish compute tasks faster with its more powerful cores.
What security features does the Pico 2 W add over the original?
The RP2350 adds ARM TrustZone, signed boot, 8KB antifuse one-time-programmable (OTP) memory for cryptographic key storage, SHA-256 hardware acceleration, a hardware true random number generator, and voltage glitch detectors. The RP2040 has none of these. For any IoT device exposed to the internet, these features protect firmware integrity and stored credentials.
Should I wait for a Pico 3 W or buy the Pico 2 W now?
Raspberry Pi has not announced an RP2-series successor as of April 2026. The Pico 2 W is a mature, well-supported product with broad ecosystem compatibility. At $7, the cost of waiting exceeds the cost of buying — start building now and upgrade later if a successor arrives.