ESPRESSIF ESP32-S3 RF Transceiver Microcontroller IC Wi-Fi & BLE 5.0 Dual-Core Xtensa LX7 for Custom PCB Designs

Specifications

• Microcontroller: Xtensa Dual-Core 32-bit LX7
• Clock Speed: Up to 240 MHz
• Wireless Connectivity: 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) & Bluetooth LE 5.0
• ROM: 384 KB
• SRAM: 512 KB
• SRAM in RTC: 16 KB
• Interfaces: 45 programmable GPIOs, SPI, I2S, I2C, PWM, RMT, ADC, UART, SD/MMC host
• Operating Voltage: 3.0V to 3.6V
• Package Type: QFN56 (7x7 mm bare IC)
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to 105°C
• Hardware Security: Secure Boot, Flash Encryption, Cryptographic Accelerators (AES, SHA, RSA, ECC, RNG)

Features

• Wi-Fi:IEEE 802.11b/g/n-compliant
• Supports 20 MHz and 40 MHz bandwidth in 2.4 GHz band
• 1T1R mode with data rate up to 150 Mbps
• Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM)
• TX/RX A-MPDU, TX/RX A-MSDU
• Immediate Block ACK
• Fragmentation and defragmentation
• Automatic Beacon monitoring (hardware TSF)
• Four virtual Wi-Fi interfaces
• Simultaneous support for Infrastructure BSS in Station, SoftAP, or Station + SoftAP modes
• Antenna diversity
• 802.11mc FTM

Applications

• Smart Home
• Industrial Automation
• Health Care
• Consumer Electronics
• Smart Agriculture
• POS machines
• Service robot
• Audio Devices
• Generic Low-power IoT Sensor Hubs
• Generic Low-power IoT Data Loggers
• Cameras for Video Streaming
• USB Devices
• Speech Recognition
• Image Recognition
• Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Networking Card
• Touch and Proximity Sensing

Package Includes:

• 1 X ESPRESSIF ESP32-S3 RF Transceiver Microcontroller IC Wi-Fi & BLE 5.0 Dual-Core Xtensa LX7 for Custom PCB Designs

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the operating voltage of the ESP32-S3 IC?
  The IC operates strictly between 3.0V and 3.6V, with 3.3V being the standard typical voltage.
• Can I power this IC with 5V?
  No. Applying 5V to any VDD or GPIO pin will permanently destroy the silicon. You must use a 3.3V voltage regulator.
• What is the maximum current draw?
  During active RF transmission (Wi-Fi), the chip can draw upwards of 240mA to 340mA. Ensure your LDO regulator can provide at least 500mA.
• Do I need external decoupling capacitors?
  Yes. You must place 0.1µF and 10µF capacitors as close as physically possible to the VDD pins to filter out noise and stabilize the power supply.
• What happens if I forget the pull-up resistor on the EN pin?
  The chip may fail to boot, enter a boot loop, or randomly reset due to a floating enable pin picking up environmental noise.
• Can I program the ESP32-S3 using the Arduino IDE?
  Yes, it is fully supported by the Arduino IDE. Simply install the ESP32 board manager package and select "ESP32S3 Dev Module".
• Does this IC support MicroPython?
  Yes, MicroPython runs exceptionally well on the ESP32-S3, taking advantage of its large memory capacity.
• What is the difference between ESP32 and ESP32-S3?
  The S3 is a newer generation featuring AI vector instructions, Bluetooth LE 5.0 (no classic Bluetooth), native USB OTG, and additional GPIOs.
• Does it support the ESP-IDF framework?
  Yes, ESP-IDF is Espressif’s official and primary development framework for this IC.
• Do I need an external programmer?
  You will need a USB-to-UART bridge (like CP2102 or CH340) to initially flash the firmware via the TX/RX pins, or you can use the native USB pins if your schematic implements them.
• Is an external crystal oscillator required?
  Yes, a 40MHz crystal oscillator is required for the internal clock generation.
• Does this specific IC have built-in flash memory?
  No, this is the bare microcontroller silicon. You must include an external SPI flash memory chip in your schematic to store code.
• How many GPIO pins are available?
  The ESP32-S3 features up to 45 programmable GPIO pins.
• Can I hand-solder this IC?
  Because it uses a QFN56 package with a hidden center pad, hand soldering with a standard iron is nearly impossible. A hot air rework station or reflow oven is highly recommended.
• Why is the center thermal pad important?
  The exposed center pad serves as the primary ground connection and is essential for heat dissipation. Failing to solder it to a ground plane will cause instability and overheating.
• Does this chip support classic Bluetooth?
  No, the ESP32-S3 only supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0.
• Is it a dual-core processor?
  Yes, it features an Xtensa 32-bit LX7 dual-core processor running at up to 240 MHz.
• Why is my ESP32-S3 not entering flash mode?
  To enter flash mode, GPIO0 must be pulled LOW while the EN (reset) pin transitions from LOW to HIGH. Check your boot button circuitry.
• Does it support hardware encryption?
  Yes, it includes robust security features like AES-128/256, SHA, RSA, ECC, RNG, Secure Boot, and Flash Encryption.
• Can I use this for battery-powered projects?
  Absolutely. It features an Ultra-Low Power (ULP) coprocessor and multiple deep sleep modes that draw only a few microamps, perfect for IoT battery applications.