Arduino Every vs. Arduino 33: Arduino Boards Comparison

Rather than simply iterating the microcontroller — as we saw between rev 0 and rev 3 — this revision appears to be a total revamp of these boards' capabilities, including adding sensors, wireless communication capabilities, and in the case of the most basic 'Nano Every,' a significantly reduced price point. If those updates sound interesting, read on to see which of these boards could be right for you.

Arduino Nano Specs and Functions

Arduino Nano 'Classic'

Of course, the Classic isn't new, but we've included it for the sake of comparison. The Nano has powered countless projects over its decade on the market, and it's still available if you need to pop it in place.

Here are a few of the Classic's specs:

Microcontroller: ATmega328P
Operating voltage: 5V
Flash: 32 KB (2 KB used by bootloader)
SRAM: 2 KB
EEPROM: 1 KB
Clock: 16MHz
Analog IN: 8
Digital I/O: 22
PWM OUT: 6
Size: 18 x 45mm
Sensors: None
Wireless: None

Arduino Nano Every

Presumably designed as a replacement for the venerable Nano Classic (which we'll call NC for brevity), the Every features expanded specs and a price tag under $10. Be sure to note the Every's smaller EEPROM capacity, though the expanded Flash and SRAM would be a desirable tradeoff in most applications.

The Every is also missing a PWM output when compared to the NC, but it adds to the total number of spec'd digital I/O pins by one. The pin functions are also stated differently between the new generation and the NC, so you'll want to examine the pinout functions closely if you're approaching the maximum I/O number. You can use the analog reference (AREF) pin as an I/O pin in the new boards, which appears to account for the extra I/O pin. Lastly, pins A6 and A7 are exclusively analog in the case of the NC, but the new boards can be use them as digital I/O, further expanding its capabilities.

Let's check out the Arduino Every specs:

Microcontroller: ATMega4809
Operating voltage: 5V
Flash: 48KB
SRAM: 6KB
EEPROM: 256byte
Clock: 20MHz
ADC IN: 8
Digital I/O: 23
PWM OUT: 5
Size: 18 x 45mm
Sensors: None
Wireless: None

Arduino Nano 33 IoT

Unlike the NC and Every, the Nano 33 IoT does away with the ATMega line of microcontrollers. Instead, it implements a SAMD21G18A as the brains of the device. Both microcontrollers, however, are manufactured under the Microchip brand. This new design features a massive increase in Flash, SRAM, and clock speed. However, the device's specs do not list EEPROM, which is used for non-volatile storage. Digging a little further into the SAM D21 datasheet reveals that while EEPROM isn't technically available, users can obtain this functionality via reprogrammable Flash memory EEPROM emulation.

The big story with the Nano 33 IoT, however, isn't its considerable performance upgrades, but the fact that it is capable of wireless communication through 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. As its name suggests, the Nano 33 IoT would facilitate a wide range of IoT applications. Another important consideration here is that unlike previous Nanos, the Nano 33 IoT operates at 3.3V. This voltage requirement means the device won't normally work as a drop-in replacement for most previous Nano projects. Consider how you plan to use the Nano 33 IoT before potentially releasing its "magic smoke".

Here are the device's specs:

Microcontroller: SAMD21G18A
Operating voltage: 3.3V
Flash: 256KB
SRAM: 32KB
EEPROM: Emulated
Clock: Up to 48MHz
ADC IN: 8
Digital I/O: 23
PWM OUT: 5
Size: 18 x 45mm
Sensors: None
Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n & BT 4.2

Arduino Nano 33 BLE

In another "shocking" move by Arduino, the Nano 33 BLE leaves the Microchip fold altogether, instead implementing an nRF52840 microcontroller by Nordic Semiconductor. This change means a full megabyte of Flash memory, and 256KB of RAM, far exceeding each board we've listed.

Like the IoT model, however, the story here isn't increased performance. Instead, the Nano 33 BLE shines when it comes to communication and sensing ability. The device implements Bluetooth 5.0 for advanced communication options, as well as a 9-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU).

Both the nRF52840 and LSM9D1 accelerometer include temperature sensing capabilities, though if or how the device will implement these capabilities for users isn't immediately clear. There's no EEPROM listed, but non-volatile storage should be available on this module and the BLE Sense via a similar method to the Nano 33 IoT. This board also runs at 3.3V, which you'll need to account for in your designs.

Here are the Nano 33 BLE's specs:

Microcontroller: nRF52840
Operating voltage: 3.3V
Flash: 1MB
RAM: 256KB
EEPROM: Not listed
Clock: 64MHz
ADC IN: 8
Digital I/O: 23
PWM OUT: 5
Size: 18 x 45mm
Sensors: 9-axis IMU, potentially temperature sensor
Wireless: BT 5.0

Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense

The Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense packs the same functionality of the Nano 33 BLE, with the same 3.3V operational voltage level. The difference here is that instead of "just" a 9-axis IMU, it also packs temperature (explicitly noted), pressure, humidity, light, and sound sensors. The Nano 33 BLE Sense can even detect gestures. Understandably, the BLE Sense is most expensive board in the new Nano lineup, though if you could take advantage of a few of its modules, the extra capabilities could be well worth it.

Here are the Nano 33 BLE Sense's specs:

Microcontroller: nRF52840
Operating voltage: 3.3V
Flash: 1MB
RAM: 256KB
EEPROM: Not listed
Clock: 64MHz
ADC IN: 8
Digital I/O: 23
PWM OUT: 5
Size: 18 x 45mm
Sensors: 9-axis IMU, temperature, pressure, humidity, light, color, gesture sensors, microphone
Wireless: BT 5.0

A Happily Expanded Family

Over time, Arduino and the greater community will likely go on to develop easy-to-use libraries. I haven't explored existing libraries, but software developments should make it possible to go wireless and use the BLE and BLE Sense's built-in sensors. How this ecosystem develops remains to be seen, but one could certainly foresee a future where Nano projects are smaller and easier, with much less wiring necessary.

Of course, we haven't discussed ordering these boards with or without headers or the through-hole/castellation connection design. Also, each new board uses Micro-B USB connectors instead of the previous board's (now uncommon) Mini-B connectors. While not a game-changer, this upgrade is a nice touch that will save 'finding' time when users need to reprogram. Given the physical mounting flexibility, new abilities, and the expected ongoing development, this writer's humble opinion is that these boards look like a big win. Find the best Arduino products for any project on Arrow.com.