The upcoming Open Source board will be equipped with a 32-bit Renesas RA4M1 processor instead of the 8-bit ATmega328P chip. Moreover, there will be a UNO R4 version featuring an ESP32 module for wireless connectivity.

Unlike the Arduino Giga (STM32H747XI) board launched earlier this month, the new Arduino R4 Minima will feature the following Renesas microcontroller:

• RA4M1 — Single core ARM Cortex-M4 (up to 48MHz); 32kB SRAM; 256kB Flash memory

Renesas RA4M1 block diagram
(click image to enlarge)

The announcement mentions that the UNO R4 will maintain its usual form factor, shield compatibility and 5V operating voltage. However, the new Arduino UNO will also include an improved thermal design and a USB Type-C port supporting up to 24V.

The company also states that the new board will be equipped with a CAN BUS and an SPI port “to reduce wiring and perform parallel tasks by connecting multiple shields.”

There will also be another Arduino UNO R4 variant which integrates an Espressif S3 module for Wi-Fi connectivity. It also appears that both variants will feature a 12-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC).

Arduino also mentioned that most existing libraries and examples will be compatible with the new Arduino UNO R4 platform.

Arduino UNO R4 Wi-Fi
(click image to enlarge)

Further information

Arduino hasn’t revealed any information about pricing, but the new embedded platform is expected to be available in late May 2023. Authors or maintainers of popular open-source Arduino libraries can become early adopters and get a UNO R4 Minima board. See this link for additional details.