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Every ESP32 Explained in 4 Minutes

Mixed Matrix Arts
Mixed Matrix Arts
Dec 27, 25

The Ultimate Guide (Introduction) to ESP Chips: Understanding ESP32, S3, C6, and H2 Espressif Systems has flooded the market with affordable, high-performance microcontrollers. While the original ESP8266 and ESP32 became hobbyist standards, the newer naming conventions (S3, C3, H2, C6) are often confusing. This guide breaks down exactly what these chips are, how they differ, and which specific board you should choose for your IoT project.

Overview

ESP stands for Espressif Systems, a semiconductor company based in Shanghai. Their boards are direct competitors to Arduino, generally offering faster processors, more memory, and native Wi-Fi connectivity at a significantly lower price point. Most importantly, they are fully compatible with the Arduino IDE and libraries.

Before choosing a specific series, it is critical to understand the form factor:

  1. SoC (System on Chip): The bare chip. No pins, memory, or antenna. Unusable without custom PCB design.

  2. Module: The chip mounted on a small PCB with flash memory and an antenna.

  3. Dev Board: The module plus a USB connector, voltage regulator, and pin headers. Ready to use out of the box (e.g., NodeMCU, M5Stack, Seed Studio Xiao, etc.)

The Chip Series Breakdown

  1. The Legacy: ESP8266 Launched in 2014, this chip revolutionized IoT for hobbyists. While it was the standard for years (notably on the NodeMCU board), it is now considered legacy technology.

Verdict: Avoid for new projects. There are better, more efficient options available today.

  1. The Modern “S” Series (Performance) The “Smart” series focuses on high performance.

ESP32-S2: Single-core processor with Wi-Fi.

ESP32-S3: The successor to the S2. It features a dual-core processor, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5 (LE).

Key Feature: Optimized vector instructions for Machine Learning. It runs TensorFlow Lite significantly faster than other models.

Best For: AI projects, cameras, and high-performance applications.

  1. The “C” Series (Compact & Cost-Effective) The “Classic” or “Common” replacement. These are RISC-V single-core processors designed as general-purpose boards. The higher the number, the newer the board.

ESP32-C3: The budget-friendly standard with Wi-Fi.

ESP32-C6 / C61: Supports the 802.15.4 standard. This makes them compatible with Zigbee, Thread, and Matter, allowing for mesh networking in smart homes.

Best For: General IoT sensors, budget constraints, and standard smart home devices.

  1. The “H” Series (Home Automation Specialist) ESP32-H2: This chip is designed strictly for low-power smart home mesh networks.

Key Distinction: It does not have Wi-Fi.

Connectivity: Zigbee, Thread, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

Best For: Battery-powered sensors communicating via Zigbee/Thread.

  1. The Classic ESP32 The original dual-core ESP32 is still widely available. While it uses an older Wi-Fi standard and is less power-efficient than the new C-series, it has one major advantage: Bluetooth Classic support.

Best For: Audio streaming projects or legacy compatibility.

Conclusion

Espressif’s ecosystem has expanded from a single Wi-Fi chip to a specialized lineup covering AI, Matter, and low-power mesh networking. For most makers today, moving away from the old ESP8266 to the S3 (for power) or C6 (for connectivity) is the logical step forward.

I encourage you to watch the full video above for more details.

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