Table of Contents

• Quick Specs Comparison
• Hardware & Components
• Programming Environment Comparison
• Python API Code Examples
• Performance & Capabilities
• Ecosystem & Community
• Which Should You Choose?

Quick Specs Comparison

Hardware & Components Deep Dive

The Hub: Identical Brains

Both systems use the same Technic Hub with identical specifications:

• Processor: ARM Cortex-M4 at 100 MHz
• RAM: 320 KB
• Flash Storage: 1 MB
• Display: 5×5 LED matrix (25 white LEDs)
• Built-in Sensors: 6-axis gyroscope/accelerometer
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C
• Ports: 6 I/O ports (labeled A-F)
• Battery: Rechargeable Li-ion (2100 mAh)
• Speaker: Built-in for sounds/music

Key Insight: Since the hubs are identical, programming capabilities and performance are virtually the same. The differences lie in the included sensors, motors, and structural pieces.

Motors Comparison

SPIKE Prime: 3 medium angular motors (identical to MINDSTORMS motors)

MINDSTORMS: 4 medium angular motors (one extra motor for more complex mechanisms)

Both use the same motor model with:

• Rotation sensor with 1-degree precision
• Max speed: ~175 RPM
• Stall torque: ~8 N·cm
• Auto-ID (hub automatically detects motor type)

Sensors Comparison

SPIKE Prime's Force Sensor is unique - it detects touch, pressure amount, and can measure force in Newtons. Great for educational experiments about physics.

View SPIKE Prime Set (45678) View MINDSTORMS Set (51515)

Programming Environment Comparison

Scratch-Based Block Programming

Both platforms use nearly identical Scratch environments based on Scratch 3.0:

• Same block categories (Motors, Sensors, Control, Operators, etc.)
• Same drag-and-drop interface
• Same visual programming concepts

Only difference: SPIKE Prime has additional Force Sensor blocks that MINDSTORMS lacks.

Python Programming Environment

Both use MicroPython 1.12+ with identical APIs. The programming experience is 99% the same.

SPIKE Prime Python Editor Features:

• Word blocks (drag-and-drop Python snippets)
• Classroom management tools
• Multi-student project management
• Built-in tutorials focused on curriculum

MINDSTORMS Python Editor Features:

• Word blocks (same as SPIKE)
• Project-based challenges (build 5 different robots)
• Community project sharing
• More hobbyist-oriented documentation

Python API Code Comparison

Since both platforms use the same hub, the Python code is virtually identical. Here are side-by-side examples:

Example 1: Basic Motor Control

from spike import PrimeHub, Motor

hub = PrimeHub() motor = Motor('A')

Run motor motor.runfordegrees(360, 50) 

from mindstorms import MSHub, Motor

hub = MSHub() motor = Motor('A')

Run motor (exact same method) motor.runfordegrees(360, 50) 

Difference: Import statement only (spike vs mindstorms). Methods are identical.

Example 2: Color Sensor

from spike import ColorSensor
sensor = ColorSensor('C')
# Read color color = sensor.get_color()
# Read brightness brightness = sensor.get_reflected_light()
# Get RGB r, g, b = sensor.get_rgb_intensity() 

from mindstorms import ColorSensor
sensor = ColorSensor('C')
# Read color (identical API) color = sensor.get_color()
# Read brightness (identical) brightness = sensor.get_reflected_light()
# Get RGB (identical) r, g, b = sensor.get_rgb_intensity() 

Result: 100% API compatibility for color sensor.

Example 3: Force Sensor (SPIKE Prime Exclusive)

from spike import ForceSensor
# Only available on SPIKE Prime force_sensor = ForceSensor('E')
# Check if pressed if force_sensor.is_pressed(): print("Button pressed!")
# Measure force in Newtons (0-10N) force = force_sensor.get_force_newton() print(f"Force applied: {force}N")
# Get force percentage (0-100%) force_pct = force_sensor.get_force_percentage() 

MINDSTORMS Equivalent: Use distance sensor in close proximity or build a touch sensor with color sensor.

