High-Level Comparison
| Chip | CPU | Wireless | Power Profile | Primary Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32-S3 | Dual-core Xtensa LX7 @ 240MHz | Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth LE | High | Performance, USB, graphics, ML |
| ESP32-C3 | Single-core RISC-V @ 160MHz | Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth LE | Low | Simple, low-power Wi-Fi IoT |
| ESP32-C6 | Single-core RISC-V | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, Thread | Low | Modern Wi-Fi + mesh protocols |
| ESP32-H2 | Single-core RISC-V | Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth LE | Very low | Battery-first mesh devices |
ESP32-S3 Supermini
What it is
High-performance ESP32 with dual cores and rich peripherals.
Power usage
Highest of the group; best on mains or large batteries.
Stand-out features
USB OTG, LCD/camera, ML vector instructions.
Best use cases
Displays, USB devices, cameras, ML inference.
ESP32-C3 Supermini
What it is
Entry-level RISC-V ESP32 focused on efficiency.
Power usage
Low; suitable for battery devices with Wi-Fi.
Stand-out features
Minimal, mature Wi-Fi + BLE platform.
Best use cases
Sensors, switches, simple Home Assistant nodes.
ESP32-C6 Supermini
What it is
Next-gen ESP32 with Wi-Fi 6 and 802.15.4.
Power usage
Low; more efficient than earlier Wi-Fi ESP32s.
Stand-out features
Wi-Fi 6, Zigbee, Thread in one chip.
Best use cases
Matter devices, hybrid Wi-Fi/mesh products.
ESP32-H2 Supermini
What it is
Ultra-low-power ESP32 without Wi-Fi.
Power usage
Lowest; designed for long coin-cell life.
Stand-out features
Zigbee/Thread-first architecture.
Best use cases
Battery sensors, Zigbee end devices.