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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Is MIPS open source now? Not on the evidence of its current strategy. In January 2024, MIPS said it was helping customers migrate software to open standards such as RISC-V. That is a move toward the RISC-V architecture, not proof that the legacy MIPS instruction set became open source. RISC-V is an open instruction-set architecture (ISA), but individual processor implementations built around it do not have to be open source.
What MIPS announced—and what it did not
On January 9, 2024, MIPS announced a strategic focus on architecture choice and said: “We are helping customers migrate their software code base with open source standards such as the RISC-V architecture.” The statement describes helping customers move software toward RISC-V. It does not say that the legacy MIPS ISA has been opened or that existing MIPS designs have become open source. MIPS’s strategy announcement should therefore be read as a company direction, not an announcement that MIPS and RISC-V are the same architecture.
Is RISC-V open source?
RISC-V is an open ISA standard: its specification can be used to design processors. That openness applies to the architecture standard, not automatically to every processor implementing it. A company can build a proprietary processor using RISC-V and keep its particular implementation closed.
RISC-V International makes this distinction explicitly: “using RISC-V does not require that processors that adopt its instruction set must be open sourced.” In other words, the ISA gives hardware and software projects a shared specification to target; it does not dictate that every product’s design files or implementation must be public. See the RISC-V International FAQ for the organization’s explanation.
#1 Best Overall
- Flexible MCU Board: Incorporate the ESP32-C3 32-bit RISC-V chip, operating up to 160 MHz, mounted multiple development ports,
- Developer Friendly: Compatible with Arduino IDE, MicroPython, CircuitPython, PlatformIO, ESP IDF, Zephyr, Matter, ESPNow, Meshtastic, WLED, ESPHome, Home Assistant, Ubidots
- Outstanding RF performance: Complete Wi-Fi functions and Bluetooth Low Energy, while supporting communication over 100m with anFL antenna
- Elaborate Power Design: 4 working modes as low as 44 μA in deep sleep mode, while supporting lithium battery charge management
- Thumb-sized Design: 21 x 17.5mm, Seeed Studio XIAO series classic form factor
How MIPS, RISC-V and Arm differ
These names do not all refer to the same kind of thing. RISC-V is an ISA standard. MIPS is a company and the name associated with a legacy ISA. Arm is a company and architecture ecosystem. Comparing them as if each were a single open-source processor obscures differences in specification governance, licensing, implementation rights and products.
| Term | What it refers to | What “open” establishes |
|---|---|---|
| RISC-V | An open ISA standard maintained by RISC-V International. | The ISA is free and open to use; this does not require a particular processor implementation to be open source. |
| MIPS | A company and the name associated with a legacy ISA. | MIPS’s 2024 statement describes helping customers migrate toward open standards such as RISC-V; it does not establish that the legacy MIPS ISA became open source. |
| Arm | A company and architecture ecosystem. | The sources cited here do not establish a directly comparable licensing or openness claim for Arm, so no broader ranking follows from this comparison. |
RISC-V’s specification uses a base architecture with standard extensions. The specification contrasts this approach with the strict-superset policies used by older architectures, including MIPS, when extending address space. That is a difference in how the architecture specification is structured—not evidence by itself of better performance, lower cost, wider adoption or a particular royalty outcome. The detail is in the RISC-V unprivileged ISA introduction.
Rank #2
- CH32V003 Development Minimum System Board for Nano RISC-V CH32V003F4U6 Chip TYPE-C USB 22Pin
- on-board 24MHz Crystal oscillator
- Power by TYPE-C USB
What MIPS offers now
MIPS’s current processor IP portfolio lists ARC-V RISC-V-based processors alongside 32- and 64-bit CPU IP, DSP IP, NPU IP, subsystems and development tools. This is processor intellectual property and ecosystem material, not evidence that MIPS has released a consumer processor for retail purchase. The portfolio is described on the MIPS product page.
In August 2026, MIPS announced Premier Membership in RISC-V International and a MIPS CTO appointment to its board. Those announcements show continued involvement in the RISC-V organization; they do not change the distinction between an open ISA and the openness of any specific implementation. See MIPS’s membership announcement.
Rank #3
- The ESP32-C3 SUPERMINI is positioned as a high-performance, low-power, cost-effective IoT mini development board, suitable for low-power IoT applications and wireless wearable applications
- It is equipped with a rich set of interfaces, including 11 digital I/Os that can be used as PWM pins and 4 analog I/Os that can be used as ADC pins.
- It supports four serial interfaces, including UART, I2C, and SPI.
- The ESP32-C3 features a 32-bit RISC-V CPU, including an FPU (Floating Point Unit) capable of 32-bit single-precision
- Package: 2PCS ESP32-C3 MINI Development Board ESP32 SuperMini ESP32 C3 WiFi Module
Who owns MIPS now?
GlobalFoundries completed its acquisition of MIPS in November 2025. GF said MIPS would continue as a standalone business within GF and maintain its licensing model. That company-ownership update is separate from RISC-V’s status as an open ISA standard. GF’s announcement is available at GlobalFoundries.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does “second open-source alternative to Arm” hold up?
The “second” ranking in the headline formulation is not established by the sources cited here: they do not identify the original source or criteria behind it. More importantly, describing MIPS as an open-source alternative can mislead if it implies that the legacy MIPS ISA became open. The documented point is narrower: MIPS has been guiding customers toward RISC-V, offers RISC-V-based processor IP, and has continued participating in RISC-V International. Whether a particular RISC-V design is open source depends on that implementation, not just on its use of the standard.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Ample PSRAM Storage – The development board offers 8MB PSRAM, providing substantial extra memory for handling more complex tasks, large data buffers, and advanced processing.
- Enhanced Multi-Tasking Capability – With the additional 8MB PSRAM, the ESP32-C5-WIFI6-KIT can efficiently manage multiple protocol stacks simultaneously, ensuring smooth operation in multi-tasking IoT environments.
- Support for Medium-Load Applications – The 8MB PSRAM allows the ESP32-C5 to handle medium-load applications more effectively, making it ideal for scenarios requiring real-time data processing or continuous communication.
- Seamless Performance – The increased memory improves the overall performance and responsiveness of the device, particularly when running applications with larger memory footprints or more demanding computations.
- Future-Proof for Complex Projects – With 8MB of PSRAM, developers are better equipped to build scalable, high-performance solutions that support both current and future IoT use cases, offering flexibility for future-proofing designs.
Rank #4
- ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 microcontroller development board adopts ESP32-C6-WROOM-1-N8 module, which is equipped with RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor, up to 160MHz main frequency, built-in 8MB Flash
- Integrates WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5 and and IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee 3.0 and Thread) wireless communication, with superior RF performance
- Integrates rich peripherals including SPI, UART, I2C, I2S, LED PWM, SDIO and other interfaces, compatible with the pinout of ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1-N8 development board, more convenient to use and expand a variety of peripheral modules
- Onboard CH343 and CH334 USB HUB chips, supports USB and UART development at the same time via a USB-C port
- Comes with online examples and tutorials for ESP-IDF development environment
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