Datasheet

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FAQs

NOTE: For FAQs relating to the BSP, see the dedicated BSP FAQ list (https://adafru.it/vnF).

What are the differences between the nRF51 and nRF52 Bluefruit boards? Which one should I be

using?

The two board families take very different design approaches.

All of the nRF51 based modules are based on an AT command set (over UART or SPI), and require two MCUs to run:

the nRF51 hosting the AT command parser, and an external MCU sending AT style commands.

The nRF52 boards run code directly on the nRF52, executing natively and calling the Nordic S132 SoftDevice (their

proprietary Bluetooth Low Energy stack) directly. This allows for more efficient code since there is no intermediate

AT layer or transport, and also allows for lower overall power consumption since only a single device is involved.

The nRF52 will generally give you better performance, but for situation where you need to use an MCU with a

feature the nRF52 doesn't have (such as USB), the nRF51 based boards will still be the preferable solution.