Comparisons between FireBeetle ESP32, ESP8266, ESP32 C6, and ESP32 S3

Welcome to the FireBeetle ESP32, ESP8266, ESP32-C series, ESP32-S series IoT Microcontroller selection guide. Through this guide, you can get a detailed understanding of the application of Espressif SoC and the comprehensive resources of the FireBeetle series development boards.

This document is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Introduces the comparison of Espressif’s chip series. Through comparison, you can clearly understand the positioning of Espressif’s chips, so you can quickly choose the chip series needed for the project.

Part 2: Introduces the detailed parameter comparison of FireBeetle series MCU. Through comparison, you can directly choose the development board required for the project.

If you are first exposed to ESP32, it is recommended to choose FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E Microcontroller (with Header) and Gravity: IO Shield for FireBeetle 2. The ESP32-E MCU has a lot of tutorials suitable for beginners to learn, and the expansion board is more convenient for wiring. FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E development board (with Header) has a wealth of tutorials and project cases, widely used by makers, and the development board is equipped with a USB to serial burning chip, making code burning simpler. FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E IoT microcontroller (with Header) has already soldered the pin header, so it can be used directly when you get it. With Gravity: IO Shield for FireBeetle 2, you can easily connect various sensors.

Part 1: Comparison of Espressif chip series

ESP32 series: The ESP32 series is Espressif’s classic SoC, supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, has rich tutorials, can refer to many projects, suitable for beginners to learn and IoT projects.

ESP32-C series: The ESP32-C series is a low-power, high-cost performance SoC launched by Espressif. This series is all RISC-V cores, supports various wireless connections, and is suitable for IoT projects. Currently, this series includes ESP32-C3, ESP32-C2, ESP32-C6, ESP32-C5, ESP32-C61.

ESP32-S series: The ESP32-S series is a high-performance SoC launched by Espressif, with a wealth of peripherals, suitable for human-computer interaction, AIoT and other projects. This series currently includes ESP32-S2, ESP32-S3. ESP32-S3 is Espressif’s first SoC that supports AI acceleration. It can use vector instructions through the ESP-DSP and ESP-NN libraries to achieve high-performance image recognition, voice wake-up and recognition applications.

ESP32-P series: The ESP32-P series is a new series released by Espressif in 2024. This series currently includes ESP32-P4. ESP32-P4 is Espressif’s first non-Wi-Fi or Bluetooth SoC, driven by a high-performance dual-core RISC-V processor, with AI instruction extensions, advanced memory subsystems, and integrated high-speed peripherals, fully meeting the higher requirements of the next generation of embedded applications for human-machine interface support, edge computing capabilities, and IO connection characteristics.

ESP32-H series: The ESP32-H series is a low-power, secure link chip launched by Espressif. This series all support Thread and Zigbee, suitable for building Thread border routers and Zigbee bridges with other SoCs, connecting Thread and Zigbee devices with Matter Wi-Fi networks. Currently, this series includes ESP32-H2, ESP32-H4.

ESP8266 series: ESP8266 is Espressif’s first SoC for IoT scenarios, integrated with Wi-Fi. Espressif no longer recommends using it, and suggests using the ESP32-C series as a replacement.

Espressif Chip Matrix

ESP32 Chip Parameter Comparison

Part 2: FireBeetle comparison

An important distinction to note in the FireBeetle series is the difference between the first and second generation. While both generations have their unique strengths, key differences lie in the chips they utilize and their physical characteristics. The second-generation FireBeetle products are more compact in size and feature different chips compared to their first-generation counterparts. Moreover, due to changes in size and pin layout, the expansion boards of the two generations are not interchangeable. These differences in chip selection and physical design not only broaden the range of use-cases and potential applications, but also underscore the uniqueness of each FireBeetle generation.

FireBeetle 2 Series Selection Guide

Product Name

FireBeetle 2 Board ESP32-S3 (N16R8) AIoT Microcontroller with Camera (16MB Fl., 8MB PS., Wi-Fi & BT on Board)

FireBeetle 2 Board ESP32-S3-U (N16R8) AIoT Microcontroller with Camera (16MB Fl., 8MB PS., Wi-Fi & BT via Cable)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E (N16R2) IoT Microcontroller (16M Flash, 2M PSRAM, Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32 C6 IoT Development Board (Supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, Solar-Powered)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E IoT Microcontroller (32Mbit Fl., 512KB SR., Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E IoT Microcontroller with Header (Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32-E (N16R2) IoT Microcontroller (16M Flash, 2M PSRAM, Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

FireBeetle 2 ESP32-UE (N16R2) IoT Microcontroller (16MB Fl., 2MB PS., Supports Ext Antenna, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

