More Than Just Another ESP32 Board
ESP32 development boards have become so common that it takes something unusual to get attention. Most follow a familiar formula: a microcontroller, a few headers, and enough documentation to get a project off the ground.
Waveshare's new ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.85B takes a different approach. Rather than serving as a blank canvas for external displays and sensors, it arrives with many of the pieces developers typically add later already integrated into the hardware.
The board combines a round AMOLED touchscreen, microphones, speaker support, motion sensors, battery management, and wireless connectivity in a device small enough to fit in a pocket.
A Round Display Takes Center Stage
The most obvious feature is the 1.85-inch capacitive touchscreen mounted on the front of the device.
The display offers a resolution of 360 × 360 pixels, support for 262,000 colors, and a quoted brightness of 450 cd/m². Unlike the rectangular displays commonly found on ESP32 development kits, the circular form factor immediately suggests applications such as smart home controllers, information dashboards, wearable devices, desk accessories, and custom user interfaces.
Waveshare has housed the electronics inside a CNC-machined aluminum enclosure, giving the board a more finished appearance than the typical exposed-PCB development platform.
The entire unit measures approximately 62 mm across and less than 15 mm thick.
Built for Voice and Motion
Beyond the display, Waveshare has included a surprisingly broad collection of sensors and audio hardware.
The board features a dual-microphone array paired with dedicated audio processing components designed to support echo cancellation and improved voice capture. According to the company, the hardware can be used for voice recognition applications as well as projects that interface with online AI services.
Motion sensing is handled by a QMI8658 six-axis IMU that combines a three-axis accelerometer with a three-axis gyroscope. That opens the door to gesture-controlled interfaces, orientation-aware applications, activity tracking projects, and interactive displays.
A programmable power button and boot button are also available for custom functionality.
Plenty of Memory for ESP32 Projects
At the heart of the system is Espressif's ESP32-S3R8 processor, a dual-core Xtensa LX7 microcontroller running at frequencies up to 240 MHz.
The board includes 8 MB of PSRAM and 16 MB of external flash storage, providing considerably more memory than many entry-level ESP32 development kits. Wireless connectivity comes via integrated 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 LE support.
For expansion, Waveshare exposes GPIO, UART, and USB interfaces through onboard connectors, allowing developers to attach external peripherals without abandoning the integrated hardware.
Programming can be performed through either ESP-IDF or Arduino, and the company provides documentation for both development environments.
Ready for Portable Projects
A connector for a 3.7 V lithium battery is built into the board, along with charging and battery monitoring circuitry. Waveshare offers versions both with and without an included battery, making it possible to use the device as a self-contained portable system rather than something permanently tethered to a USB cable.
The enclosure even includes mounting points for a lanyard, hinting at applications ranging from portable status displays to wearable gadgets and conference badges.
For around $36, the ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.85B occupies an interesting niche between a traditional development board and a finished device. Much of the hardware developers typically spend time integrating has already been assembled into a single package, leaving more time to focus on software and experimentation.