Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi is a new Arduino development board that integrates an STM32H7 processor, WiFi connectivity, and the form factor of the Arduino Mega with up to 76 GPIO.
The STM32H7 processor is the same processor 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, in the Arduino Giga R1 WiFi we find 8MB of SDRAM and 16MB of storage. Therefore, in general, we have more than enough memory capacity for most projects we want to carry out.
As for wireless connectivity, it has a dual Murata 1DX module that simultaneously provides 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 success, considering the well-deserved popularity of the Arduino Mega, allowing us to take advantage of assemblies and enclosures, for example. However, before replacing an Arduino Mega with a Giga, we will logically need to check that the electrical connection is compatible.
Regarding connections, we find the (enormous) amount of 76 GPIO, 4x UART, 3x I2C, 2x SPI, 12x PWM, 12x ADC, 2x DAC, audio connector, USB, screen connector, and Arducam connector. In other words, it certainly won’t be lacking in connections.
The summary of the features of the Arduino Giga R1 are,
- STMicro STM32H747XI Cortex-M7 @ 480 MHz + M4 @ 200 MHz MCU
- 8 MB SDRAM memory.
- 16 MB NOR QSPI flash storage.
- 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi
- Bluetooth 5.1 BR/EDR/LE Murata 1DX.
- 76x GPIO pins
- 4x UART, 3x I2C, 2x SPI.
- 12x PWM.
- 12x analog inputs.
- 2x DAC
- 20-pin screen connector
- 3.3V operating voltage.
- 3.5mm audio connector.
- 20-pin Arducam connector
- JTAG connector for debugging
- 1x USB Type-C
- 1x USB 2.0
- Dimensions 101 x 53 mm
Obviously, the Arduino Giga RI is compatible with the entire Arduino environment, so ease of use and the quantity and quality of tools and documentation available are more than guaranteed.
As for the price, it is currently sold for €70, shipping not included. All information on the official Arduino page at https://store.arduino.cc/products/giga-r1-wifi