Figure

SKU

DFR0975

DFR0975-U

DFR1139

DFR1075

DFR0654

DFR0654-F

DFR1139

DFR1140

ESP32 Series

ESP32-S Series

ESP32-C Series

ESP32 Series

Chip/Module Onboard

ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R8

ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U-N16R8

ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N4

ESP32-C6FH4

ESP32-WROOM-32E

ESP32-WROOM-32E-N16R2

ESP32-WROOM-32UE-N16R2

Processor

Xtensa® Dual-core LX7

RISC-V Single-core

Xtensa® Dual-core LX6

Processor Frequency

240MHz

160MHz

240MHz

RAM+PSRAM

512KB + 8MB

512KB

520KB

520KB+2MB

ROM+Flash

348KB+16MB

348KB+4MB

320KB + 4MB

448KB+4MB

448KB+16MB

RTC SRAM

16KB

Wireless Protocol

Wi-Fi 4 BLE 5.0

Wi-Fi 6 BLE LE Thread 1.3 Zigbee 3.0

Wi-Fi 4 BLE 4.2

Antenna

PCB Antenna

External Antenna (IPEX 1st Gen)

PCB Antenna

External Antenna (IPEX 1st Gen)

USB Interface

Type-C

USB Functionality

USB 2.0 (Full Speed)

USB CDC

\

IO Interfaces

26

19

18

17

LED PWM Channels

26

6

16

SPI

2

1

UART

3

2

I2C

2

1

I2S

2

1

ADC

18

7

11

DAC

\

2

Touch

14

\

7

Other Interfaces

GDI Interface, DVP Interface, Lithium Battery Interface

GDI Interface, Lithium Battery Interface

GDI Interface, Lithium Battery Interface, Solar Input Interface

GDI Interface, Lithium Battery Interface

Camera

OV2640 Camera, 68° Field of View

\

Size

25.4*60mm

Features

ESP32-S3 with AI acceleration, 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, dual-mode Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 5.0, GDI interface. This model has PCB antenna for better integration.

ESP32-S3 with AI acceleration, 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, dual-mode Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 5.0, GDI interface. This model has an external antenna for better signal.

ESP32-S3 with AI acceleration, 16MB Flash, 2MB PSRAM, dual-mode Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 5.0, GDI interface.

ESP32-C6 with Wi-Fi 6, BLE, Thread, Zigbee, solar charging, lithium battery support, GDI interface. Suitable for smart home applications.

Dual-core ESP32, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2, GDI interface, dual power support, suitable for beginners with tutorials and Mind+ support.

Dual-core ESP32, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2, GDI interface, dual power support, suitable for beginners with tutorials and Mind+ support. This model has pre-soldered headers.

Dual-core ESP32, 16MB Flash, 2MB PSRAM, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2, GDI interface, dual power support, compact design. This model has a PCB antenna for better integration.

Dual-core ESP32, 16MB Flash, 2MB PSRAM, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2, GDI interface, dual power support, compact design. This model has an external antenna for enhanced signal or external placement.

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FireBeetle Series Selection Guide

Product Name

FireBeetle ESP32 IoT Microcontroller with 250+ ESP32 Tutorials (Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

FireBeetle ESP8266 IoT Microcontroller (Supports Wi-Fi)

FireBeetle Board-328P with BLE4.1

Figure

SKU

DFR0478

DFR0489

DFR0492

Chip/Module Onboard

Espressif ESP32

ESP8266EX

ATmega328P+DIALOG DA14580

Processor

Xtensa Dual-Core LX6 Processor

32-bit Tensilica L106

Atmel AVR 8-Bit

Working Voltage(V)

3.3V

MCU Frequency

240MHz

80MHz (Can be overclocked to 160MHz)

16MHz

SRAM

520KB

50KB

2KB

ROM

448KB

-

1KB

Flash

16MB

32K

RSRAM

-

RTC SRAM

-

USB Interface

Micro USB

USB Function

-

IO Quantity

30

10

14

LED PWM Channel

30

10

6

SPI

1

UART

3

1

I2C

1

2

I2S

1

-

ADC

5

1

6

DAC

2

-

Touch

8

-

Wireless Protocol

WiFi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR and BLE

WiFi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1

Other Interfaces

Lithium Battery Interface

Size

29*58mm

Features

1. Based on ESP32. 2. Built-in Wi-Fi and BLE functionality. 3. Compatible with Arduino. 4. Multiple General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins.

1. Based on ESP8266. 2. Built-in Wi-Fi functionality. 3. Compatible with Arduino. 4. Flexible power supply, can be powered by Micro USB or external power supply. 5. Small and portable, easily embedded in various projects.

1. Supports Bluetooth 4.1 wireless protocol. 2. Equipped with ATmega328P processor, suitable for low-power projects that require Bluetooth connection.

Table Header

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Comparisons between FireBeetle ESP32, ESP8266, ESP32 C6, and ESP32 S3

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