MCU comparison: Adafruit HUZZAH32 vs. Particle Argon
Published Nov 13, 2019
Intro
Particl Photon
Pros
- Supports dual mode Bluetooth (classic and BLE).
- Has 2 Digital-to-Analog channels.
Cons
- No Bluetooth connectivity.
- l
Particle Argon
Pros
- Bluetooth V5.0 (longer range, higher bandwidth).
- Can be used as gateway for mesh networks with Particle Mesh.
- Uses Particle's IoT development platform.
Cons
- Less PWM & analog input pins.
- No Digital-to-Analog channels.
- Higher price tag.
Summation
HUZZAH32 is much cheaper and useful for simple projects. Good enough for applications with no/little connection to the internet. Will be useful for projects that require Bluetooth Classic mode. Several GPIO peripherals
Argon good for projects involving multiple Particle devices sharing a mesh network over a long range like a network of sensors within a house. Particle's platform simplifies IoT development. All in all, the Argon good solution for your IoT project if you can endure the higher price tag.
| General | ||
| Name | Particle Argon | Particle Photon |
| Manufacturer | Particle | Particle |
| Processor | ||
| Microcontroller IC | Nordic nRF52840, 32-bit | STM32F205RGY6 ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit |
| Frequency | 64MHz | 120MHz |
| Memory | ||
| Flash | 1MB + 4MB SPI flash | 1MB |
| EEPROM | - | 16KB (bank 1) + 64KB (bank 2) |
| RAM | 256KB | 128KB |
| Peripherals | ||
| Digital I/O | 20 x pins | 18 x pins |
| PWM | 8 x pins | 7 x independent pins + 2 x duplicated pins |
| ADC | 6 x pins | 8 x pins |
| DAC | - | 2 x pins |
| Communication | ||
| UART | 1 x interface | 1 x interface |
| SPI | 1 x interface | 2 x interfaces |
| I2C | 2 x interfaces | 1 x interface |
| I2S | - | 1 x interface |
| CAN | - | 1 x interface |
| Wireless | ||
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | - |
| Ports | ||
| USB | Micro-USB | Micro-USB |
| Ethernet | - | - |
| Power | ||
| DC Current | 14mA (per I/O pin) | 25mA (per I/O pin) |
| Operating Voltage | 3.3V | 3.3V |
| Input Voltage | 5V DC (Micro-USB), 3.7V DC (JST port), 3.6~4.2V DC (Li+ pin) | 5V DC (Micro-USB), 3.6~5.5V DC (Vin pin) |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | ||
| Gyroscope | ||
| Hall Effect | ||
| Touch | ||
| Design | ||
| Dimensions | 50.80mm x 20.32mm | 36.58mm x 20.32mm |
| Weight | 10g | 5g |
| Other | ||
| Cellular | ||
| GPS | ||
| Additional Notes | ||
