New Arduino Uno R4 Coming in May: Upgraded configuration with USB-C and Wi-Fi support

Prologue

The 32-bit UNO equipped with the powerful Renesas processor will mark a new chapter in the history of open source electronics making industry.

Arduino is a convenient, flexible, and easy-to-use open-source electronic prototyping platform that consists mainly of hardware (various models of Arduino development boards) and software (Arduino IDE).

One of the most popular open source hardware on the market, Arduino launched the Uno R3 in 2010, and 13 years later, an upgraded version - the Arduino Uno R4 - has been released with a giant leap in processing power, memory, storage, and network connectivity.

What makes Arduino UNO R4 stand out?

Renesas, the world's leading supplier of microcontrollers, analog, power and SoC products, has taken a giant leap forward with its new processor. It's no news that more than 10 million people have played and worked with the Arduino UNO R3 microcontroller for more than a decade, but the launch of the RA4 series MCU will take the board to a new level with the latest on-board features, creating endless opportunities for advanced makers to build more projects they want.

What are the features of the Arduino UNO R4?

As with the original Arduino UNO, the R4 retains all its well-known features - standard form, shield compatibility, 5V operating voltage, exceptional robustness - but also features a 32-bit Cortex®-M4 processor and 3 to 16 times more memory, flash storage, and clock speed.

The UNO R4 will be available in May in two versions: UNO R4 Wi-Fi and UNO R4 Minima (standard). The UNO R4 Wi-Fi is equipped with the Espressif S3 module with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection, offering unparalleled performance and possibilities for makers, while the UNO R4 Minima is a cost-effective solution for those who want the new microcontroller but do not have the budget for additional features.

The USB port has been upgraded to USB-C with an improved thermal design, and the maximum supply voltage has been increased to 24V based on community feedback. A CAN bus allows users to connect multiple shields in parallel to minimize wiring and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Finally, the new board features an analog DAC with 12-bit resolution.

Ultimately, Arduino UNO R4 is the answer to the requests for improvement and updates made by the developer and maker community, making Arduino more accessible than ever.

Arduino UNO R3 VS R4

With an upgrade to the 48 MHz 32-bit Renesas RA4M1 processor, the UNO R4 retains the same pin layout as the R3. Based on the Arm Cortex-M4 architecture, the Arduino UNO R4 represents a performance leap over the previous generation of 8-bit 16 MHz AVR RISC-based ATmega328P processors.

Specifically, the Arduino UNO R4 adapts a Renesas RA4M1 (Arm Cortex®-M4) running at 48MHz, a 3x increase over the UNO R3. In addition, the Uno R4 has 32K of SRAM, which is 16 times the size of the previous generation Uno R3 (2K). It also has 256K of onboard NAND flash memory to accommodate more complex projects, compared to 32K in the R3.

As for the interface, it has a USB-C port for PC connection, which is more modern than the bulky USB Type-B of the older model. It also has a 12-bit analog DAC, CAN bus and SPI port on board.

The pinout, voltage, and form factor of the UNO R3 remain unchanged, ensuring maximum compatibility with existing shields and projects in terms of hardware and electrical compatibility. On the software side, much effort has been put into maximizing backward compatibility with the most popular Arduino libraries, so that users can rely on existing code examples and tutorials.Arduino says that most existing software libraries and examples will work with the new device without modification, but some libraries and examples designed for the R3 AVR architecture may need to be adapted.

As part of the transition, Arduino will provide links to existing alternatives and a public list of such libraries. Although the new Arduino UNO R4 is not yet available for sale, for library developers interested in learning more about UNO R4 and porting their low-level code to the Renesas architecture, the official Arduino company is launching an Early Adopter Program to send a free Uno R4 to developers, creators and maintainers of hot Arduino library programs or popular open source projects.

Makers and developers can find the launched adopter program with a dedicated website at www.Arduino.cc/UNOR4.

Arduino Uno R4 vs. R3 configuration comparison

When will the Arduino UNO R4 be available?

The Arduino UNO R3 will continue to be available and supported for all makers who have an interest in its 8-bit AVR microcontroller. The Arduino UNO R4 is scheduled for release at the end of May when more details about its features will be announced, but you can already be part of the waiting list and be notified when it is in stock!

Final words

Looking for high-quality electronic components and DIY kits? Look no further than Elecrow! With a wide selection of products ranging from Arduino boards to Raspberry Pi accessories, Elecrow has everything you need to bring your electronics projects to life.

Elecrow provides Arduino-compatible MCU products and Arduino-related Steam education kits, we even develop a lot of cool display products like the ESP32 display series to fulfill the Arduino project dreams of makers. The latest Wizee-ESP32 series: Wizee-ESP32 4.3" HMI Display, Wizee-ESP32 3.5" HMI Display, Wizee-ESP32 2.8" HMI Display, Wizee-ESP32 2.4" HMI Display launched by Elecrow can be compatible with Arduino lVGL, With the latest ESP32 3.5" HMI RGB Display, ESP32 3.5" HMI SPI Display also make them affordable touch display choices for customizable, flexible, fun DIY electronic projects for DIY electronic makers.

Specializing in PCB assembly, PCB manufacturing, acrylic laser cutting, 3D printing, and other maker services, Elecrow offers great electronics products for beginners and experts alike. Elecrow is even launching a new spring promotion for mechanical keyboards and the Partner Seller Program for makers and techies with great ideas to sell their products online.

Visit Elecrow for more information.