There are now many ESP32 versions, but choosing one is easier than the model numbers make it look.

For most projects, buy an ESP32-S3 development board with PSRAM.

For more specialised projects:

• ESP32-S3 → best all-round choice for most makers
• ESP32-C3 → cheap Wi-Fi + Bluetooth LE sensors
• ESP32-C6 → Matter, Thread and Zigbee
• ESP32-C5 → dual-band 2.4 + 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• ESP32-C61 → inexpensive Wi-Fi 6 + BLE without Thread/Zigbee
• ESP32-H2 / H21 / H4 → low-power Thread, Zigbee and BLE devices without Wi-Fi
• ESP32-P4 → displays, cameras, HMI and heavy processing; no built-in wireless
• ESP32-S31 → next-generation high-performance ESP32 with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth Classic, BLE and 802.15.4
• Original ESP32 → still excellent when you need mature library support or Bluetooth Classic

Espressif’s current product range now includes the original ESP32 plus the S, C, H, P and E families, including newer chips such as the ESP32-S31, ESP32-C61, ESP32-H21, ESP32-H4 and ESP32-E22. You can see the current official lineup on the Espressif SoC product page.

This guide explains the differences between the ESP32 chips, modules and development boards and, more importantly, which ESP32 you should actually buy.

Which ESP32 Should I Buy?

If you don’t want to compare specifications, use this table.

What are you building?	Best ESP32
General Arduino / ESPHome / IoT projects	ESP32-S3
First ESP32 board	ESP32-S3 DevKitC
Cheap Wi-Fi sensor	ESP32-C3
Wi-Fi 6 device	ESP32-C6 / C61
5 GHz Wi-Fi device	ESP32-C5
Matter / Thread / Zigbee device	ESP32-C6
Battery Thread/Zigbee sensor	ESP32-H21 / H2
Advanced low-power BLE + Thread device	ESP32-H4
Bluetooth Classic project	Original ESP32
Camera / display / audio project	ESP32-S3 with PSRAM
Large display / HMI / multimedia	ESP32-P4
Next-generation high-performance connected product	ESP32-S31
Wi-Fi 6E connectivity co-processor	ESP32-E22

Our default recommendation: ESP32-S3

For a new hobby or general-purpose project, the ESP32-S3 remains the safest choice.

It combines:

• dual-core 240 MHz CPU
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 5 Low Energy
• native USB
• plenty of GPIO
• optional integrated PSRAM
• very good Arduino and ESP-IDF support
• excellent support for displays, cameras and audio

The S3’s dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor also includes vector instructions useful for signal-processing and AI workloads.

Unless your project specifically requires Bluetooth Classic, 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Thread/Zigbee or substantially more processing power, the S3 is usually the ESP32 version to start with.

ESP32 Versions Comparison

Here is the useful high-level comparison.

ESP32	CPU	Wi-Fi	Bluetooth	Thread / Zigbee	USB	Best use
ESP32	Dual-core Xtensa, 240 MHz	Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz	Classic + BLE	No	No native USB	Legacy projects, BT Classic
ESP32-S2	Single-core Xtensa, 240 MHz	Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz	None	No	USB OTG	USB devices
ESP32-S3	Dual-core Xtensa, 240 MHz	Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz	BLE 5	No	USB OTG + Serial/JTAG	Best general-purpose ESP32
ESP32-S31	Dual-core RISC-V, 320 MHz	Wi-Fi 6, 2.4 GHz	Classic + BLE 5.4	Yes	USB OTG + Serial/JTAG	Advanced IoT, HMI, AI
ESP32-C2	Single-core RISC-V, 120 MHz	Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz	BLE	No	—	Very low-cost IoT
ESP32-C3	Single-core RISC-V, 160 MHz	Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz	BLE 5	No	Serial/JTAG	Cheap sensors
ESP32-C61	Single-core RISC-V, 160 MHz	Wi-Fi 6, 2.4 GHz	BLE 5	No	Serial/JTAG	Low-cost Wi-Fi 6
ESP32-C6	Single-core RISC-V, 160 MHz	Wi-Fi 6, 2.4 GHz	BLE 5	Yes	Serial/JTAG	Matter / Thread / Zigbee
ESP32-C5	Single-core RISC-V, 240 MHz	Wi-Fi 6, 2.4 + 5 GHz	BLE 5	Yes	Serial/JTAG	Dual-band IoT
ESP32-H2	Single-core RISC-V, 96 MHz	None	BLE	Yes	Serial/JTAG	Thread/Zigbee sensors
ESP32-H21	Single-core RISC-V, 96 MHz	None	BLE	Yes	—	Low-power Thread/Zigbee
ESP32-H4	Dual-core RISC-V, 96 MHz	None	BLE 5.4	Yes	USB OTG	Advanced battery IoT
ESP32-P4	Dual-core RISC-V, 400 MHz	None	None	No	USB 2.0 HS/FS	HMI, vision, multimedia
ESP32-E22	Dual-core RISC-V	Wi-Fi 6E, 2.4/5/6 GHz	Classic + BLE 5.4	No	Host interfaces	Wireless co-processor

