ESP32-S3 1.28 Inch Round Touch LCD Development Board

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 1.28 Inch Round Touch LCD Development Board is a compact, high-performance microcontroller development platform featuring a full-colour circular touchscreen, integrated WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a premium CNC-machined metal enclosure.

Powered by the ESP32-S3 dual-core processor running at up to 240MHz, this versatile development board combines a 1.28-inch capacitive touch display, 6-axis motion sensor, 16MB Flash memory and 2MB PSRAM in a compact, ready-to-integrate design.

The round LCD features a 240 × 240 pixel resolution with 65K colours, using the GC9A01 display driver and CST816S capacitive touch controller. Its integrated QMI8658 accelerometer and gyroscope enable motion sensing, gesture recognition and orientation-based applications.

With built-in 2.4GHz WiFi, Bluetooth 5 Low Energy, USB Type-C connectivity and lithium battery charging support, this ESP32-S3 touchscreen module is ideal for smart home controllers, portable IoT devices, wearable electronics, interactive displays and custom embedded systems.

The included CNC metal case with an acrylic bottom plate provides a professional finish, making the board suitable for both prototyping and finished electronic projects.

Key Features

• ESP32-S3 Dual-Core Processor: Xtensa 32-bit LX7 dual-core CPU operating at up to 240MHz.

• 1.28 Inch Round Touchscreen: Circular capacitive touch LCD with 240 × 240 pixel resolution.

• 65K Colour Display: Supports 65,536 colours for graphical user interfaces, icons and visual information.

• GC9A01 Display Driver: Integrated controller for the round LCD panel.

• CST816S Touch Controller: Capacitive touch functionality for interactive applications.

• WiFi and Bluetooth Connectivity: Supports 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Low Energy.

• 16MB Flash Memory: Provides storage for firmware, graphics and application resources.

• 2MB PSRAM: Additional memory for graphical and embedded applications.

• 6-Axis Motion Sensor: Integrated QMI8658 accelerometer and gyroscope for movement and orientation detection.

• CNC Metal Enclosure: Includes a precision-machined metal case with an acrylic bottom plate.

• USB Type-C Interface: Convenient connection for programming, serial communication and power.

• Lithium Battery Support: Onboard charging and discharging circuitry for a compatible 3.7V lithium battery.

• GPIO Expansion: Six GPIO pins available through an SH1.0 connector.

• Compact Integrated Design: Suitable for portable electronics, custom control interfaces and embedded IoT applications.

Technical Specifications

Processor and Memory

• Brand: Waveshare

• Model: ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.28-B

• Microcontroller: ESP32-S3R2 / ESP32-S3RH2

• Processor Architecture: Xtensa 32-bit LX7 Dual-Core

• Maximum CPU Frequency: 240MHz

• Internal SRAM: 512KB

• ROM: 384KB

• PSRAM: 2MB

• Flash Memory: 16MB

• Flash Chip: W25Q128JVSIQ

Display Specifications

• Display Size: 1.28 Inches

• Display Shape: Round

• Display Type: Colour LCD

• Resolution: 240 × 240 Pixels

• Display Colours: 65K

• Display Driver: GC9A01

• Touch Technology: Capacitive

• Touch Controller: CST816S

Wireless Connectivity

• WiFi: 2.4GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5 Low Energy

• Antenna: Onboard Wireless Antenna

Onboard Hardware

• Motion Sensor: QMI8658 6-Axis IMU

• Accelerometer: 3-Axis

• Gyroscope: 3-Axis

• USB-to-UART Chip: CH343P

• Power Management Chip: MP1605

• Lithium Battery Charging IC: ETA6096

• USB Connection: USB Type-C

• Battery Connector: MX1.25 2-Pin

• Battery Compatibility: 3.7V Lithium Battery

• GPIO Expansion: 6 GPIO Pins via SH1.0 Connector

• Control Buttons: BOOT and RESET

• Enclosure: CNC Metal Case with Acrylic Bottom Plate

1.28 Inch Round Capacitive Touch Display

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 development board features an integrated 1.28-inch circular LCD with a resolution of 240 × 240 pixels and support for 65K colours.

