What a cutie pie! Or is it... a QT Py? This diminutive dev board comes with a throwback processor - an 8-bit 8051! This tiny core is a big change from something like the ESP32-S3 QT Py with two 240MHz 32-bit cores, but there are lots of folks interested in the CH552 and, given the smol size, it is a nice matchup for a smol board.

The CH552 is an 'enhanced' E8051 core microcontroller, compatible with the MCS51 instruction set but with 8~15 times faster instruction execution speed. You can run this core at 16MHz and 3.3V logic, and it's got built-in 16K program FLASH memory and, 256-byte internal RAM plus 1K-byte internal xRAM (xRAM supports DMA.

It's also got some cute tricks up its sleeve, like 4 built-in ADC channels, capacitive touch support, 3 timers / PWM channels, hardware UART, SPI, and a full-speed USB device controller. The last one means it can act like a native USB device such as CDC serial or mouse/keyboard HID.

If you're interested in playing with this chip, we've wrapped it up in a QT Py format. The pinout and shape is Seeed Xiao compatible, with castellated pads so you can solder it flat to a PCB. It comes with our favorite connector - the STEMMA QT, a chainable I2C port that can be used with any of our STEMMA QT sensors and accessories. We also added an RGB NeoPixel and both a reset button and 'bootloader enter' button.

Please note! This is a minimal 8-bit microcontroller, and it definitely does not run CircuitPython or Micropython. It also doesn't really run Arduino. There's an Arduino 'board support package' we recommend, but the compiler is for C not C++, which means you cannot use any Arduino libraries. It's very very bare-bones and for hacking/experimenting with this '40 cent chip'.

• It is the same size, form-factor, and pinout as the Seeed Xiao.
• USB Type C connector - If you have only Micro B cables, this adapter will come in handy!
• CH552 8-bit 8051 microcontroller core with 3.3V power/logic. Internal 16 MHz oscillator.
• Native USB
• Built in RGB NeoPixel LED
• 10 GPIO pins:
  • 4x 8-bit analog inputs on A0, A1, A2, and A3
  • 3 x PWM outputs
  • I2C port with STEMMA QT plug-n-play connector
  • Hardware UART
  • Hardware SPI
  • 4 x Capacitive Touch with no additional components required, on A0-A3 pins
• 3.3V regulator with 600mA peak output
• Reset switch and bootloader for starting your project code over or entering USB ROM bootloader mode
• Really really small