A very important distinction is that USB support is not the same on every ESP32. The S2, S3, S31 and P4 provide general-purpose USB OTG capabilities, while chips such as the C3, C5 and C6 primarily provide an integrated USB Serial/JTAG interface for flashing, serial communication and debugging.

Original ESP32 — Still Useful in 2026

The original ESP32 is old, but it is far from obsolete.

Its biggest advantage remains Bluetooth Classic + Bluetooth Low Energy combined with an extremely mature software ecosystem.

Typical specifications include:

• dual-core Xtensa LX6 CPU up to 240 MHz
• 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth Classic
• Bluetooth Low Energy
• large Arduino library ecosystem
• huge selection of cheap development boards

The original ESP32 does not have native USB, so most development boards use a USB-to-UART chip such as a CP2102 or CH340.

Choose the original ESP32 when:

• an existing project was designed around it
• you need maximum compatibility with older Arduino libraries
• you need Bluetooth Classic
• you have existing ESP32 hardware you want to reuse

For most completely new projects, however, the ESP32-S3 is usually a better starting point.

ESP32-S2 vs ESP32-S3 vs ESP32-S31

The S family targets more capable applications, particularly USB, HMI, audio, displays and increasingly edge processing.

ESP32-S2

The ESP32-S2 is unusual because it has:

• single-core Xtensa CPU up to 240 MHz
• Wi-Fi
• native USB OTG
• no Bluetooth

It still makes sense for USB devices where Bluetooth is unnecessary, but the S3 is normally more attractive for a new project.

ESP32-S3

The ESP32-S3 became the sweet spot of the ESP32 range.

It has:

• dual-core Xtensa LX7 CPU up to 240 MHz
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 5 LE
• native USB OTG
• USB Serial/JTAG
• 45 programmable GPIOs
• vector instructions
• support for external flash and PSRAM

S3 variants are available with different amounts of integrated PSRAM depending on the exact chip and module.

This makes the S3 particularly good for:

• TFT displays
• LVGL interfaces
• cameras
• audio processing
• voice projects
• web interfaces
• Bluetooth sensors
• projects requiring large buffers

ESP32-S3 with PSRAM or without?

For basic sensors, relays and automation, you usually don’t need PSRAM.

For displays, cameras, audio or larger applications, buy the PSRAM version.

An S3 board with 8 MB PSRAM is an excellent general-purpose ESP32 board to keep on the workbench.

ESP32-S31 — the next-generation S-series

The ESP32-S31 is a much newer design and a substantial step beyond the S3.

It combines:

• dual-core 32-bit RISC-V CPU up to 320 MHz
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.4 LE
• Bluetooth Classic
• IEEE 802.15.4 for Thread and Zigbee
• up to 60 GPIO
• USB OTG
• USB Serial/JTAG
• Gigabit Ethernet MAC
• display and camera interfaces
• SIMD/vector capabilities

Espressif positions it for advanced IoT, HMI, machine learning, computer vision and intelligent audio applications.

