The WCH CH32V003 and the Puya PY32F002A are both ultracheap 32bit microcontrollers. Coming in at around 10 cents each, these are perhaps the cheapest flashbased microcontrollers a consumer can buy. But are they worth it? In a previous video I explored the Puya PY32 series in detail, with their Cortex M0+ core. The hype got to me though: is the RISCV based CH32V003 better?

In this video I explore the CH32V003 in detail, comparing it to the PY32F002A. I’ll first discuss the differences between RISCV and ARM Cortex devices in general, giving my thoughts on where both stand. I’ll then walk through use cases where these 10 cent parts make sense to use before discussing the actual cost and availability of the chips. Following this, I highlight the features of each chip to see if there is a clear winner on paper. Next I get out a CH32V003 development board and check it out in the real world by replicating the two examples I previously did for the PY32. To conclude, I give the final verdict: is the CH32V003 the better choice for your 10 cent microcontroller needs, or are you better off sticking with the tried and true Cortex M0+ core in the PY32?

Here is the previous video where I talk about the PY32:
   • The Cheapest Microcontroller? Getting...  

Check out these previous videos where I’m putting the PY32 to use!

Programming the PY32 for the tile backsplash project:    • Programming the Smart Backsplash  Wr...  
Introduction to the smart LED tile backsplash project:    • LEDs, Microcontrollers, and Microphon...  

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:19 RISCV vs. ARM Cortex M
06:55 When should you use these
10:07 Cost and availability
12:43 Feature comparison
15:11 Getting started with the CH32
18:32 LED blink example
22:13 Sending ADC value over serial example
24:05 So which is better?

Link to the GitHub repository for the CH32V003:
https://github.com/openwch/ch32v003/t...

Links to some of the items I’ve used in this video:
CH32V003, CH32V203, LinkE Package (the one I purchased): https://amzn.to/45e1rRN
CH32V003, CH32V203, LinkE Package (slower delivery): https://amzn.to/4ehvcVK
Quality Breadboards: https://amzn.to/45gL9HE
Jumper Wires: https://amzn.to/3VuKcbv
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Links to the chips on LCSC:
CH32: https://www.lcsc.com/search?q=ch32v003
PY32: https://www.lcsc.com/search?q=py32f002