Arduino Due vs Mega: Which is Better for Your Project?

Know about Arduino Due vs Mega

The popular Arduino Due and Arduino Mega development boards in the Arduino world consider various design aspects. Leading the charge is the Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 processor inside the Arduino Due, running at a clock speed of 84 MHz, wrapping up the job. Its 32 bits of recycling power make it perfect for complicated and high- performance tasks. In discrepancy, the Arduino Mega is grounded on an ATmega2560 microprocessor and provides 8 bits of processing at a clock frequence of 16 MHz. It has a solid character thanks to its huge memory and numerous of I/O anchorages, which make it perfect for systems taking significant interfacing with several sensors and selectors. These boards are useful for a wide range of systems due to their dissonances in processing power, memory, and features, despite having a variety of analogue and digital I/O pins.

 

Arduino Due

 

 

Technical Specifications

1. Microcontroller: Atmel AT91SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 CPU running at 84 MHz.

2. Operating Voltage: 3.3V.

3. Input Voltage (recommended): 7-12 volts.

4. Input Voltage (limits): 6-20 volts.

5. Digital I/O Pins: 54 (of which 12 give PWM affair).

6. Analog Input Pins: 12 (with 12-bit ADC resolution).

7. Analog Output Pins: 2 (DAC -Digital to Analog Converter).

8. Total DC Output Current on all I/O lines: 130 mA.

9. DC Current for 3.3V Pin: 800 mA.

10. DC Current for 5V Pin: Not applicable (as it's a 3.3V board).

11. Flash Memory: 512 KB (2 sections of 256 KB each for charge law and operation law).

12. SRAM: 96 KB (64 KB of which is allocated to the CPU).

13. Clock Speed: 84 MHz.

14. Communication Interfaces: 

• UART: 4 (Serial Communication)
• SPI: 1 (Serial Peripheral Interface)
• I2C: 1 (Inter-Integrated Circuit)
• CAN: 1 (Controller Area Network)
• USB: 2 (Host and Device).

15. Built-in Ethernet: No.

16. Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C.

17. Dimensions: 101.52mm x 53.3mm.

18. Weight: 36g.

 

Key Features

1. Processor: The 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor (Atmel SAM3X8E) that powers the Arduino Due performs better than the 8-bit processors seen in other Arduino boards. 36.2.1.

2. Clock Speed: Operates at 84 MHz, a frequency that is far greater than that of the Mega 16 MHz.

3. Voltage: The Due operates at3.3 V sense position, which means it isn't directly compatible with 5V systems without position shifting.

4. I/O Pins: It has 54 digital input/affair pins(of which 12 can be used as PWM labors), 12 analog inputs, 4 UARTs(tackle periodical anchorages), 2 DAC(Digital to Analog Converter) labors, and 2 TWI(I2C) anchorages.

5. Memory: The Due has 512 KB of flash memory for storing law, 96 KB of SRAM, and no EEPROM.

6. USB Ports: It has a native USB port and a programming USB port.

7. Special Features: Due has a higher number of PWM outputs and supports more advanced peripherals due to its more powerful processor.

 

Advantages of Arduino Due

The robust ARM Cortex-M3 CPU of the Arduino Due is its primary benefit. It can therefore perform multitasking and demanding computational activities more efficiently than boards equipped with 8-bit microcontrollers. This puts Due first in tasks involving sophisticated robotics, real-time data processing, and the application of intricate algorithms. More memory (96 KB SRAM, 512KB Flash) and a quick clock enable higher program and data storage demands. Extended connectivity possibilities are made possible via USB OTG functionality and several serial connectors, which make it easier to integrate various peripherals and communicate with other devices. It can also be used in a variety of applications due to its two DACs and broad I/O capabilities.

 

Disadvantages of Arduino Due

Because many sensors and modules made for Arduino use 5 V logic and need a level shifter or voltage divider for compatibility, operating at 3.3 V logic level can be a disadvantage. Since Due lacks an EEPROM, it is unable to store data when turned off. In addition, the ARM Cortex-M3 processor's complexity and power consumption could be too much for simple applications that can be completed with an 8-bit microcontroller. Furthermore, the costlier price in comparison to other Arduino boards may be taken into account for projects with a tight budget.