Interestingly, the S31 also brings Bluetooth Classic back to a mainstream ESP32 microcontroller, something missing from the S2 and S3.

However, there is an important catch for hobbyists.

As of 2026, software and framework support for the S31 is still less mature than it is for established chips such as the S3 and C3.

So although the S31 is technically much more capable, I would still choose an S3 for a normal Arduino project today unless you specifically need the S31’s newer features.

ESP32-C Series — C2 vs C3 vs C61 vs C6 vs C5

The C-series moved ESP32 from Xtensa CPUs to RISC-V and now covers everything from very cheap Wi-Fi devices to dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Matter.

ESP32-C2

The C2 is the stripped-down budget option.

It is a single-core 120 MHz RISC-V device aimed primarily at cost-sensitive connected products.

Use it when board cost and simplicity matter more than GPIO count, USB features or performance.

For hobby projects, the C3 normally offers a better balance.

ESP32-C3

The ESP32-C3 is one of the best inexpensive ESP32 versions.

It provides:

• single-core 32-bit RISC-V CPU up to 160 MHz
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 5 LE
• integrated USB Serial/JTAG
• low cost
• mature Arduino/ESP-IDF support

The C3 is a cost-effective Wi-Fi + Bluetooth LE platform based on RISC-V.

Best for:

• temperature sensors
• switches
• relays
• small data loggers
• BLE gateways
• simple battery devices
• compact PCB designs

If an S3 is more processor than you need, the C3 is often the sensible cheaper option.

ESP32-C61

The ESP32-C61 is easy to confuse with the C6, but they target slightly different jobs.

The C61 provides:

• single-core RISC-V CPU up to 160 MHz
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5 LE
• USB Serial/JTAG
• flash/PSRAM variants
• no IEEE 802.15.4 radio

It is designed as a cost-effective Wi-Fi 6 + BLE device.

C61 vs C6

Choose C61 if you want:

• Wi-Fi 6
• BLE
• low cost

Choose C6 if you also need:

• Thread
• Zigbee
• Matter-over-Thread

ESP32-C6

The ESP32-C6 is currently one of the most interesting chips for smart-home projects.

It combines:

• 160 MHz RISC-V application processor
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5 LE
• IEEE 802.15.4
• Thread
• Zigbee
• USB Serial/JTAG

The combination of Wi-Fi 6, BLE and IEEE 802.15.4 makes it suitable for both Wi-Fi and Thread-based Matter devices.

Best for:

• Matter devices
• Thread endpoints
• Zigbee devices
• smart-home sensors
• modern connected appliances

If you are building a new smart-home project, C6 is the ESP32 I would look at first.

ESP32-C5 — The ESP32 with 5 GHz Wi-Fi

One of the most important newer ESP32 chips is the ESP32-C5.

Unlike most ESP32 devices, it supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi.

Specifications include:

• single-core 32-bit RISC-V CPU up to 240 MHz
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5 LE
• IEEE 802.15.4
• Thread
• Zigbee
• external PSRAM support
• USB Serial/JTAG

The C5 supports 802.11ax while remaining backwards-compatible with older Wi-Fi standards.

C5 vs C6

	ESP32-C6	ESP32-C5
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
5 GHz Wi-Fi	No	Yes
Wi-Fi 6	Yes	Yes
BLE	Yes	Yes
Thread	Yes	Yes
Zigbee	Yes	Yes
CPU	160 MHz	240 MHz
Best for	Smart home / Matter	Higher-performance dual-band IoT

If you specifically need 5 GHz Wi-Fi, choose the ESP32-C5.

Otherwise, the C6 is already more than capable for most Matter and automation projects.

ESP32-H2, H21 and H4 — Thread/Zigbee Without Wi-Fi

The H-series takes a different approach.

