The Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi is a new development board from Arduino that integrates an STM32H7 processor, WiFi connectivity, and the form factor of the Arduino Mega with up to 76 GPIOs.
The STM32H7 processor is the same one found in the Portenta H7 boards, a processor with two cores, a Cortex M7 core at 480MHz plus a Cortex M4 core at 200 MHz. The dual-core allows it to combine high computing power with low consumption.
On the other hand, the Arduino Giga R1 WiFi features 8MB of SDRAM and 16MB of storage. So, in general, we have more than enough memory capacity for most projects we might want to undertake.
Regarding wireless connectivity, it has a Murata 1DX dual module that provides simultaneous WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.1. Therefore, it is a very suitable board for IoT applications.
As mentioned at the beginning, the Arduino Giga has the same form factor as the Arduino Mega. In my opinion, a smart move, considering the well-deserved popularity of the Arduino Mega, allowing us to reuse mounts and enclosures, for example. However, before replacing an Arduino Mega with a Giga, we should obviously check that the electrical connections are compatible.
In terms of connections, we find the (enormous) amount of 76 GPIOs, 4x UART, 3x I2C, 2x SPI, 12x PWM, 12x ADC, 2x DAC, audio connector, USB, display connector, and Arducam connector. That is, it certainly won’t be lacking in connections.
{ “CPU and Memory”: [ { “label”: “Microcontroller”, “value”: “STMicro STM32H747XI Cortex-M7 @ 480 MHz + M4 @ 200 MHz” }, { “label”: “Memory”, “value”: “8 MB SDRAM” }, { “label”: “Storage”, “value”: “16 MB flash NOR QSPI” } ], “Connectivity”: [ { “label”: “WiFi”, “value”: “2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n” }, { “label”: “Bluetooth”, “value”: “5.1 BR/EDR/LE Murata 1DX” }, { “label”: “USB”, “value”: [“1x Type-C”, “1x USB 2.0”] }, { “label”: “Debug”, “value”: “JTAG connector” } ], “Devices”: [ { “label”: “GPIO”, “value”: “76 pins” }, { “label”: “Interfaces”, “value”: [“4x UART”, “3x I2C”, “2x SPI”] }, { “label”: “PWM”, “value”: “12x” }, { “label”: “ADC”, “value”: “12x analog inputs” }, { “label”: “DAC”, “value”: “2x” }, { “label”: “Connectors”, “value”: [“20-pin display”, “3.5 mm Audio”, “Arducam 20-pin”] } ], “Power and Dimensions”: [ { “label”: “Operating Voltage”, “value”: “3.3V” }, { “label”: “Dimensions”, “value”: “101 x 53 mm” } ] }
Obviously, the Arduino Giga R1 is compatible with the entire Arduino ecosystem, so ease of use and the quantity and quality of available tools and documentation are more than guaranteed.
Regarding the price, it is currently sold for €70, shipping not included. All information is on the official Arduino page at https://store.arduino.cc/products/giga-r1-wifi
