January 9, 2026
Kernel panic? Comment panic!
Linux Runs on Raspberry Pi RP2350's Hazard3 RISC-V Cores (2024)
Tiny Pi boots Linux—now it’s ARM vs RISC‑V and “what’s the point” wars
TLDR: A developer booted Linux on Raspberry Pi’s tiny RP2350 using its new RISC‑V cores, but it needs extra memory to run. The community split: some demand a RISC‑V‑only future, others say use real MMU boards, while skeptics shrug and fans beg for a RISC‑V Pi Zero to go mainstream.
Linux just booted on a teeny Raspberry Pi Pico 2 thanks to Jesse Taube and the chip’s new open-source Hazard3 RISC‑V cores. Cue instant comment meltdown. Raspberry Pi’s own Luke Wren (who designed those cores) joked he “knew I was going to get sniped,” and the crowd did not disappoint. Some are cheering the open tech win, others are asking: but… why?
The strongest hot take: ditch ARM entirely. One commenter wants the ARM parts hard‑disabled to avoid royalties, betting big on a RISC‑V future. Another pragmatist says, stop flexing—use a board with a memory manager (an MMU) and more RAM, like Bunnie’s mostly‑open X1 dev board link. Meanwhile, the “what’s the point” crowd rolled in with dreams of a super‑cheap, Wi‑Fi, touchscreen Linux not‑phone they can pocket.
Reality check: this Linux needs extra memory chips (PSRAM), so it won’t run on a bare Pico 2. It does work on SparkFun’s Pro Micro RP2350 with 8MB of PSRAM and 16MB flash, and the build steps are on Taube’s GitHub. But snark also flew: after someone ran Linux on a vintage Intel 4004, link, is this even impressive? Fans clap back: it’s Raspberry Pi + RISC‑V—mainstream eyes, open future. One dreamer wants a RISC‑V Pi Zero 3 to make it official. Drama secured.
Key Points
- •Jesse Taube booted a minimal Linux distribution on Raspberry Pi’s RP2350 using its Hazard3 RISC‑V cores.
- •RP2350 combines two Arm Cortex‑M33 cores with two open-source Hazard3 RISC‑V cores and nearly doubles SRAM over RP2040.
- •Because RP2350 lacks an MMU and has limited SRAM (520kB), a no-MMU Linux build and external PSRAM are required.
- •The Buildroot-based Linux runs on SparkFun Pro Micro RP2350 (16MB flash, 8MB PSRAM) but not on an unexpanded Raspberry Pi Pico 2.
- •Instructions to build the distribution are available on Taube’s GitHub; prior RP2040 attempts needed RISC‑V emulation.