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BBC micro:bit v1 specs & datasheets

Microcontroller board · Micro:bit Educational Foundation · Released March 2016

The pocket-sized board given to a million UK schoolchildren in 2016: an nRF51822 with Bluetooth LE, 25 LEDs, two buttons and motion sensors.

Chip / SoC
Nordic nRF51822
CPU
Arm Cortex-M0
Clock
16 MHz
RAM
16 KB
Flash
256 KB
Wireless
Bluetooth LE; 2.4 GHz micro:bit radio
Released
March 2016
Status
Retired

Draft entry: these specs were compiled from the linked sources and are waiting for a second check. Spotted a mistake? Use the form at the end of the page.

Specifications

9 specs
Chip / SoC
Nordic nRF51822[1]
CPU
Arm Cortex-M0[1]
Clock
16 MHz[1]
RAM
16 KB[1]
Flash
256 KB[1]
Input voltage
3 V from 2 × AAA batteries or USB[1]
Wireless
Bluetooth LE; 2.4 GHz micro:bit radio[1]
USB
Micro-USB via an NXP KL26Z interface chip[1]
Upload limits
256 KB flash, 16 KB RAM[4]

Upload limits are what a sketch or firmware may use after the bootloader, as the build tools enforce them, not the chip’s full memory.

Can I still use it?

3 platforms
Arduino framework
Supported[4]Arduino framework available through PlatformIO.
MicroPython
Supported[6]
Zephyr RTOS
Supported[5]

As published by each project, checked weekly. A platform not listed has no published information here, which is not the same as no support.

Datasheets and documents

2 documents

Gotchas

1 known issues
  • 16 KB of RAM. MicroPython programs run out of memory quickly on the v1; larger programs need the v2.[1]

What changed

From the specs

Next came the BBC micro:bit v2

SpecBBC micro:bit v1BBC micro:bit v2
Chip / SoCNordic nRF51822Nordic nRF52833
CPUArm Cortex-M0Arm Cortex-M4F
Clock16 MHz64 MHz
RAM16 KB128 KB
Flash256 KB512 KB
Input voltage3 V from 2 × AAA batteries or USB—
WirelessBluetooth LE; 2.4 GHz micro:bit radioBluetooth LE 5; 2.4 GHz micro:bit radio
USBMicro-USB via an NXP KL26Z interface chipMicro-USB via an interface chip

History and use today

Editorial

History

Developed by the BBC with partners and given to UK Year 7 pupils in 2016, the micro:bit was designed so a first program could light its LED grid within minutes.[3]

Still useful for

Still runs MakeCode programs, but new classroom kits ship the v2 with sound and a faster chip.

Sources

6 sources
  1. micro:bit v1.5 hardware, Micro:bit Educational Foundation
  2. micro:bit hardware, Micro:bit Educational Foundation
  3. Micro Bit, Wikipedia
  4. PlatformIO board definition (bbcmicrobit) at 5219630276
  5. Zephyr board definition (bbc_microbit) at 3c61a12bdd
  6. MicroPython board definition (MICROBIT) at 19e685eca9

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Reviewed by hand

Every report is read by a person and checked against a source before anything changes. Please link one if you have it.

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