These chips include:

• Bluetooth LE
• IEEE 802.15.4
• Thread
• Zigbee

but no Wi-Fi radio.

That can reduce complexity and power consumption in devices that only need mesh connectivity.

ESP32-H2

The H2 is a single-core 96 MHz RISC-V device intended for low-power BLE and IEEE 802.15.4 applications.

Good examples include:

• door sensors
• motion sensors
• temperature sensors
• smart switches
• Matter-over-Thread endpoints
• Zigbee devices

One important point is that an H2 does not automatically become a Thread Border Router simply because it supports Thread.

A border router also requires an IP-side connection such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet. The H2 can instead be used as the 802.15.4 radio alongside another host processor.

ESP32-H21

The H21 is an evolution of the H2 aimed at even more power-sensitive devices.

It adds an integrated DC-DC converter and supports up to 20 dBm transmit power, improving efficiency and link range for battery-powered Thread, Zigbee and BLE devices.

For a new simple battery-powered Thread/Zigbee product, the H21 is more interesting than the older H2 where availability and software support suit the project.

ESP32-H4

The H4 is considerably more capable.

It combines:

• dual-core 32-bit RISC-V CPU up to 96 MHz
• Bluetooth 5.4 LE
• IEEE 802.15.4
• Thread 1.4
• Zigbee 3.0
• LE Audio features
• external PSRAM support
• USB OTG
• integrated DC-DC converter

The H4 is aimed at wearables, wireless audio, healthcare devices and large low-power sensor networks.

Think of the H4 as the higher-end next-generation H-series device, while H2/H21 remain suitable for simpler sensor nodes.

ESP32-P4 — A Very Different ESP32

The ESP32-P4 is not really a replacement for an ESP32-S3 or C6.

It is a high-performance processor designed for applications that need significantly more local computing power.

It has:

• dual-core 32-bit RISC-V CPU up to 400 MHz
• large PSRAM options depending on variant
• USB 2.0
• MIPI camera/display interfaces
• hardware multimedia functions
• H.264 encoding support
• rich display peripherals

But:

The ESP32-P4 has no built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

The P4 is designed for high-performance HMI, edge computing and multimedia applications.

Development boards can therefore combine a P4 with another ESP32, such as a C6, to provide wireless connectivity.

Best for:

• large touchscreens
• LVGL interfaces
• camera processing
• video
• industrial HMI
• multimedia
• edge processing

If your project is basically a sensor connected to Wi-Fi, the P4 is unnecessary.

If you’re building something closer to a smart display or embedded computer, it becomes much more interesting.

ESP32-E22 — Wi-Fi 6E, but Not a Normal ESP32 Dev Board

The ESP32-E22 introduces something new to the ESP32 range: 6 GHz Wi-Fi.

It supports:

• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6E
• 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6E
• 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth Classic
• Bluetooth 5.4 LE
• PCIe
• SDIO
• very high wireless throughput

However, it is designed primarily as a Radio Co-Processor for another host processor rather than as the microcontroller at the centre of a normal Arduino-style project.

So if your question is:

Which ESP32 supports 6 GHz Wi-Fi?

the answer is ESP32-E22.

But if your question is:

Which ESP32 board should I use for my sensor project?

the E22 probably isn’t what you are looking for.

ESP32 Modules: WROOM vs WROVER vs MINI vs PICO

A lot of ESP32 confusion comes from mixing up chips, modules and development boards.

For example:

ESP32-S3 = chip family

ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 = module containing the chip, flash, antenna and supporting hardware

ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 = development board containing the module, USB connection, regulator and header pins

They are not three different ESP32 versions.

WROOM

WROOM is Espressif’s common general-purpose module format.

Examples include:

• ESP32-WROOM
• ESP32-S3-WROOM-1
• ESP32-C6-WROOM-1
• ESP32-C5-WROOM-1
• ESP32-C61-WROOM-1

WROVER

The WROVER name is mainly associated with original ESP32 modules that include external PSRAM.

These became popular for cameras, displays and other memory-heavy applications.

