LILYGO's New TTGO T-32C3 Is a Compact, Sub-$3 Espressif ESP32-C3 RISC-V Microcontroller Module

Embedded computing specialist LILYGO has launched a new module built around Espressif's RISC-V ESP32-C3: the compact surface-mount TTGO T-32C3.

Launched last year as a drop-in replacement for the ESP8266, and leaked ahead of the official announcement by Espressif, the ESP32-C3 was Espressif's first design to feature a primary processing core built around the free and open source RISC-V instruction set architecture. Running up to 160MHz and with 400kB of static RAM (SRAM), the part promised boosted performance without the need to redesign existing ESP8266 carriers.

Now, LILYGO has packed the part into the heart of a compact surface-mount module with PCB antenna and partial breadboard compatibility: The TTGO T32-C3. As well as the ESP32-C3's 160MHz 32-bit RISC-V processor, 400kb of SRAM, and 384kB of flash — plus an additional 8kB of SRAM for the on-board real-time clock (RTC) — the module includes 4MB of external flash and brings out two 12-bit analog to digital converters (ADCs) with up to 6 channels, three SPI, two UART, one I2C, and one I2S buses, pulse-width modulation (PWM), and full-speed USB serial.

On the radio side, the module includes 2.4GHz 802.11/b/g/n with station, soft access point, and dual operation modes, plus Bluetooth 5 and Bluetooth Mesh support. The shielded module itself is mounted on a four-layer PCB with castellated pin headers to three sides and a PCB antenna to the fourth.

Impressively, the part is up for sale on LILYGO's Tindie store at just $2.76 per unit — though the company warns that shipping may take longer than usual owing to the pandemic.