The ESP32 family has grown massively since the original ESP-WROOM-32 module.
Today we have dozens of chips, modules, and development boards, each optimized for different use-cases—from Wi-Fi/BLE automation to AI-enabled audio processing and ultra-low-power IoT nodes.

This guide provides a complete comparison of all ESP32 chips, modules, and popular dev boards so you can choose the right one for your project.

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1. ESP32 Chip Families Explained

The ESP32 ecosystem can be divided into six major chip families:

Family	Example Chips	Key Features
ESP32 (Original)	ESP32-D0WDQ6, ESP32-S0WD	Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Classic + BLE, dual-core Xtensa
ESP32-S Series	S2, S3	USB native, BLE (S3), no BT Classic, improved low-power
ESP32-C Series	C2, C3, C6, C5	RISC-V, BLE/Thread/Zigbee/Matter support
ESP32-H Series	H2	Zigbee + Thread only (no Wi-Fi), ultra-low power
ESP32-U Series	Variants with UFL connector	Same as others but antenna-ready
ESP32-P Series	P4	High-performance dual-core CPU, vector instructions, external DDR

Each family targets different applications: S-series for USB devices, C-series for Matter/Thread, H-series for pure mesh networks, and P-series for high compute loads.

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2. ESP32 Chip Comparison Table

2.1 ESP32 Original Series (D0WDQ6 / S0WD)

Feature	ESP32-D0WDQ6	ESP32-S0WD
CPU	Dual-core Xtensa @ 240 MHz	Single-core Xtensa @ 160 MHz
Connectivity	Wi-Fi + BT Classic + BLE	Wi-Fi + BLE
PSRAM	Optional	No
Flash	External	External
USB Support	No	No
Use Case	General IoT, audio, ESP-NOW	Low-cost IoT

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2.2 ESP32-S Series (USB-enabled)

Feature	ESP32-S2	ESP32-S3	ESP32-S3R8 / S3R2
CPU	Single-core Xtensa	Dual-core Xtensa	Same
BLE	No	Yes	Yes
BT Classic	No	No	No
USB-OTG	Yes	Yes	Yes
AI Acceleration	No	Yes (vector instructions)	Yes
PSRAM	Optional	Built-in 8MB (R8) / 2MB (R2)	Built-in
Use Case	Keyboards, USB devices	AI vision, audio	Cameras, ML

The S3 is currently the most popular general-purpose chip for 2024–2025 new designs.

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2.3 ESP32-C Series (RISC-V, BLE, Thread, Zigbee)

Feature	C2	C3	C6	C5
CPU	RISC-V 32-bit	RISC-V 32-bit	RISC-V 32-bit	RISC-V 64-bit
Wi-Fi	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz	2.4 + Wi-Fi 6	Dual-band
BLE	BLE 5	BLE 5	BLE 5	BLE 5
Thread	No	No	Yes	Yes
Zigbee	No	No	Yes	Yes
USB	No	No	No	Yes
Target Use	Low-cost IoT	Wi-Fi+BLE Arduino replacement	Matter/Thread/Zigbee	High-throughput IoT

The C3 is a popular choice for simple IoT sensors that need RISC-V, BLE, and low price.

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2.4 ESP32-H Series (No Wi-Fi)

Feature	ESP32-H2
CPU	RISC-V 32-bit
Wi-Fi	❌ None
Zigbee	✔ Yes
Thread	✔ Yes
BLE	✔ Yes
Power Consumption	Ultra-low
Use Case	Matter/Thread border routers, battery nodes

Perfect for Matter-based smart-home sensors.

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2.5 ESP32-P Series (High Performance)

Feature	ESP32-P4
CPU	Dual-core RISC-V 400+ MHz
AI	Yes, vector instructions
USB	USB 2.0 HS
External DDR	Yes
Connectivity	❌ None onboard
Target	AI, HMI, high processing tasks

This is a compute-only ESP32 used with external Wi-Fi chips.

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3. ESP32 Modules (WROOM, WROVER, MINI, Pico)

These are the hardware modules you see on dev boards.