For newer S3 hardware, look at the actual flash/PSRAM configuration of the S3-WROOM module rather than assuming that you need something called an “S3-WROVER”.

MINI

MINI modules are designed to provide a smaller PCB footprint.

Examples include:

• ESP32-C3-MINI
• ESP32-C6-MINI
• ESP32-C5-MINI
• ESP32-C61-MINI

They are useful when physical board size matters.

PICO

PICO devices use a more highly integrated system-in-package approach.

The classic example is the ESP32-PICO-D4, while newer S3 PICO variants are also available.

What Does the “U” Mean?

You may see module names such as:

• ESP32-S3-WROOM-1
• ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U
• ESP32-C6-WROOM-1
• ESP32-C6-WROOM-1U

The U does not mean a different ESP32 family.

It identifies a module designed for an external antenna connection rather than the normal integrated PCB antenna.

There is therefore no “ESP32-U family.”

ESP32 Development Boards Explained

The chip determines what the ESP32 can do.

The development board determines how convenient it is to use.

For most users, these are the board types worth knowing.

Development board	Chip	Recommended for
ESP32 DevKitC	ESP32	Legacy/general ESP32 projects
ESP32-S3-DevKitC	S3	Best general board
ESP32-C3-DevKitM	C3	Cheap sensors
ESP32-C6-DevKitC / DevKitM	C6	Matter / Thread / Zigbee
ESP32-C5 DevKit	C5	Dual-band Wi-Fi
ESP32-H2 DevKit	H2	Thread/Zigbee
ESP32-P4 Function EV Board	P4	HMI/multimedia
ESP32-P4-EYE	P4	Vision
ESP32-S31 development boards	S31	Advanced/early development

What About NodeMCU, ESP32-CAM, XIAO and M5Stack?

These are board families or products, not new ESP32 chip versions.

NodeMCU-32S

Usually contains an original ESP32-class module.

It is inexpensive and widely available, but doesn’t represent a separate ESP32 architecture.

ESP32-CAM

The common ESP32-CAM is a cheap camera development board based on the original ESP32 generation.

It remains popular because of its low price, but the S3 is usually a better platform for a new camera project.

M5Stack

M5Stack makes complete development products around several different ESP32 chips.

The exact ESP32 inside matters more than the M5Stack name.

The same applies to Seeed Studio XIAO, LILYGO and similar board families.

Best ESP32 for Different Projects

Best ESP32 for beginners

ESP32-S3

It gives you enough performance, USB, Wi-Fi, BLE and GPIO for almost anything you are likely to build while keeping excellent software support.

Best cheap ESP32

ESP32-C3

For simple sensors and automation where you only need Wi-Fi + BLE, the C3 is difficult to beat.

Best ESP32 for Matter

ESP32-C6

You get:

• Wi-Fi 6
• BLE
• Thread
• Zigbee
• IEEE 802.15.4

That combination makes it one of the most flexible ESP32 chips for modern smart-home development.

Best ESP32 for 5 GHz Wi-Fi

ESP32-C5

The C5 supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6 while also providing BLE and 802.15.4.

Best ESP32 for battery-powered Thread/Zigbee sensors

ESP32-H21

For simple low-power endpoints, H21 is particularly interesting because of its integrated DC-DC converter and 802.15.4/BLE radio.

For more demanding low-power applications, consider the H4.

Best ESP32 for cameras

ESP32-S3 with PSRAM

For inexpensive cameras and computer-vision experiments, an S3 with sufficient PSRAM remains one of the easiest platforms to work with.

For substantially more demanding vision applications, move up to the ESP32-P4.

Best ESP32 for displays

For small and medium displays:

ESP32-S3 with PSRAM

For large displays, rich HMI or multimedia:

ESP32-P4

Best ESP32 for Bluetooth Classic

For a mature, inexpensive project:

Original ESP32

The newer ESP32-S31 also supports Bluetooth Classic, but the original ESP32 currently has a much more mature hobbyist ecosystem.