 

Arduino Mega

 

 

Technical Specifications

1. Microcontroller

• Microcontroller: ATmega2560
• Operating Voltage: 5V
• Input Voltage (recommended): 7-12V
• Input Voltage (limit): 6-20V

 

2. Digital I/O

• Digital I/O Pins: 54 (of which 15 provide PWM output)
• PWM Digital I/O Pins: 15
• Analog Input Pins: 16
• DC Current per I/O Pin: 20 mA
• DC Current for 3.3V Pin: 50 mA

 

3. Memory

• Flash Memory: 256 KB (of which 8 KB used by bootloader)
• SRAM: 8 KB
• EEPROM: 4 KB

 

4. Clock Speed

• Clock Speed: 16 MHz

 

5. Communication

• UART: 4 (hardware serial ports)
• I2C: 1
• SPI: 1
• CAN: None
• USB: Type-B connector

 

6. Power

• Power Jack: Barrel jack
• Battery Connector: None

 

7. Pinout

• Digital I/O Pins: 54
• PWM Pins: 2 to 13 and 44 to 46
• Analog Input Pins: A0 to A15
• Special Pins:

  -Serial Ports: 0 (RX) and 1 (TX); 19 (RX) and 18 (TX); 17 (RX) and 16 (TX); 15 (RX) and 14 (TX)

  -External Interrupts: 2, 3, 18, 19, 20, 21

  -PWM: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

  -SPI: 50 (MISO), 51 (MOSI), 52 (SCK), 53 (SS)

  -I2C (TWI): 20 (SDA), 21 (SCL)

 

8. Physical Characteristics

• Dimensions: 101.52 mm x 53.3 mm
• Weight: 37 g

 

9. Other Features

• LED_BUILTIN: 13
• Reset Button: Yes
• Communication LEDs: RX and TX
• ICSP Header: Yes
• Power LED Indicator: Yes

 

Key Features

1. Processor: The Arduino Mega makes use of the ATmega2560, an 8-bit AVR microcontroller.

2. Clock Speed: Operating at 16 MHz.

3. Voltage: The Mega operates at a 5V sense position.

4. I/O Pins: It features 54 digital input/affair pins(of which 15 can be used as PWM labors), 16 analog inputs, 4 UARTs(tackle periodical anchorages), and 1 TWI(I2C) harborage.

5. Memory: The Mega has 256 KB of flash memory for storing law, 8 KB of SRAM, and 4 KB of EEPROM.

6. USB Ports: It has a single USB harborage for both programming and serial communication.

7. Special Features: The Mega is known for its large number of I/O pins and substantial quantum of memory compared to other 8-bit Arduino boards, making it suitable for complex systems that bear numerous inputs and labors.

 

Advantages of Arduino Mega

The Arduino Mega's wide I/O functionality and memory capacity are its primary features. The development of projects with a variety of inputs and outputs, such as complex robotic systems or vast sensor arrays, is made easier by the abundance of digital and analog pins. The 256 KB of flash memory allows for large and intricate programs, while the 8 KB of SRAM supports substantial data manipulation and storage during operation. Additionally, the Mega’s compatibility with 5V logic components simplifies integration with many existing Arduino-compatible sensors and modules. Its four hardware serial ports provide robust communication options, making it ideal for projects requiring multiple serial connections.

 

Disadvantages of Arduino Mega

Although the Arduino Mega has a lot of benefits, it also has nothing but advantages. It is not as capable of intricate encryption processes as 32-bit processor boards like the Arduino, with its 8-bit armature and 16 MHz clock frequency. Because of this, the Mega is less appropriate for tasks requiring intricate computations or fast data processing. In applications where space is restricted, the larger board size in comparison to other Arduino versions could be a limitation. Additionally, indeed though the Mega has several I/O possibilities, introductory operations that do not bear a lot of functionality might not be a good fit for it due to its advanced power consumption and kindly advanced cost when compared to simpler boards. Therefore, for simpler tasks, a less complex and more provident board might be a better choice.

 

Comparison of Arduino Due and Mega

• Processing Power: Due's 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor outperforms Mega's 8-bit ATmega2560 chip in terms of power and speed.
• Voltage Compatibility: The Due and Mega have different operating voltages(3.3 and 5V, independently), which may impact comity with some sensors and modules.
• Memory: The Due has more SRAM and flash memory but lacks EEPROM. The Mega has less SRAM and flash but includes EEPROM.
• I/O Pins: Both have a similar number of I/O pins, but the Due has more PWM outputs and additional DAC outputs.

 

 

Notice:

• Choose Arduino Due if you need a more powerful processor, more memory, and advanced features like DAC and native USB support. However, remember to consider the 3.3V logic level to avoid damaging the board.
• Choose Arduino Mega if you need more analog inputs, are working with 5V sensors and components, and need a tried-and-true platform with wide compatibility and community support.

 

Related Articles

Getting Started with Arduino Leonardo Microcontroller

Comparing FPGA vs Microcontroller: Optimal for Your Needs?

Differences Between FPGA vs Microcontroller