Make: Volume 95: Guide to Boards 2026

Amazing things are happening in low-cost computing, and Make: is all over it! In Make: Volume 95, the big names Arduino and Raspberry Pi are pairing SBCs with MCUs in new products like we’ve never seen before, but independent board makers like BeagleBoard and IceWhale are hot on their heels. Next, get connected with the Meshtastic off-grid communications network — how it works, and how to build a “walkie-textie” handset node using LoRa radio boards. Then, CircuitPython and MicroPython compatibility are becoming a feature, not an afterthought. We’ll also show you how to run CircuitPython on Make:’s own Oxocard ESP32 microcontroller, and how to build a University of Michigan’s time-tested wheeled robot powered by MicroPython on the RP2040 microcontroller. Then, build a go-anywhere, RP2040-based pocket video synthesizer to generate wild video art and throw it to screens or projectors.

And in our special pull-out “Guide to Boards 2026” we take a look at our favorite new microcontrollers (MCUs) and single-board computers (SBCs) for creating all kinds of smart projects. Plus, we’ll tell you which are the best boards for AI projects, LEDs, cosplay and wearables, music, and more.

Of course boards aren’t the end-all, be-all — as always, Make: brings you all kinds of different projects to build:

• Knit a plushie breadboard with conductive thread (yes it really works!)
• 3D print on fabric to make an elegant origami-folding handbag
• Sharpen your reflexes with a laser-cut toy Pocket Pickleball game, or an easy-to-make Reaction Race game with micro:bit
• Get hands-on with ROS 2, the Robot Operating System for complex robotics projects
• Show beginners how to level-up their electronics chops with “skill trees” from our new book Skill Seeker: Young Maker Edition
• And much more!