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Yes—a Raspberry Pi Pico can run a ZX Spectrum emulator. The fruit-bat project documents 48K and 128K Spectrum builds for RP2040 and RP2350 boards, with display options including DVI/HDMI, VGA, and supported LCDs. It also supports several keyboard and joystick paths, tape files, snapshots, and audio. The author cautions that it is a fun project, not a highly accurate emulation, so treat the listed features as project documentation rather than independently verified compatibility results.
What the Pico ZX Spectrum emulator supports
The fruit-bat project targets the ZX Spectrum 48K and 128K and lists builds for Raspberry Pi Pico-family RP2040 and RP2350 platforms. Its feature list spans display, controls, storage, and audio; the exact combination depends on the board-specific build.
| Area | Documented options |
|---|---|
| Display | DVI/HDMI using PicoDVI; VGA in several color encodings; or 320×240 LCDs based on ST7789 or ILI9341. |
| Keyboard and controls | USB keyboard and joysticks, PS/2 keyboard, or matrix keyboard; Kempston and Sinclair joystick emulation; Kempston mouse emulation. |
| Programs and saves | .z80 snapshot loading and twelve quick-save slots. |
| Tape | .tap and .tzx tape-file reading, plus tape audio input. |
| Sound | Output options for the Spectrum buzzer and AY-3-8912. |
These capabilities are listed in the project’s README; they are not a guarantee that every feature works with every board, display, or peripheral combination. Check the current target notes and instructions for the specific build you plan to use.
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Start by selecting a documented RP2040 or RP2350 target, then choose its matching display and input arrangement. HDMI/DVI, VGA, and LCD are alternative build paths, not universal outputs available on every Pico configuration. For an LCD build, the README names ST7789 and ILI9341 panels at 320×240. Follow the repository’s wiring instructions for the chosen target rather than assuming that one wiring scheme or UF2 image fits all setups.
#1 Best Overall
- The Raspberry Pi Pico is a beginner-friendly microcontroller board that uses MicroPython to give you a taste of the Internet of Things and microcontrollers. The RP2040 is a well-designed microprocessor that can be utilized in almost any Internet of Things project. It has enough power to complete the task quickly.
- 【Raspberry Pi RP2040 Microcontroller】Raspberry Pi Pico features Dual-core ARM Cortex M0+ processor, flexible clock running up to 133 MHz. With 264KB of SRAM, and 2MB of on-board Flash memory.Supports up to 16 MB of off chip flash memory via a dedicated QSPI bus
- 【Multiple Software Support】Pico has rich and complete software support, it comes with a complete Rasberry Pi official C/C++ SDK, Micropython SDK.The programming and burning of Pico need to be carried out on the computer. Supported operating systems and computers include:Raspberry Pie with Raspberry Pi OS,Other platforms equipped with Debian based Linux system Computer with MacOS, Computers with Windows, etc.
- 【Rich Hardware Interface】Raspberry Pi Pico has 30 GPIO pins, 4 pins for analog signal input and 26 × multi-function GPIO pins, 2 × SPI, 2 × I2C, 2 × UART, 3 × 12-bit ADC, 16 × controllable PWM channels.USB 1.1 supported by host and device, The installation mode can be flexibly selected by users to facilitate welding with other development boards.
- 【Build Project in Tiny Size】Only 2.1cm*5.1cm ( as small as your thumb). Pico has been designed to use either soldered 0.1" pin-headers or can be used as a surface-mountable 'module'.
The README includes standard Pico and Pico 2 examples as well as other boards. It explicitly marks at least one RP2350 board combination “Untested,” so verify the status of your exact board/platform target before relying on it. Dependencies and target details can change; use the repository’s current instructions.
Build and install the software
The documented route is to build with the Pico SDK and companion repositories, configure CMake for the selected board and platform, compile the appropriate target, and copy its UF2 file to the board in USB mass-storage boot mode. The project lists dependencies including Pico SDK-related libraries, PicoDVI, display and menu utilities, and Z80/Zeta emulator components.
Rank #2
- Raspberry Pi Pico: A tiny, fast, and versatile board built using dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ processor (Comes with pinout card and stickers)
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
- Easy to Use: Just connect the board to your computer (installed IDE) with the USB cable to program it
- Get Support: Our technical support team is always ready to answer your questions
- Pick the target: Choose a documented RP2040 or RP2350 board/platform combination and check whether it is tested.
