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The Mega 2560 R3 (CH340G clone) is the high-pin-count Arduino board for projects that outgrow the UNO. Same form factor as the official Arduino MEGA, same ATmega2560-16AU processor, but uses a CH340G USB-to-serial chip instead of an ATmega16U2 — which keeps the price under PHP 800 while staying 100% Arduino IDE compatible.
Best for builds that need more I/O, more memory, or multiple hardware serial ports: 3D printers (RAMPS / Marlin), CNC controllers, sensor arrays, robotics with a dozen servos, LED matrix projects, data loggers, or any sketch that bumps against the UNO's 32KB flash / 2KB SRAM limits.
Why this board over an UNO
- 54 digital I/O pins (vs UNO's 14) — drive more relays, motors, buttons, sensors at once
- 16 analog inputs (vs UNO's 6) — read more potentiometers, thermistors, force-sensors
- 4 hardware UARTs (vs UNO's 1) — talk to GPS, GSM module, Bluetooth, and serial debug at the same time without SoftwareSerial timing problems
- 256KB flash (vs UNO's 32KB) — fits big libraries (LCD + SD + WiFi + sensor fusion) that won't compile on an UNO
- 8KB SRAM (vs UNO's 2KB) — handles bigger arrays, JSON parsing, larger display buffers
CH340G vs ATmega16U2 — does it matter?
The CH340G is the USB-to-serial bridge used by most affordable Arduino clones (Nano, Mega, UNO). Functionally identical to the official ATmega16U2 for normal sketches — the IDE talks to either chip the same way. The only practical difference: Windows needs a CH340 driver the first time you plug it in (download once from WCH; macOS 11+ and Linux work out of the box). The board cannot be reprogrammed as a USB HID/MIDI device the way an official MEGA can — almost no Arduino projects need that.
Shield compatibility
Pin-compatible with most Arduino MEGA shields (Ethernet, motor, RAMPS 1.4/1.6, proto, sensor). Also accepts most UNO-form-factor shields since the inner row of pins matches the UNO layout. Power and ICSP headers in the standard positions.
FAQ
Will this work with Arduino IDE?
Yes — select Tools → Board → Arduino MEGA or MEGA 2560, then pick the COM port. On Windows, install the CH340 driver first (one-time, free from WCH). macOS 11+ and Linux recognize it without drivers.
Can I run Marlin firmware for a 3D printer?
Yes. This board with a RAMPS 1.4/1.6 shield is the standard "DIY 3D printer brain" combo. Marlin 2.x compiles and runs on the ATmega2560 — pick MEGA2560 in Configuration.h.
Does it accept UNO shields?
Most yes — the UNO header positions are preserved on the MEGA. Shields that physically extend across the wider MEGA pin rows may need stand-offs to clear, but electrically they work.
What's the difference vs an official Arduino MEGA 2560?
Same MCU (ATmega2560-16AU), same pinout, same IDE behavior. This clone uses CH340G for USB instead of ATmega16U2 — needs a driver install on Windows the first time. Save ~PHP 1,500 vs the official board.
Will this ship from Manila?
Yes — all stock ships from our Quezon City warehouse. Order before 4 PM weekdays for same-day cutoff via J&T or LBC.
Do you ship nationwide?
Yes. Metro Manila usually arrives next-day; provincial 1–3 working days depending on the courier.
Do you offer technical support?
Yes — questions land on our forum or email. We've wired up most of what we sell.
Specifications
- Microcontroller: ATmega2560-16AU
- USB-to-Serial: CH340G
- Operating voltage: 5V
- Input voltage (recommended): 7–12V via DC jack or VIN
- Input voltage (limits): 6–20V
- Digital I/O pins: 54 (15 with PWM output)
- Analog input pins: 16 (10-bit ADC)
- Hardware serial ports (UARTs): 4
- I²C: SDA = pin 20, SCL = pin 21
- SPI: pins 50 (MISO), 51 (MOSI), 52 (SCK), 53 (SS)
- DC current per I/O pin: 40 mA
- DC current for 3.3V pin: 50 mA
- Flash memory: 256 KB (8 KB used by bootloader)
- SRAM: 8 KB
- EEPROM: 4 KB
- Clock speed: 16 MHz
- USB connector: USB-B (USB-A-to-B cable not included)
- Power jack: 2.1mm centre-positive barrel
- Dimensions: 101.52 × 53.3 mm
What's in the box
- 1 × Mega 2560 R3 board (ATmega2560-16AU + CH340G)
- USB-A-to-B cable sold separately
Manila stock. Order before 16:00 PHT, ships today via J&T or LBC. Provincial: 1–3 working days.
Schools / class POs: we accept Purchase Orders for accredited schools and universities. contact us with your PO details.
Returns: 7-day inspection window for DOA units. Email proof of issue and we ship a replacement.
Compatibility & downloads
// downloads
- Schematic pdf
- Pinout diagram pdf
- Datasheet pdf
- CAD (STEP + Eagle) zip
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