Best ESP32 for ESP-NOW

ESP-NOW is not limited to the original ESP32.

ESP-NOW is supported across Wi-Fi-capable ESP32 families, including chips such as the C3 and C6.

For a new ESP-NOW project, choose the chip based on the rest of your requirements:

• ESP32 → maximum legacy compatibility
• S3 → high-performance general-purpose nodes
• C3 → cheap sensor nodes
• C6 → ESP-NOW plus Wi-Fi 6 / smart-home capability
• C5 → useful when dual-band Wi-Fi is also required

A good antenna and board design can matter as much as the processor choice for real-world ESP-NOW range.

ESP32-S3 vs C3 vs C6 vs C5

For most people choosing a new ESP32, this is the comparison that actually matters:

	ESP32-S3	ESP32-C3	ESP32-C6	ESP32-C5
CPU	Dual-core 240 MHz	Single-core 160 MHz	Single-core 160 MHz	Single-core 240 MHz
Architecture	Xtensa	RISC-V	RISC-V	RISC-V
Wi-Fi	2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4	2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4	2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6	2.4 + 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6
BLE	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Thread/Zigbee	No	No	Yes	Yes
USB OTG	Yes	No	No	No
PSRAM	Widely available	No/limited	No typical	Supported
Best for	General use	Cheap IoT	Matter	Dual-band IoT

Choose S3 if:

you don’t have a specific reason to choose something else.

Choose C3 if:

cost and simplicity matter.

Choose C6 if:

you need Matter, Thread or Zigbee.

Choose C5 if:

you need 5 GHz Wi-Fi.

That is the easiest way to choose between the four ESP32 versions most hobbyists are likely to encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best ESP32 version?

For most hobbyists and general embedded projects, the ESP32-S3 provides the best balance of processing power, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, GPIO and software support.

Is ESP32-S3 better than ESP32?

Technically, the S3 is better for many modern projects because it has a newer CPU architecture, native USB and better support for memory-intensive applications.

However, the original ESP32 still has one important advantage: Bluetooth Classic, plus extremely mature software compatibility.

Which ESP32 supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi?

The ESP32-C5 supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6.

Which ESP32 supports 6 GHz Wi-Fi?

The ESP32-E22 supports tri-band 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E, but it is primarily intended as a connectivity co-processor rather than a normal standalone maker MCU.

Which ESP32 supports Zigbee?

ESP32 chips with an IEEE 802.15.4 radio include:

• ESP32-C5
• ESP32-C6
• ESP32-H2
• ESP32-H21
• ESP32-H4
• ESP32-S31

These can support Zigbee and/or Thread through the appropriate software stack.

Which ESP32 supports Matter?

Matter can run over Wi-Fi or Thread.

For a versatile Matter development board, the ESP32-C6 is particularly attractive because the same chip contains Wi-Fi, BLE and IEEE 802.15.4.

Which ESP32 has Bluetooth Classic?

The original ESP32 supports Bluetooth Classic and BLE.

The newer ESP32-S31 also includes Bluetooth Classic alongside Bluetooth 5.4 LE.

The ESP32-S3, C3, C5 and C6 support Bluetooth Low Energy but not Bluetooth Classic.

Final Recommendation

The ESP32 range is much larger than it used to be, but most projects still fall into a handful of categories.

If you want one ESP32 board that can handle almost anything: ESP32-S3 DevKit with PSRAM

It is still the best combination of capability, ecosystem maturity and price for a general-purpose development board.

If you want cheap Wi-Fi + BLE: ESP32-C3

If you’re building Matter, Thread or Zigbee devices: ESP32-C6

If you need 5 GHz Wi-Fi: ESP32-C5

If you need a low-power Thread/Zigbee sensor: ESP32-H21 or H4

If you need much more display, camera or multimedia performance: ESP32-P4

If you want Espressif’s next-generation high-performance connected MCU:ESP32-S31

For most makers starting a project today, the answer remains simple: ESP32-S3 with PSRAM