Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is similar to the original Pi Zero except that the CPU has been upgraded. In stead of having a single core BCM2835, it now has a quad core Arm coretex-A53 which is 64-bit. Other than that it is basically the same as the original Pi Zero.
The improved CPU makes this Pi better suited to playing games. It still only has 512MB of RAM which limits how useful it is as a desktop but the improved CPU does make a difference for gaming ( specifically retro gaming and emulation ).
The “W” in the name indicates that this model comes with wifi.
Similar to the original Pi Zero, this board is great for low profile builds. It is capable of running a full OS. It can be used more as a “full computer” rather than must a micro-controller. You could use it as a desktop system but it doesn’t have enough RAM for this to really be a good idea.
Typical use cases where this board worsk well:
- Small retro gaming device
- Electronics projects
- Low powered server
- Robot controller
Specs
CPU | 1GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53 CPU |
RAM | 512MB SDRAM |
Wifi | 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n wireless LAN |
Bluetooth | V 4.2, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), onboard antenna |
Video Out | Mini HDMI® port and micro USB On-The-Go (OTG) port |
Video - Other | Composite video and reset pins via solder test points |
Storage | microSD card slot |
Camera | CSI-2 camera connector |
Other IO | HAT-compatible 40-pin header |
Power | Micro USB power |
Size | 65mm x 30mm |
Codecs | H.264, MPEG-4 decode (1080p30); H.264 encode (1080p30) |
Limitations
- No 5 GHz wifi
- Still uses microUSB
- Only 512 MB ram
- Limited ports / connectors