ESP32 and ESP8266 are both commonly used microcontroller chips for our WiFi modules, so what do they have in common and what are the differences? Which one has better performance?
ESP8266
ESP8266 is a low-cost, low-power wireless Wi-Fi chip. It was released in 2014 and has quickly attracted widespread attention and applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) field.The ESP8266 chip is manufactured using an advanced CMOS process and integrates multiple functional units such as the main processor, Wi-Fi module, memory, and a variety of interfaces, making the entire system very compact and integrated. With excellent performance and rich functionality, the chip provides reliable support for the connection and data transmission of IoT devices.
ESP32
The ESP32 is a highly integrated, low-power system-on-chip (SoC) from Espressif Systems that combines a dual-core processor, wireless communications, low-power features, and a rich set of peripherals for a variety of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. As a low-power, high-performance Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, the ESP32 features a rich set of peripherals and interfaces.
ESP32 and ESP8266 common points
1 Both WiFi modules come with GPIOs and support various protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART and more. The best part is that they come with WiFi to communicate with the internet, which sets them apart from other microcontrollers like Arduino. This means that you can easily control and monitor devices remotely via WiFi technology or Bluetooth technology (ESP32) at a very low price.
2 The ESP32 and ESP8266 are relatively inexpensive, making them suitable for low-cost IoT projects and prototyping.
3 Both ESP32 and ESP8266 can be programmed to achieve a variety of functions and support a variety of programming languages and development environments, such as C/C and Arduino. There are many ways to program the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards. Currently, it is possible to program both boards using the Arduino IDE programming environment. However, they may not be compatible with the same libraries and commands, and some libraries are only compatible with one of the boards, so some modifications are required. Another way to program the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards is to use the MicroPython firmware.
ESP32 and ESP8266 Difference Comparison
|
ESP32 |
ESP8266 |
Conclusion |
|
|
Processing capacity |
Dual-core processor with 240 MHz main frequency |
The ESP8266 has only a single core processor with a main frequency of 80 MHz |
The ESP32 has more processing power than the ESP8266, which gives the ESP32 an advantage in handling complex tasks. |
|
Memory |
Usually has more than 520 KB of free memory |
Smaller available memory, typically between 80 KB and 160 KB |
ESP32 has a larger memory capacity, which allows ESP32 to handle more complex applications and larger amounts of data. |
|
GPIO Comparison |
- More GPIO pins available. - Supports multiplexing, allowing multiple functions to be assigned to the same pin. - Supports 18 channels of analog inputs (ADC), and two 8-bit DAC channels. - Includes 10 capacitive-sensing GPIOs for touch detection and wake-up. - More powerful with faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. |
- Fewer GPIO pins available. - Multiplexing is not supported and it is not possible to assign multiple functions to the same pin. - Only one 10-bit ADC pin is supported. - Capacitive sensing GPIOs are not included. - Relatively weak functionality, only supports basic Wi-Fi functionality. |
The ESP32 is more powerful than the ESP8266, includes more GPIOs with multiple functions, faster Wi-Fi, and also supports Bluetooth. |
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Price |
The ESP32 costs twice as much as the ESP8266. |
Lower cost. |
If you only need to create a simple IoT project, the ESP8266 is perfectly adequate. |
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Software Support |
The software support for the ESP32 is a bit worse than the ESP8266. |
The ESP8266 has been on the market for a long time and can get more support in software, which will be more convenient and compatible to use. However, the ESP8266 has some limitations in terms of GPIO mapping and does not have enough pins to operate. |
The ESP8266 is more mature in terms of software support and is easier to use, while the ESP32 may have some software support limitations in some areas. |
Advantages of ESP32:
1 Dual-core processor capable of multi-threaded real-time processing.
2 High-speed main frequency of 240MHz, providing fast performance.
3 More affordable price.
4 Built-in Bluetooth and WiFi functionality, eliminating the need to purchase additional modules and reducing costs.
5 Programming can be done using the Arduino development environment, supporting open-source projects and enabling fast development.
Disadvantages of ESP32
1 The number of pins is too small. In many product development processes require a large number of IO ports to detect the switch state, as well as a large number of pins to control the motor, in this case, people may choose other development boards.
Advantages of the ESP8266:
1 More affordable price.
2 Built-in Bluetooth and WiFi functionality, eliminating the need to purchase additional modules and reducing costs.
3 High-speed main frequency of 240MHz, providing fast performance.
4 Although the ESP8266 has a relatively small number of GPIO pins, usually between 10 and 17, this is still enough to meet the needs of many simple applications. It can connect a variety of sensors, actuators, and external devices.
Disadvantages of the ESP8266:
1 The energy-efficient design is low, which may have some impact on battery life, especially in low-power applications that need to run for long periods of time.
Should I buy ESP8266 or ESP32?
Overall, both ESP32 and ESP8266 are very cost-effective Wi-Fi module chips, and both are very suitable for projects in the Internet of Things (IoT) field.The ESP32 has better performance, but the ESP32 is more expensive than the ESP8266, so if you just need to make a simple IoT project, then the ESP8266 is perfectly adequate. If you need higher processing power, more GPIO pins, larger memory resources, and a better energy-efficient design, the ESP32 may be a better choice. Both development boards have their own application space, according to the needs of the project to choose the more cost-effective can be.
ESP8266 and ESP32 and other development boards
ESP8266 and ESP32 are microcontroller chips specifically designed for wireless connectivity for IoT projects. And microcontroller development boards, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, BeagleBone, etc. are different types of development boards from ESP8266 and ESP32, which are very popular in the field of IoT and embedded systems. Here is the comparison of ESP8266 and ESP32 with other development boards:
Raspberry Pi, Arduino and BeagleBone are widely used development platforms that have their own features and advantages. Compared to the ESP8266 and ESP32, these development boards may offer more features and flexibility in terms of computing power, storage capacity, peripheral interfaces and software ecosystem. As a result, they may be of more interest to projects that require higher performance, more complex functionality, and broader support for these development boards.
However, the ESP8266 and ESP32, as microcontroller chips specifically designed for wireless connectivity, have built-in WiFi and Bluetooth functionality and offer lower power consumption and cost. For projects that focus on wireless communication and energy efficiency, the ESP8266 and ESP32 may be more suitable for their needs.
To summarize, the ESP8266 and ESP32, as microcontroller chips dedicated to wireless connectivity, have advantages that set them apart from development boards such as the Raspberry Pi, Arduino and BeagleBone. They have built-in WiFi and Bluetooth functionality with low power consumption and cost, making them suitable for simple IoT projects and prototyping. The choice of ESP8266 and ESP32 over other development boards depends on the needs of the project such as processing power, number of GPIO pins, memory capacity, energy efficient design and other factors.
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