#153 STM32 clones - good value or cheap copy? Asian Alternative Components

Does the GD32F103 ARM Cortex M3 licenced processor add value to the Original STM32 Blue Pill? LCSC China's Leading Electronic Components Distributor $8 off your first order at LCSC Electronics https://lcsc.com/?href=ralphsbacon&so... All components used in this video supplied by LCSC.com PCB design by EasyEDA and manufactured by JLCPCB.com All this plus more at: https://github.com/RalphBacon/STM32F1... In conjunction with my sponsor, lcsc.com, we thought it would be interesting to compare international brands (such as STMicroelectronics, an international manufacturer) to predominantly Chinese market suppliers (such as GigaDevice, an authorised Asian manufacturer). So I'm comparing here the STM32F103 and the GD32F103 and discover whether they are, first and foremost, compatible, and secondly what added value the GigaDevice device might give developers (hint: see the video's benchmark comparison table!) And, a bit of a surprise for me, my "Blue Pill" STM32F103s were not original either! Another Chinese manufacturer was being used, CKS, although trying to find out anything about this company is very difficult (and it's all in Chinese). And I build a G32F103C8T6 from scratch using a PCB from JCLPCB! SMD soldering and everything! Easy (not). But there's a lot more to consider in this video, and let's not forget the new, improved Prime Number sketch that gives a better, level playing field for all microControllers. The GD32F103 alternative bare chip (runs at 108MHz) https://lcsc.com/product-detail/GigaD... r3bers' improved PCB layout (EasyEDA) for the STM32F103C8T6 (what I used to build my Green Pill) https://easyeda.com/r3bers/STM32F103C... Blue Pill schematic (copy of this is on my GitHub) https://jeelabs.org/img/2016/STM32F10... Roger Clark's Arduino STM32 GitHub https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourn... Roger Clarke's Arduino for STM32 forum - everything you ever needed to know https://www.stm32duino.com/ And his STM32duino-bootloader Github (which didn't work for my original STM32f103) https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourn... The Prime Number calculator used in this video https://www.perturb.org/display/988_A... I've put a copy of the sketch in my GitHub Essential Bootloader information https://wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php... Fancy a Maple Mini (STM32F103 with proper USB support) for just $2.90 plus $3.05 shipping? If you buy 5 it works out at $3.51 per unit https://www.aliexpress.com/item/14006... Or an STM32F103 Blue Pill for $3.81 with free shipping? Buy 2 get 15% off! https://www.banggood.com/STM32F103C8T... Or buy 3 and get them for $3.33 a piece! Free shipping! https://www.banggood.com/3Pcs-STM32F1... And that ST-Link device, 3.3V 5V XTW ST-LINK V2 STM8 / STM32 Simulator Programmer Downloader Debugger 500MA Fuse Short Circuit Protection Aluminum Alloy U Disk Shell With 20cm Dupont Wire, just $3.39 with free shipping https://www.banggood.com/3_3V-5V-XTW-... --- If you like this video please give it a thumbs up, share it and if you're not already subscribed please consider doing so and joining me on my Arduinite journey My channel and blog are here: ------------------------------------------------------------------    / ralphbacon   https://ralphbacon.blog ------------------------------------------------------------------