Example 4: Line Following (Identical on Both Platforms)

# Works on BOTH SPIKE Prime and MINDSTORMS # Just change imports: 'spike' vs 'mindstorms'
from spike import PrimeHub, MotorPair, ColorSensor  # or 'from mindstorms import...'
hub = PrimeHub()  # or MSHub() motors = MotorPair('A', 'B') color = ColorSensor('C')
# PID Line Follower KP = 1.2 TARGET = 50
while True: brightness = color.get_reflected_light() error = brightness - TARGET steering = KP * error
motors.start(steering, 30) 

Portability: Code written for SPIKE Prime runs on MINDSTORMS with minimal changes (just import statements).

Performance & Capabilities

Processing Power

Since both use identical hubs:

• Execution Speed: Identical
• Sensor Polling Rate: Identical (~100 Hz)
• Motor Control Precision: Identical (±1 degree)
• Bluetooth Latency: Identical (~50-100ms)

Battery Life

Both hubs have the same 2100 mAh battery:

• Typical runtime: 3-4 hours of active use
• Charge time: ~3 hours via USB-C
• Standby time: Several days

Expandability

Ecosystem & Community

SPIKE Prime Ecosystem

• Curriculum: 50+ hours of STEAM lesson plans (free for educators)
• Teacher Training: Professional development workshops
• Competition: Official FIRST LEGO League platform
• Expansion: SPIKE Essential for younger students (ages 6-8)
• Community: Education-focused forums, teacher resources

MINDSTORMS Ecosystem

• Projects: 5 unique robot designs with building instructions
• Community: Large hobbyist community, active forums
• Competition: World Robot Olympiad, custom competitions
• Open Source: More third-party tools (Pybricks, node-poweredup)
• Legacy: 20+ years of MINDSTORMS history (EV3, NXT)

Which Should You Choose?

Choose SPIKE Prime (45678) If:

• ✅ You're an educator teaching in a classroom (K-12)
• ✅ You want structured curriculum and lesson plans
• ✅ You're coaching a FIRST LEGO League team
• ✅ You want the Force Sensor for physics experiments
• ✅ You prefer LEGO's long-term supported platform
• ✅ You need multi-student classroom management tools

Choose MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor (51515) If:

• ✅ You're a hobbyist/enthusiast building at home
• ✅ You want more pieces (949 vs 528) for complex builds
• ✅ You need 4 motors for advanced mechanisms
• ✅ You value the MINDSTORMS legacy and community
• ✅ You want project-based learning (build 5 different robots)
• ✅ You prefer creative freedom over structured curriculum

The Bottom Line

From a pure programming perspective, SPIKE Prime and MINDSTORMS are nearly identical - same hub, same Python APIs, same performance. The choice comes down to:

1. Use Case: Classroom (SPIKE) vs Home (MINDSTORMS)
2. Components: More pieces + extra motor (MINDSTORMS) vs Force Sensor (SPIKE)
3. Support: Long-term platform (SPIKE) vs Legacy community (MINDSTORMS)

For most educators, SPIKE Prime is the clear choice. For advanced hobbyists, MINDSTORMS offers more building possibilities. For pure programming learning, either platform will teach you the exact same skills.

Cross-Platform Development

Good news: Code written for one platform is 95% compatible with the other. Here's how to write portable code:

# Portable code that works on BOTH platforms try: from spike import PrimeHub as Hub, Motor, ColorSensor except ImportError: from mindstorms import MSHub as Hub, Motor, ColorSensor
# Now use 'Hub', 'Motor', 'ColorSensor' - works on both! hub = Hub() motor_a = Motor('A') color = ColorSensor('C')
# All code below is identical motor_a.run_for_degrees(360, 50) detected_color = color.get_color() print(f"Detected: {detected_color}") 

Learning Resources

• SPIKE Prime Official Resources
• MINDSTORMS Official Resources
• Anton's Detailed Comparison
• Pybricks - Advanced Python for Both Platforms