🚢 Minor shipping delays possible due to BFCM excitement, please bear with us 🐻
🚢 Minor shipping delays possible due to BFCM excitement, please bear with us 🐻

Adafruit MacroPad RP2040 Starter Kit - 3x4 Keys + Encoder + OLED - ADABOX019 Essentials

by Adafruit

Strap yourself in, we're launching in T-minus 10 seconds...Destination? A new Class M planet called MACROPAD!

M here stands for Microcontroller because this 3x4 keyboard controller features the newest technology from the Raspberry Pi sector: say hello to the RP2040. It's a speedy little microcontroller with lots of GPIO pins and 64 times more RAM than the Apollo Guidance Computer. Adafruit added 8 MB of flash memory for plenty of storage.

This is the full MacroPad starter kit with included keys, key caps and enclosure! Many folks in the mechanical keyboard community like to customize the keys and keycaps of their keebs - if you want to customize it, you may want to get the individual pieces.

Starter Pack Includes:

Get ready to upgrade your desk's mission control station with a CircuitPython or Arduino powered Macropad - complete with 12 buttons, OLED display, speaker and rotary encoder. Customize it for your spacecraft to help guide you through the great reaches of the unknown. (Or just have it type out your favorite emojis.)

Each of the 12 sockets can accept a Cherry MX-compatible key switch. No soldering required, just snap the keys in!

This space-ship is also fitted with a 128x64 monochrome OLED for a crisp heads-up display that can be used in Arduino or CircuitPython to display keymaps, stats, computer performance, etc. There's also a rotary encoder with push-button soldered in. Twist and turn it or push to change volume or monitor brightness or scroll: whatever you like! A tiny speaker can give audio feedback or play fun bleepy tunes.

Want to add more hardware? No worries - a STEMMA QT port on the side lets you connect any I2C add-on peripherals from the massive STEMMA QT / Qwiic family of plug-in boards.

Dress up your Adafruit Macropad with PaintYourDragon's fabulous decorative silkscreen enclosure and hardware kit. You get the two custom PCBs that are cut to act as a protective bottom plate and a mechanically-stabilizing keyboard plate.

Use the included M3 screws to attach the bottom plate - it's symmetric so you can decide which side you'd like to have visible. Stick the rubber feet on the bottom to protect your desk from scratches. Fit the 12 keys you'd like to install into the keyplate, they'll snap in solidly and let you plug in all the keys at once. Finally, fit the D-shaft knob onto the encoder.

Lookin' good and ready to keeb!

Please note, the RP2040 chip does not currently have QMK support - this macropad is designed to be programmed in Arduino or CircuitPython! If QMK eventually does add RP2040 as a supported chipset (no ETA and no plans that we know of), we'll update this page.

TL;DR?

  • Raspberry Pi RP2040 Chip + 8MB Flash memory - Dual core Cortex M0+ at ~130MHz with 264KB or RAM. Runs CircuitPython, Arduino or MicroPython with ease and lots of space for development code and files
  • USB C Connector for Power/Data - of course this can act as an HID device but also can be MIDI, UART, etc.
  • 3x4 Mechanical key switch sockets - accepts any Cherry MX-compatible switches. Individually tied to GPIO pins (not matrix wired)
  • One NeoPixel RGB LED per switch, on north side
  • Rotary encoder, 20 detents per rotation, with push-switch on GPIO pin. Push switch is also used for entering bootloader mode when held down on power-up or reset.
  • 128x64 SH1106 Monochrome OLED display - On high speed hardware SPI port for quick updates
  • 8mm Speaker/Buzzer - With Class D amplifier and RC filter, can be used to make simple beeps and sounds effects.
  • STEMMA QT Connector - Allows adding any I2C sensors/displays/devices with plug-and-play cables.
  • Reset button - On the side, for quick restarting of code
  • Four M3 mounting bosses - Make custom enclosures easily