Adding Some STM32 Nucleo Boards to the Bench#

Today I ordered a couple of STM32 Nucleo boards from RS Components, specifically the NUCLEO-G071RB and the NUCLEO-G070RB.

I also ordered the X-NUCLEO-DRP1M1 expansion board for the G071RB, as USB-C Power Delivery is something I want to start experimenting with properly.

The boards were not particularly expensive. The NUCLEO-G071RB and NUCLEO-G070RB were around £14 and £15 respectively, while the X-NUCLEO-DRP1M1 expansion board was around £22.

For that sort of money, they feel like useful additions to the bench. They should help accelerate some STM32 development without needing to design a custom board every time I want to test an idea.

Why the NUCLEO-G071RB?#

The main reason I ordered the NUCLEO-G071RB is that the STM32G071RB microcontroller includes ST’s UCPD peripheral, which makes it a useful platform for experimenting with USB-C Power Delivery when paired with the right supporting hardware.

USB-C and USB Power Delivery are areas I want to explore further, especially as I am already thinking about future power boards, USB-C utility boards, and possible 48 V to lower-voltage conversion projects.

The STM32G071RB is based on an Arm Cortex-M0+ core running at up to 64 MHz. It provides 128 KB of Flash and 36 KB of RAM, along with a useful set of peripherals including GPIO, ADC, DAC, SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, timers, and USB-related functionality.

The Nucleo board also includes an onboard ST-LINK debugger/programmer, which is one of the main attractions of these development boards. It means I can program and debug the microcontroller without needing to connect a separate programmer.

For early experiments, that is exactly what I want. Less wiring, fewer distractions, and a known-good development platform.

The X-NUCLEO-DRP1M1 Expansion Board#

The X-NUCLEO-DRP1M1 expansion board is the part that makes this setup more interesting from a USB-C perspective.

It is intended for evaluating USB-C dual-role power behaviour, along with the protection circuitry required around the VBUS and CC lines. In practical terms, it gives me a ready-made way to start exploring USB-C Power Delivery without immediately having to design the analogue and protection side of the circuit myself.

That matters because USB-C Power Delivery is not just a case of putting a USB-C connector on a board and hoping for the best. There are configuration channels, cable detection, role negotiation, protection requirements, and power-path considerations.

Having a working ST evaluation setup should make it easier to understand the intended architecture before I start designing my own boards around it.

Why the NUCLEO-G070RB?#

I also ordered the NUCLEO-G070RB.

This is a more straightforward board and does not include the same USB-C Power Delivery focus as the G071 option, but it is still a useful STM32 development board.

The STM32G070RB is also based on an Arm Cortex-M0+ core running at up to 64 MHz. It provides 128 KB of Flash and 36 KB of RAM, along with a useful set of peripherals for general embedded development.

For many projects, that is plenty.

The value of this board is that it gives me another inexpensive STM32 platform to experiment with. It can be used for general firmware development, GPIO experiments, serial communication, timers, control logic, and other embedded tasks where I do not necessarily need the USB-C Power Delivery features of the G071.

It also includes onboard ST-LINK, which again makes it convenient for development and debugging.

Why Nucleo Boards Make Sense#

One thing I like about the Nucleo boards is that they sit somewhere between a bare microcontroller and a full application-specific development kit.

They are not as minimal as a raw chip on a custom PCB, but that is exactly the point. They provide power handling, clocking, reset, debug access, headers, and a known-good hardware platform.

For early firmware development, that is useful.

It means I can focus on the software, peripherals, and behaviour of the microcontroller before committing to a custom PCB. Once the design direction is clearer, I can then decide whether it makes sense to spin up my own board around the same microcontroller.

That fits quite neatly with how I am approaching the building block board work in general: prototype, test, learn, then refine.

Possible Use in the Digital Sequencer Project#

One possible use for the STM32G071RB is the Digital Sequencer project.

That project is still active in the background and is part of the reason I started developing the building block boards in the first place.

The Digital Sequencer concept needs a microcontroller with enough GPIO, memory, timers, communication peripherals, and general headroom to handle a small control language or bytecode-style execution model. It may also need to communicate over RS485, manage inputs and outputs, and possibly coordinate with other boards.

The STM32G071RB could be a good candidate for that.

Other candidates remain on the table. The ESP32-C3 is still a strong option if Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is required. The RP2040 and RP2350 are also interesting, especially where I want more processing headroom, flexible I/O, or a strong development ecosystem.

Where the ATtiny Parts Fit#

I still like the ATtiny series, especially parts such as the ATtiny1614, ATtiny1616, and ATtiny1617.

They are useful microcontrollers and I do not want to dismiss them.

However, for the Digital Sequencer project, I am starting to think they may be a little tight in terms of Flash, RAM, and available GPIO. That does not make them bad parts. It simply means they may be better suited to smaller jobs.

I can still see myself using them for glue logic, simple sensor-reading tasks, small co-processor roles, or compact embedded boards where the firmware is deliberately limited in scope.

For something like the Digital Sequencer, though, I would rather have a bit more breathing room.

Not an Immediate Project, But a Useful Step#

It may still be a while before I get around to using these boards properly.

That is fine.

The important thing is that they will now be on the shelf and ready when I need them. Sometimes having the right development board available makes the difference between quickly testing an idea and putting it off because the setup cost is too high.

The NUCLEO-G071RB gives me a route into STM32-based USB-C Power Delivery experiments.

The NUCLEO-G070RB gives me a simpler STM32 board for general embedded development.

The X-NUCLEO-DRP1M1 gives me a way to explore the USB-C Power Delivery side without immediately designing all of the supporting circuitry myself.

Together, they should be useful additions to the bench.

Closing Thoughts#

This is not a dramatic project update, but it is part of the wider process.

I am building up the tools, boards, and reference platforms that let me move faster when developing future embedded projects.

The recent RS485 testing has pushed me toward separating communication and power-distribution functions into more focused boards. That in turn has made me more interested in proper USB-C Power Delivery, 48 V conversion, and the control hardware that might sit around those systems.

The Nucleo boards should help with that.

They are inexpensive, practical, and flexible enough to support a few different directions. Whether they end up being used for USB-C experiments, Digital Sequencer development, or general STM32 learning, they feel like worthwhile boards to have available.

This is the sort of reference platform that should let me test ideas first, before committing them to one of my own building block boards.

I run Protoworks (NI) in Northern Ireland, helping small businesses design prototypes and build custom software. If you have a hardware or software idea you’d like to sketch out, feel free to get in touch.