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Small green PCB with eight bright RGB LEDs in a row

Pimoroni

Pimoroni Blinkt! Eight APA102 RGB LED development board

SKU CH-09CF-D5FZA

Eight APA102 RGB LEDs plug straight onto any 40-pin Raspberry Pi for status lights or visual effects

  • Eight APA102 pixels give bright, individual colour control
  • Python library simplifies driving LEDs via GPIO 23 and 24
  • Fits directly on any 40-pin Raspberry Pi header
  • Compact board sits inside most standard Pi cases
  • Design avoids PWM audio pins for clean sound output

Eight APA102 pixels for Raspberry Pi

This tiny development board adds eight individually controllable RGB LEDs to any 40-pin header Raspberry Pi model. It plugs straight onto the GPIO and fits inside most standard Pi cases. The board targets makers who need compact visual status indicators for scripts, services or cluster nodes.

Driven via GPIO 23 and 24

The APA102 data and clock lines connect to GPIO 23 and GPIO 24, leaving PWM audio free for other uses. Each pixel is dimmable and addressable, so sustained animations such as gradients or pulsing effects run without blocking the processor. The Python library handles the protocol, letting code update the strip repeatedly without timing issues.

Check header access and case height

Verify that your Pi uses the standard 40-pin header and that nothing else occupies GPIO 23 or 24. Ensure your case has enough vertical clearance for the board to sit on top of the header pins. If a HAT or pHAT already uses those pins, Blinkt! cannot share them.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Single-Board Computers & Dev Kits, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $16.99
Cheaper than about 91% of the 1,420 comparable items (median $44.99).

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Specifications

No published specifications for this item yet.

Questions about this item

How much heat or noise does the Blinkt! generate when all eight APA102 LEDs run at full brightness continuously?

The board has no fan or moving parts and draws only a small current from the Pi's 5 V rail, so it produces no audible noise and negligible heat during continuous operation.

Which Raspberry Pi models and header configuration are required for the Blinkt! to work?

Any Raspberry Pi with a standard 40-pin GPIO header — including Pi 4, Pi 3, Pi 2, Pi Zero and Zero 2 W — will accept the Blinkt! directly on GPIO 23 and 24.

Will the Blinkt! block or interfere with a HAT that uses PWM audio on the same Pi?

The Blinkt! uses only GPIO 23 and 24 for data and clock, leaving the PWM audio pins free, so it can sit under or beside most HATs without affecting audio output.

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