Arduino Leonardo with Headers [A000057] – ATmega32U4 Microcontroller, 16MHz, 20 Digital I/O Pins, 7 PWM, USB HID Support, Built-in USB Communication, Compatible with Arduino IDE for Custom Projects

Probably you want to try playing around with a microcontroller if you are reading this, and you don't know whether to buy this board, the Arduino Uno, or maybe a Raspberry Pi. Possibly you don't know what it is at all. If you are in the last category, all of these can be an embedded computer, or the works of something bigger. For around 20 quid and a LOT of playing around you can build all sorts of interesting things and some quite pointless ones as well.If you would like to try piddling around with these tiny computers here's some suggestions in a nutshell, based in the fact we have around a dozen of these things at home.If it's your first Arduino, the Uno is a better one to start to experiment with. It's not quite as powerful as this one and it's built differently from the Leonardo here. You can do lots of things with it - and importantly for the absolute beginner, just about everything you can find to build around/run on an Arduino will work on a Uno and the illustrations will match.If you want to try something slightly different and possibly a bit cheaper, then try the Leonardo. Mostly it works the same, but with one important difference - unlike the Uno, the Leonardo has the USB interface on the same chip as the processor which means the host computer can 'see' the Arduino (My Mac says it's a keyboard) this opens new possibilities.Lastly, the Raspberry Pi is a more powerful computer, that can run an OS like Linux, can be hooked up to monitor, has a network connection - none of which you can do easily - or at all - with an out of the box Arduino.Whichever one you get, you'll need to download driver software from Arduino, install it and then start playing. The first simple program you do (Called a 'sketch') will probably flash a LED or two. Almost certainly you want to get a few LEDs, a breadboard and some other bits and bobs like switches and wires to give your controller something to do.It's not difficult to get a result, and the programming language is easy to understand, although capable of surprising results. I've had students who have given up on a Raspberry Pi, but taken to this like a fish to water. Perhaps it feels a little less arcane - maybe this is a better starting point and they will build back up to a Pi later.The Leonardo is a smart, well made interesting board to work with. The one I brought came with a USB lead, useful since it wasn't the standard USB lead, and the supplier delivered in 48 hours. It's fun and interesting bit of kit and I shall probably own another before the year is out.

Dude, Genu1ne user ReVIewz - Perfect for intended use if that is storing your passwords on imbedded flash memory and hatting with an NFC shield to make it so you can login to your PC by waving your hand over your desk (disclaimer - must have over £100 NFC implant injected into your hand for PoC to work... or an NFC ring)

Most Arduino e.g. the UNO, make do with a ceramic resonator.The crystal you see on a UNO is for the serial interface.The Leonardo has only one processor. Timing for serial and itself is "spot on" and from the only crystal on the board. The difference in accuracy is 20 sec month vs 5 hours.If your project needs accurate timing e.g. better than 16MHz +/- 0.5% then you really need a version with a crystal. If your project needs a Shield, a crystal, and a 5V operation then this is the only option.Code compatibility is solved if you are writing your own code and use the recommended constants e.g. A0 and not 0 for an analog port. IF you need extra I/O or timers then this has more of these.The official price is also less than an Arduino so it's a hidden gem IMHO.

It arrived on time, and is a genuine Arduino product. I'm using it to make a control panel for a flight sim on my pc.

If this is your first Arduino, don't buy the Leonardo. There is a vast amount of free software for the Arduino on the Internet, but almost all of it is for the Arduino Uno. The Leonardo works very well and has some distinct advantages, but its I/O layout is very different from Uno, and any program that does clever stuff with the I/O simply won't work. If you know what you are doing and you can read the data sheet for the AtMega32u4 then you should have no problems with this excellent product.

Used as part of a 3D build to make an autopilot module for flight sim 2020

Nice fast delivery, these are great little boards, add a bread board and your away prototyping in no time...

Control a PC or Mac with one of these, replace your keyboard/mouse and watch all sorts of things happen.The smaller USB allows for standard cables to be used.