Adafruit Feather M4 Express vs Adafruit Feather RP2350
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
The Feather M4 Express is a tiny development board built around the ATSAMD51 microcontroller, offering 120 MHz Cortex‑M4 performance with floating‑point support. It includes 2 MiB flash, 256 KiB RAM, and native USB, making it ideal for complex projects that need speed and storage. Its Feather‑compatible pinout lets you stack a wide range of add‑on boards, while the built‑in 3.3 V regulator and battery charger let you run untethered from a LiPo cell. Perfect for wearables, audio, and IoT prototypes that demand high‑speed processing in a small package.
The Adafruit Feather RP2350 brings the powerful Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller to the popular Feather ecosystem. With a dual‑core Cortex‑M33 running at 150 MHz, it offers desktop‑class performance in a 2‑inch‑by‑0.9‑inch board. It features a dedicated HSTX port for high‑speed serial data, 8 MB of QSPI flash, USB‑C power and programming, and full compatibility with Adafruit’s CircuitPython and Arduino libraries, making it ideal for rapid prototyping.
- High clock speed with floating‑point unit
- Large flash and RAM for complex projects
- Native USB and battery charging on board
- Extensive FeatherWing accessory ecosystem
- High-performance dual‑core processor.
- Feather‑compatible layout for easy expansion.
- Dedicated high‑speed HSTX port.
- Supported by both CircuitPython and Arduino.
- No built‑in Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth; requires external module
- 3.3 V only, no 5 V tolerant pins
- Limited GPIO count compared to larger boards
- No built‑in wireless connectivity.
- Limited RAM compared to larger MCUs.
- Requires external level shifting for 5 V peripherals.
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Adafruit Feather M4 Express
View all →A high-performance ARM Cortex-M7 development board designed for demanding embedded applications.
An ultra-small Arduino-compatible microcontroller powerhouse designed for space-constrained projects.
Compact Feather board with RP2350 dual‑core MCU and high‑speed HSTX port.
An all-in-one Bluetooth Low Energy and Cortex-M4 development board.
Alternatives to Adafruit Feather RP2350
View all →Fast, powerful ARM Cortex‑M4 board in a compact Feather form factor
An all-in-one Bluetooth Low Energy and Cortex-M4 development board.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataThe Feather M4 offers higher clock speed and more RAM for demanding code, while the Feather RP2350 is cheaper and adds dual‑core performance plus a high‑speed HSTX port.
Key differences
- •CPU: M4 has a single Cortex‑M4 at 120 MHz; RP2350 has dual Cortex‑M33 cores at 150 MHz.
- •Memory: M4 provides 256 KiB SRAM; RP2350’s RAM is unspecified but noted as limited versus larger MCUs.
- •Storage: M4 includes 2 MiB flash; RP2350 includes 8 MiB QSPI flash.
- •Connectivity: M4 has native USB only; RP2350 adds USB‑C, STEMMA QT I2C, and a dedicated HSTX port.
- •Price: M4 costs $24.95; RP2350 costs $12.50.
Performance
RP2350 runs dual cores at 150 MHz versus M4's single 120 MHz core.
Build quality
Both are Feather‑form factor, similar dimensions and weight; no data on material differences.
Connectivity
RP2350 adds USB‑C, STEMMA QT I2C, and HSTX port; M4 only native USB.
Power & efficiency
M4 includes on‑board LiPo charger and 3.3 V regulator for battery operation; RP2350 is USB powered only.
Compatibility
Both support CircuitPython and Arduino and use the Feather pinout.
Price & value
RP2350 MSRP $12.50 vs M4 $24.95, offering more flash for less cost.
Warranty & support
Both provide a 1‑year warranty; no further support details given.
Choose Adafruit Feather M4 Express if…
Projects needing battery power, on‑board LiPo charging, and larger SRAM for complex firmware.
Choose Adafruit Feather RP2350 if…
Budget‑focused builds that benefit from dual‑core speed, extra QSPI flash, and high‑speed peripheral port.
Common questions
Which board is cheaper?
The Feather RP2350 costs $12.50 MSRP, about half the $24.95 price of the Feather M4.
Do either boards have built‑in wireless?
No; both require external modules for Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth.
Can I run the Feather M4 on battery?
Yes, it includes an on‑board LiPo charger and 3.3 V regulator for battery operation.