Adafruit has launched the Metro ESP32-S3 with 16 MB of flash memory and 8 MB of pseudo-static random access memory (PSRAM) development board, which the company claims is suitable for CircuitPython or Arduino thanks to a native Universal Serial Bus (USB) and a large amount of PSRAM, allowing for affordable WiFi integration while maintaining compatibility with expansion boards. The Metro ESP32-S3 consists of a dual-core 240 MHz processor, comparable to the dual-core capabilities of the ESP32. While it does not support classic Bluetooth, it does offer low-power Bluetooth (BLE). The ESP32-S3 mini-module embedded in Metro comes with 512KB of static random access memory (SRAM). The board uses SRAM for fast memory accesses and PSRAM for spacious but slightly slower accesses. It is also compatible with ESP-IDF or Arduino.
This chip significantly outperforms its predecessor, the ESP32-S2! The ESP32-S3 is a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient 2.4 GHz WiFi/BLE system-on-chip (SoC) that integrates a built-in native USB and other novel features, such as time-of-flight distance evaluation and artificial intelligence (AI) enhancements. With its superior power and radio frequency (RF) capabilities, the SoC is the preferred choice for a variety of applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable technology and smart home systems.
Some of the Key Features of the Development Board Include:
ESP32-S3 dual-core 240MHz processor
FCC/CE certified mini-module
16 MB Flash, 8 MB PSRAM.
Power supply: USB-C or Li-ion battery.
JTAG 2×5 connector for debugging.
Optional serial debug output pin.
STEMMA QT connector for I2C.
LEDs: On/Charge/User + status NeoPixel.
Low power consumption: about 100uA in deep sleep mode.
Turn off NeoPixel and I2C power for lowest current consumption.
Compatible with ESP-IDF, Arduino, CircuitPython
Designed for energy efficiency, this microcontroller board offers multiple sleep modes. The three main operating states are normal, light sleep, and deep sleep. In the normal state, the user can run code as usual, including tasks such as connecting to WiFi or reading sensors. Light sleep acts like hibernation mode to reduce power consumption, and when WiFi is disconnected, the internal clock and memory remain active, allowing the code to recover from the interruption. However, it may be necessary to reinitialize the disconnected external hardware and WiFi. deep sleep, on the other hand, maximizes power savings, but at the cost of losing all memory and state. Only the real-time clock hold function can wake up the chip. Upon waking from this mode, the chip restarts from the beginning of the code, ensuring a fresh start every time.
For more information, please visit perceptive-ic.com.
