Which is better - Teensy or RP23CNC?
- Phil Barrett
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
I offer 2 5 Axis boards, the Teensy based T41U5XBB and the RR2350 based RP23U5XBB. People frequently ask for help in selecting between the two. As is typical when asking a question like that, the answer is "it depends". Before I dig into the differences, either board is a very good choice for the vast majority of CNC systems.
The Teensy shines in processing power due to its 600 MHz clock rate and large amount of memory. It can sustain an output step rate of 400 KHz.. You can increase the movement planning buffer size to quickly process a very large number of short movements. This makes it ideal for high performance CNC router and laser systems. In addition, it provides a very clean, low jitter step signal. If you want the absolute best, the Teensy is my choice. It is the highest performance grblHAL board available.
The RP23CNC is slower than the Teensy based board but the RP2350B microcontroller's programmable I/O (PIO) makes up for the lower clock rate and allows output step rates that approach the Teensy's. It also generates 5V onboard vs the Teensy's need for external 5V. And it allows for fully isolated limit and control inputs.
A big distinction is cost. While the base RP23CNC board is more expensive than the Teensy based T41U5XBB, it does not require you to purchase an external microcontroller. Here is a breakdown of the all-in costs of building a motion controller with each board
Teensy
T41U5XBB $33.99
USB Assembly Kit $14.00
Ethernet $12.00
Teensy 4.1 (Ethernet) $37.20
total $97.19
RP23CNC
RP23U5XBB $45.99
USB Assembly Kit $14.00
Ethernet $12.00
Total $73.99
As evident, the RP23CNC solution is more affordable. This excludes the shipping cost for the Teensy 4.1, which varies by location but usually adds $7 or more. Opting for the non-Ethernet version of the Teensy 4.1 can help you save some money. Additionally, the RP23CNC doesn't need an external 5V power supply, offering further savings depending on your circumstances. However, this may not matter in the non-Ethernet scenario. Let's examine the cost breakdown.
Teensy (w/o Ethernet)
T41U5XBB $33.99
USB Assembly Kit $14.00
Teensy 4.1 (non Ethernet) $29.50
total $77.49
RP23CNC (w/o Ethernet)
RP23U5XBB $45.99
USB Assembly Kit $14.00
Total $59.99
Again, there is a significant cost advantage to the RP23CNC. Also, the RP23CNC allows you to later add Ethernet with just the addition of the Ethernet kit whereas the Teensy requires that you get the Ethernet version of the Teensy 4.1 and the Ethernet Kit.
For top performance, choose the Teensy version. The RP23CNC is more budget-friendly yet offers performance that exceeds the needs of most CNC applications.
For more information:
About Me.
I'm Phil Barrett, a long time CNC enthusiast. I run a small company, Brookwood Design, that makes several breakout boards for grblHAL and love to help people get the most out of their CNC machines.