- Match the peripherals: Select the target for your intended DVI/HDMI, VGA, or LCD display and for your keyboard and joystick setup.
- Prepare the build environment: Follow the repository’s current setup instructions for the Pico SDK and its companion dependencies.
- Configure and compile: Use the board- and platform-specific CMake instructions and build the relevant target.
- Flash the matching UF2: Put the board into USB boot mode and copy the UF2 produced for that target to its USB mass-storage drive.
The README describes the project as relatively easy to breadboard or prototype, but this is still a configuration-specific hardware and software build. Do not assume a prebuilt binary or a UF2 for one board will work on another.
The Tool Desk
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Choose a documented input path that suits the build: USB keyboard, PS/2 keyboard, or matrix keyboard. USB joysticks are also listed, alongside emulation for Kempston and Sinclair joysticks and a Kempston mouse. For loading, the software lists .z80 snapshots and .tap and .tzx tape files, as well as twelve quick-save slots and an on-screen menu. The project also documents tape audio input and output options for the Spectrum buzzer and AY-3-8912.
Rank #3
- Latest Version: Higher core clock speed, double memory, more powerful Arm cores, optional RISC-V cores (compared to the 1 series) (This W version has onboard wireless LAN and Bluetooth)
- Switchable Cores: Allows users to choose between dual industry-standard Arm Cortex-M33 cores and dual open-hardware Hazard3 cores
- Compatibility: Delivers a significant performance boost, while retaining software- and hardware-compatible with the 1 series
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
Exact interaction details and media-storage requirements are build-specific and should be checked in the instructions for the selected board image. The README lists the features but does not establish that every input, file-loading method, and audio path is present in every build.
Expect a hobby emulation, not measured accuracy
The project author describes it as “just for fun and not a highly accurate emulation” that is hopefully enjoyable. The available project documentation does not provide a measured frame-accuracy result, compatibility rate, or performance benchmark. That means the feature list is useful for planning a prototype, but it should not be read as evidence of compatibility with a particular game or of precise Spectrum behavior.
Rank #4
- This breakout board is specially made for Raspberry Pi Pico, with additional pin headers, which are fully compatible with the board
- The product needs to be soldered by itself, and the pico can be inserted after successful welding
- The breakout board is gold-plated on both sides and holes are plated, and the material of the PCB board is excellent
- The breakout board is equipped with Raspberry Pi pico, which is convenient for users to develop and integrate flexibly
- Note: The package does not include Raspberry Pi pico. This product needs to be soldered and assembled by yourself
A separate community repository describes a different Pico emulator with a 5 cm, 320×240 TFT, a serial keyboard driven through a Python client, and Z80/SNA image loading and saving. Those details belong to that separate implementation, not fruit-bat’s project.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsLicensing: source, binaries, and ROMs differ
The fruit-bat README says most of its source is under the MIT License, but third-party files retain their own terms. It also cautions that binaries may include components with other licenses and that documentation should not be assumed to be solely MIT-licensed. The README says ROM images are copyrighted by Amstrad and redistributed with permission; it advises users to ensure their own use complies with Amstrad’s terms. Do not treat the ROMs as MIT-licensed or assume the source-code license alone covers every part of a build.
Best Value
- RPi Pico 2 W Microcontroller Board (pre-soldered header (color-coded)), Based on Official RP2350 Chip, Dual-core & Dual-architecture Design. Upgraded hardware from Pico 2 with wireless communication, onboard antenna, features 2.4GHz 802.11n WIFI and Bluetooth 5.2.
- Adopts unique dual-core and dual-architecture design: dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor and dual-core Hazard3 RISC-V processor, flexible clock running up to 150 MHz.
- Onboard Infineon CYW43439 wireless chip, supports WIFI 4 wireless and Bluetooth 5.2.
- 520KB of SRAM, and 4MB of on-board Flash memory.
- Castellated module allows soldering direct to carrier boards. USB 1.1 with device and host support. Low-power sleep and dormant modes. Drag-and-drop programming using mass storage over USB.
A handheld example from the PicoZX lineage
Raspberry Pi’s January 23, 2024 feature on building a handheld ZX Spectrum with Raspberry Pi Pico identifies Peter Misenko (Bobricius) as the designer behind the original PicoZX and describes it as inspiration for a handheld build by Ken of What’s Ken Making. This is an example of the broader Pico ZX Spectrum hobby-project lineage, not confirmation that a compatible kit is currently available.
Quick Recap
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