ESP32-S3 Pico WiFi Development Board 240MHz Dual-Core

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 Pico WiFi Development Board is a compact and powerful microcontroller board designed for Internet of Things (IoT), embedded electronics, wireless communication and AIoT applications. Powered by the ESP32-S3R2 microcontroller, it features a 240MHz Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor, 16MB Flash memory and 2MB PSRAM, delivering excellent performance for a wide range of electronics projects.

With integrated 2.4GHz WiFi, Bluetooth 5 Low Energy (BLE) and 27 multifunction GPIO pins, the ESP32-S3 Pico provides flexible connectivity and expansion options for smart devices, automation systems, sensors and wireless applications.

This version comes with pre-soldered header pins, making it easy to connect to breadboards, jumper wires and compatible Raspberry Pi Pico expansion modules without additional soldering.

Key Features

• ESP32-S3R2 Microcontroller: Features a 32-bit Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor running at up to 240MHz.

• 16MB Flash Memory: Provides generous storage for firmware, applications and embedded software.

• 2MB PSRAM: Additional memory for more demanding applications, data processing and graphics.

• 2.4GHz WiFi Connectivity: Supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n wireless networking for IoT and internet-connected projects.

• Bluetooth 5 LE: Supports Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth Mesh for wireless communication.

• Pre-Soldered Header Pins: Ready for direct connection to breadboards and compatible expansion boards.

• 27 Multifunction GPIO Pins: Provides flexible connections for sensors, displays, motors and other electronic components.

• USB Type-C Interface: Convenient programming, debugging and power connection.

• USB and UART Development: Onboard CH343 and CH334 chips support USB and UART communication through a single USB-C connection.

• Efficient Power Management: Integrated MP28164 DC-DC buck-boost converter with load current capability of up to 2A.

• Raspberry Pi Pico Expansion Compatibility: Supports a wide range of compatible Pico expansion modules.

• Multiple Programming Environments: Supports ESP-IDF, Arduino and MicroPython development.

Powerful 240MHz Dual-Core Processing

The ESP32-S3 Pico is equipped with the ESP32-S3R2 microcontroller, featuring a 32-bit Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor operating at up to 240MHz.

With 512KB SRAM, 384KB ROM, 2MB PSRAM and 16MB external Flash memory, the board offers the processing power and memory capacity required for connected electronics, sensor monitoring, data processing and embedded applications.

The ESP32-S3 architecture also includes vector processing instructions that can accelerate certain artificial intelligence and digital signal processing workloads, making it suitable for lightweight AIoT development.

WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Connectivity

The ESP32-S3 Pico integrates 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Low Energy, enabling communication with wireless networks, smartphones and compatible IoT devices.

WiFi Connectivity: Supports 802.11 b/g/n wireless networking with up to 40MHz channel bandwidth, making it suitable for remote monitoring, web-based controls and cloud-connected applications.

Bluetooth 5 Low Energy: Enables energy-efficient wireless communication with Bluetooth sensors, mobile devices and compatible peripherals. Bluetooth Mesh support also allows the development of connected device networks.

These features make the board an excellent choice for smart home automation, wireless monitoring and connected electronics projects.

Flexible GPIO and Peripheral Interfaces

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 Pico provides 27 multifunction GPIO pins, allowing developers to connect and control a variety of external devices.

Supported peripheral interfaces include:

• SPI for displays, sensors and communication modules

• I2C for digital sensors and peripheral devices

• UART for serial communication

• ADC for analogue signal measurement

• PWM for LED brightness and motor control

• USB OTG for supported USB applications

• DVP camera interfaces (8-bit to 16-bit)

• Parallel LCD interfaces, including RGB, I8080 and MOTO6800

The flexible GPIO Matrix and IO MUX allow many peripheral functions to be assigned to different GPIO pins, simplifying custom hardware integration.

Raspberry Pi Pico Expansion Compatibility

The ESP32-S3 Pico features a Raspberry Pi Pico-style form factor and header layout, making it compatible with a variety of suitable Pico expansion modules.

Compatible expansion options include:

• LCD and OLED displays

• E-paper displays

• Sensor and IMU modules

• Real-time clock (RTC) modules

• GPIO expansion boards

• LED display modules

• Compatible communication modules

This makes the board particularly useful for developers who want to combine ESP32 wireless connectivity with the Raspberry Pi Pico accessory ecosystem.

Note: Software support and pin compatibility should be checked when using Raspberry Pi Pico expansion modules.

USB-C Programming and Power Management

The onboard USB Type-C connector provides a convenient connection for programming, communication and power.

Integrated CH343 and CH334 chips enable USB and UART development through the same USB-C port, simplifying the development process.

The board also incorporates an MP28164 high-efficiency DC-DC buck-boost converter, providing efficient voltage regulation with a load current capability of up to 2A.

Dedicated BOOT and RESET buttons allow convenient firmware uploading, troubleshooting and development.

Technical Specifications

• Brand: Waveshare

• Model: ESP32-S3-Pico-M

• Microcontroller: ESP32-S3R2

• Processor: Xtensa 32-bit LX7 dual-core

• Clock Speed: Up to 240MHz

• SRAM: 512KB

• ROM: 384KB

• PSRAM: 2MB

• Flash Memory: 16MB

• WiFi: 2.4GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5 Low Energy (BLE)

• Bluetooth Mesh: Supported

• GPIO: 27 multifunction GPIO pins

• Peripheral Interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, ADC, PWM, USB OTG, DVP and LCD

• USB Connection: USB Type-C

• USB-to-UART Chip: CH343P

• USB Hub Controller: CH334F

• Power Management: MP28164 DC-DC buck-boost converter

• Antenna: Onboard 2.4GHz ceramic antenna

• Programming Support: ESP-IDF, Arduino and MicroPython

• Expansion Compatibility: Raspberry Pi Pico-style expansion modules

• Header Pins: Pre-soldered

• Onboard Buttons: BOOT and RESET

Applications

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 Pico Development Board is suitable for a wide range of electronics and embedded projects, including:

• Internet of Things (IoT) devices

• Smart home automation and wireless controllers

• Bluetooth Low Energy communication projects

• Wireless sensor monitoring systems

• Industrial automation and data logging

• Robotics and motor control applications

• LCD and OLED display projects

• Camera and image processing applications

• Lightweight artificial intelligence and AIoT development

• Educational electronics and microcontroller programming

• Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible hardware prototyping

• Custom embedded systems and connected devices

Why Choose the Waveshare ESP32-S3 Pico?

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 Pico combines powerful dual-core processing, integrated wireless communication and extensive hardware expansion capabilities in a compact development board.

With 16MB Flash, 2MB PSRAM, 27 GPIO pins and pre-soldered headers, it provides an excellent platform for developers, engineers, students and electronics enthusiasts.

Its support for ESP-IDF, Arduino and MicroPython makes it accessible to both beginners and experienced developers, while its Raspberry Pi Pico-style layout allows convenient integration with compatible expansion modules.

Whether you are developing a WiFi-enabled controller, Bluetooth sensor system, smart automation project or custom embedded application, the ESP32-S3 Pico offers a versatile and reliable development platform.

Manufacturer Part Number: ESP32-S3-Pico-M

Documentation and Development Resources: https://docs.waveshare.com/ESP32-S3-Pico