The GC9A01 display driver enables graphical output, while the CST816S capacitive touch controller allows users to interact with on-screen buttons, menus and controls.

The round touchscreen design makes this module particularly suitable for:

• Circular graphical user interfaces

• Smart home control panels

• Portable touchscreen devices

• Wearable electronics prototypes

• Interactive IoT dashboards

• Custom electronic instruments

Powerful ESP32-S3 Dual-Core Processing

The onboard ESP32-S3 microcontroller features a 32-bit Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor operating at frequencies up to 240MHz.

With 512KB internal SRAM, 2MB PSRAM and 16MB Flash memory, the board provides resources for embedded applications requiring wireless communication, graphical output and sensor processing.

This makes it suitable for developing connected electronic devices with interactive user interfaces.

WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Connectivity

The integrated ESP32-S3 supports 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Low Energy, allowing the development board to communicate with wireless networks, compatible sensors and other connected devices.

Potential applications include:

• WiFi-connected smart home controllers

• Bluetooth sensor displays

• Wireless monitoring systems

• IoT dashboards

• Remote control interfaces

• Connected portable electronics

The onboard antenna provides a compact wireless solution without requiring a separate antenna module.

Integrated Accelerometer and Gyroscope

The board includes a QMI8658 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) combining a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope.

This sensor can measure acceleration and angular motion, enabling developers to create applications involving:

• Motion detection

• Gesture recognition

• Device orientation

• Movement-based controls

• Interactive handheld electronics

• Robotics and motion-monitoring projects

Premium CNC Metal Case

Unlike many exposed development boards, this Waveshare module includes a CNC-machined metal enclosure with an acrylic bottom plate.

The enclosure provides a neat, professional appearance and makes the module suitable for integration into custom electronic products and demonstration projects.

Its round display and compact form factor are particularly well suited to modern control interfaces and portable electronics.

USB Type-C and Lithium Battery Support

The onboard USB Type-C connector provides a convenient interface for programming and serial communication.

The board also includes an ETA6096 lithium battery charging management circuit and an MX1.25 2-pin battery connector for compatible 3.7V lithium batteries.

This allows developers to create portable electronic projects without relying exclusively on a permanent USB power connection.

Note: A lithium battery is not included unless specifically supplied as part of a kit.

GPIO Expansion and Embedded Development

The board provides six GPIO pins through an SH1.0 connector, allowing developers to connect compatible external sensors, switches and other electronic peripherals.

The ESP32-S3 platform supports embedded firmware development using compatible Espressif development tools and frameworks.

Waveshare also provides online documentation and technical resources to assist with hardware integration and software development.

Typical Applications

• ESP32-S3 development and prototyping

• Smart home touchscreen controllers

• Round graphical user interfaces

• WiFi and Bluetooth IoT devices

• Portable monitoring systems

• Wearable electronics prototypes

• Motion and gesture detection projects

• Interactive control panels

• DIY smart displays

• Embedded automation systems

• Custom electronic instruments

• Educational electronics and programming projects

Important Information

• This product includes the CNC metal case and acrylic bottom plate.

• The integrated LCD supports capacitive touch functionality.

• The board operates using an ESP32-S3 dual-core microcontroller.

• WiFi connectivity supports 2.4GHz networks.

• Bluetooth functionality is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

• The onboard battery connector is designed for a compatible 3.7V lithium battery.

• External sensors and peripherals may require additional connectors or wiring.

• Programming and software configuration are required for custom applications.

• A lithium battery and additional accessories are not included unless otherwise specified.

Package Contents

1 × Waveshare ESP32-S3 1.28 Inch Round Touch LCD Development Board with CNC Metal Case

Manufacturer Resources

Technical documentation, hardware information and development resources are available from Waveshare:

https://docs.waveshare.com/ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.28