Module	Chip Used	Flash	PSRAM	Antenna
ESP-WROOM-32	ESP32-D0WDQ6	4–16MB	No	PCB
ESP-WROVER	ESP32-D0WDQ6	8–16MB	4–8MB	PCB
ESP32-S3-WROOM	ESP32-S3	8–16MB	Optional	PCB
ESP32-S3-WROVER	ESP32-S3	8–16MB	8MB PSRAM	PCB
ESP32-C3-Mini-1	ESP32-C3	4MB	No	PCB
ESP32-C6-WROOM	ESP32-C6	4MB	No	PCB
ESP32-PICO-D4	ESP32-S0WD inside	4MB inside	No	PCB

WROVER modules include PSRAM and are ideal for displays, cameras, and buffering data.

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4. Popular Dev Boards Comparison (NodeMCU, DevKitC, S3-BOX, etc.)

4.1 General Development Boards

Board	Chip	USB	PSRAM	Notes
ESP32 DevKitC	ESP-WROOM-32	USB-UART	No	Original official board
NodeMCU-32S	ESP32-D0WD	USB-UART	No	Cheap and common
ESP32-S3-DevKitC	S3	USB-C (native)	Optional	Best general board in 2025
ESP32-C3 DevKitM	C3	USB-C	No	RISC-V, BLE 5
ESP32-C6 DevKitC	C6	USB-C	No	Wi-Fi 6 + Thread/Zigbee

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4.2 AI, Audio & Vision Boards

Board	Chip	Features
ESP32-S3-BOX	S3	Voice AI, microphones, speaker, display
ESP32-S3 Eye	S3	Camera, USB, PSRAM
ESP32-CAM	ESP32-S0WD	Camera, microSD

ESP32-CAM is cheap but not beginner-friendly (no USB).

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4.3 Industrial Boards

Board	Chip	Features
ESP32-Ethernet-Kit	ESP32	LAN 8720 PHY
ESP32-PoE (Olimex)	ESP32	PoE, Ethernet, relay outputs
M5Stack Core2	ESP32	Touchscreen, case, battery

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4.4 Ultra-Low Power Boards

Board	Chip	Notes
TinyPICO	ESP32-PICO-D4	Very compact
LILYGO T-QT Pro	ESP32-S3	Small + Display
M5Stamp C3	ESP32-C3	Miniature form factor

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5. Which ESP32 Should You Choose?

For Beginners

• ESP32-S3 DevKitC → Easiest, modern, USB-C
• ESP32 DevKitC → Still good, supports BT Classic

For Sensors / Automation

• ESP32-C3 → Low cost, BLE 5, RISC-V
• ESP32-C6 → Thread + Zigbee + Wi-Fi 6 (future-proof)

For Cameras / Displays

• ESP32-S3-WROVER → With PSRAM
• ESP32-CAM → Budget option

For Audio / AI

• ESP32-S3-BOX
• ESP32-P4 (for compute-heavy ML)

For Smart Home (Matter / Thread)

• ESP32-C6
• ESP32-H2 (no Wi-Fi)

For ESP-NOW Long Range

• ESP32 (original)
• ESP32-S3

For Industrial

• Olimex ESP32-PoE
• ESP32 Ethernet Kit

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6. Summary Table (All ESP32 Families in One View)

Chip	CPU	Wi-Fi	BT	USB	Thread/Zigbee	PSRAM	Best For
ESP32	Xtensa dual	2.4	Classic + BLE	❌	❌	Optional	ESP-NOW, audio, general
S2	Xtensa	2.4	❌	✔	❌	Optional	USB devices
S3	Xtensa dual	2.4	BLE 5	✔	❌	Optional / built-in	AI, vision
C2	RISC-V	2.4	BLE 5	❌	❌	No	Cheapest
C3	RISC-V	2.4	BLE 5	✔	❌	No	Sensors
C6	RISC-V	Wi-Fi 6	BLE 5	✔	✔	No	Matter, Thread
H2	RISC-V	❌	BLE 5	✔	✔	No	Battery IoT
P4	RISC-V dual	❌	❌	✔	❌	DDR	AI / HMI

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7. Final Thoughts

The ESP32 ecosystem in 2025 is extremely diverse.
If you want “the one board” that covers 95% of projects, choose:

✔ ESP32-S3 DevKitC with PSRAM

If you’re building smart home devices, choose:

✔ ESP32-C6

For battery sensors:

✔ ESP32-C3 or ESP32-H2

For AI vision or audio:

✔ ESP32-S3 WROVER or ESP32-S3 BOX