Arduino Pro Mini 328 – 5V/16MHz Board COM55

Description

The Arduino Pro Mini 328 is the ultimate solution for advanced users who need to shrink their projects. While the Arduino Uno is great for prototyping, it is often too bulky and expensive to leave inside a finished product. This board solves this by stripping away everything that isn’t strictly necessary for operation—specifically the USB connector and the USB-to-serial interface chip. The result is a board that is less than 2 inches long but retains the full power of the ATmega328P microcontroller.

There are two version of the Pro Mini. One runs at 3.3V and 8 MHz, the other at 5V and 16 MHz.

Technical Specifications

Despite its tiny footprint, the Arduino Pro Mini 328 (5V version) offers robust specifications for your electronics projects:

• Processor: It uses the same ATmega328P chip found in the Uno, running at 16 MHz.
• Voltage: This version operates at 5V, making it compatible with the vast majority of standard sensors and displays available in Rwanda.
• Input/Output: You get 14 digital I/O pins (6 of which provide PWM output).
• Extra Analog: Unlike the Uno, the Arduino Pro Mini 328 breaks out two extra analog pins (A6 and A7), giving you a total of 8 analog inputs for reading more sensors.

Programming the Arduino Pro Mini 328

It is important to understand that the Arduino Pro Mini 328 requires an external tool to upload code. Because it lacks a USB port, you must use a USB-to-Serial converter (also known as an FTDI Basic Breakout or CP2102 module) to connect it to your computer. This design choice dramatically reduces the board’s cost and physical size, making it perfect for mass production or one-off “deploy and forget” projects.

Connections

• FTDI: Pro Mini
• GND: BLK
• CTS: GND
• VCC: VCC
• TX: RX
• RX: TX
• DTR: GRN

Use your Arduino Pro Mini on the Arduino Desktop IDE

If you want to program your Arduino Pro Mini while offline you need to install the Arduino Desktop IDE.

Required Components

• FTDI Adapter Converter FT232RL
• Arduino Pro Mini
• Jumper wires

The Pro Min board comes without built-in USB circuitry, so an off-board USB-to-TTL serial converter must be used to upload sketches. If using the FTDI cable on Windows, you’ll need to make one configuration change to enable the auto-reset. With the board connected, open the Device Manager (in Control Panels > System > Hardware), and find the USB Serial Port under Ports. Right-click and select properties, then go to Port Settings > Advanced and check Set RTS on Close under Miscellaneous Options.

Open your first sketch

Open the LED blink example sketch: File > Examples >01.Basics > Blink.

Select your board type (Arduino Pro or Pro Mini) and port

Upload and Run your first Sketch

To upload the sketch to the Arduino Pro Mini, you need to press the upload button in the Arduino environment.

Click the Upload button in the upper left to load and run the sketch on your board:

Wait a few seconds – you should see the RX and TX LEDs on the board flashing. If the upload is successful, the message “Done uploading.” will appear in the status bar.

Ideal Applications

The Arduino Pro Mini 328 is a favorite among drone builders, RC enthusiasts, and artists. Its light weight makes it perfect for flying objects, while its small profile allows it to fit inside tight enclosures, PVC pipes, or behind small displays. Once you have finalized your code on a larger board like the Uno, you can simply transfer the project to the Arduino Pro Mini 328 for a permanent, professional finish.

Get Yours at Faranux Electronics

If you are ready to miniaturize your electronics, the Arduino Pro Mini 328 is the board for you. Stock up on these affordable controllers at Faranux Electronics and keep your projects compact and efficient.

Resources

• Helpful Docs

Package includes:
1×Arduino Pro Mini 328 - 5V/16MHz