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# ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1

Espressif's reference ESP32-S3 board: dual-core 240 MHz, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE 5, native USB and a USB-to-UART port.

Source page: https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-s3-devkitc-1
Datasheet: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-dev-kits/en/latest/esp32s3/esp32-s3-devkitc-1/user_guide.html

## In short

The ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 is Espressif's development board for the ESP32-S3, a dual-core Xtensa LX7 chip at up to 240 MHz with 512 KB SRAM, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 (LE) (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 3, 4). Power it from either micro-USB port, the 5V pin or the 3V3 pin, one source at a time (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide), and wire parts to its 3.3 V GPIO on two 22-pin headers. Its addressable RGB LED is on GPIO38 on v1.1 boards and GPIO48 on v1.0, so drive it as a one-pixel NeoPixel.

The ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 is the entry-level board Espressif makes for its ESP32-S3. It carries an ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 or WROOM-1U module (or a WROOM-2 on the N32R16V version), a 5 V to 3.3 V LDO, BOOT and RESET buttons, a power LED, an addressable RGB LED and two micro-USB ports. Two 22-pin headers (J1 and J3) break out every available GPIO except the flash SPI bus, and the board can be mounted on a breadboard (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide).

The ESP32-S3 is a dual-core Xtensa 32-bit LX7 chip at up to 240 MHz with 512 KB of SRAM, 384 KB of ROM, 45 programmable GPIO, a full-speed USB OTG controller, two 12-bit SAR ADCs with up to 20 channels, 14 capacitive touch pins and an eight-channel LED PWM controller (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 3 to 5). The radio is 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 5 (LE) and mesh; there is no Bluetooth Classic and, unlike the original ESP32, no DAC.

The board comes in several memory versions named after the module: N8 (8 MB flash), N8R2 (8 MB flash and 2 MB quad PSRAM), N8R8 (8 MB flash and 8 MB octal PSRAM) and N32R16V (WROOM-2, 32 MB flash and 16 MB PSRAM), with 1U versions for an external antenna; the N8 and N8R2 versions are end of life (user guide; WROOM-1 datasheet v1.8, p. 3). On octal PSRAM versions GPIO35, GPIO36 and GPIO37 are taken by the memory and must not be used. The two USB ports do different jobs: the USB-to-UART port carries the Serial console and flashing through a bridge chip, while the USB port is the S3's own USB OTG interface, which also supports JTAG debugging.

## Pinout

| Pin | Function | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3V3 | 3V3 · 3.3 V | power out |
| 3V3_2 | 3V3 | power out |
| EN | Digital · 3.3 V | input |
| IO4 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH3 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO5 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH4 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO6 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH5 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO7 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH6 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO15 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH4 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO16 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH5 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO17 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH6 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO18 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH7 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO8 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH7, I2C SDA (default) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO3 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH2, strapping · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO46 | Digital, PWM, strapping · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO9 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH8, I2C SCL (default) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO10 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH9, SPI CS (default FSPI) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO11 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH0, SPI MOSI (default FSPI) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO12 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH1, SPI SCK (default FSPI) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO13 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH2, SPI MISO (default FSPI) · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO14 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH3 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| 5V | 5V (5V0) | power in |
| GND | GND (G) | power in |
| GND_2 | GND (G) | power in |
| IO43 | Digital, PWM, UART U0TXD · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO44 | Digital, PWM, UART U0RXD · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO1 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH0 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO2 | Digital, PWM, ADC1_CH1 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO42 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO41 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO40 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO39 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO38 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO37 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO36 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO35 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO0 | Digital, PWM, strapping · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO45 | Digital, PWM, strapping · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO48 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO47 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO21 | Digital, PWM · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO20 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH9 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| IO19 | Digital, PWM, ADC2_CH8 · 3.3 V | bidirectional |
| GND_3 | GND (G) | power in |
| GND_4 | GND (G) | power in |

## Specifications

| Spec | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chip | ESP32-S3, dual-core Xtensa LX7, up to 240 MHz | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, p. 3 |
| Chip memory | 512 KB SRAM, 384 KB ROM | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, p. 4 |
| Board memory options | N8, N8R2, N8R8 (WROOM-1/1U); N32R16V (WROOM-2) | ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide, ordering information |
| Wireless | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 5 (LE), no Bluetooth Classic | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 1, 3 |
| Chip supply voltage | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (3.3 V typical) | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, Table 5-2, p. 64 |
| ADC | Two 12-bit SAR ADCs, up to 20 channels; ADC2 not usable while Wi-Fi is on | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 5, 59 |
| PWM and touch | LED PWM up to 8 channels; 14 capacitive touch pins | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 4, 5 |
| Headers | J1 and J3, 22 pins each (44 in all) | ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide, header block |
| RGB LED | Addressable RGB LED on GPIO38 (v1.1), GPIO48 (v1.0) | ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide, hardware revision details |
| Wi-Fi peak current | Up to 340 mA (802.11b transmit at 21 dBm) | Espressif ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, p. 66 |
| Logic level | 3.3 V | Tinkered component registry |
| Clock speed | 240 MHz | Tinkered component registry |
| Flash | 8 MB | Tinkered component registry |
| RAM | 512 KB | Tinkered component registry |
| GPIO pins | 36 | Tinkered component registry |
| ADC channels | 20 | Tinkered component registry |
| ADC resolution | 12 bits | Tinkered component registry |
| PWM channels | 8 | Tinkered component registry |
| Bluetooth | BLE 5.0 | Tinkered component registry |
| Dimensions | 69.6 × 25.4 × 12.9 mm | Tinkered component registry |
| Weight | 8 g | Tinkered component registry |

## Circuit notes

- GPIO are 3.3 V. The chip's power pins are rated 3.0 V to 3.6 V and its inputs to VDD + 0.3 V (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 64, 65): level-shift or divide 5 V signals.
- Use exactly one power source: the USB ports, the 5V and G pins, or the 3V3 and G pins. Espressif lists these three options as mutually exclusive (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide).
- GPIO0, GPIO3, GPIO45 and GPIO46 are strapping pins (datasheet p. 26). GPIO0 is the BOOT button; keep anything that drives these pins at reset off them.
- GPIO19 and GPIO20 are the chip's USB D- and D+ (datasheet p. 24). Using them as GPIO takes the native USB port away.
- On octal PSRAM boards (N8R8, N32R16V) GPIO35, GPIO36 and GPIO37 talk to the flash and PSRAM and are not available (user guide).
- ADC2 channels cannot be used while Wi-Fi is running (datasheet p. 59). Put analog sensors on ADC1, GPIO1 to GPIO10, in Wi-Fi projects.
- The RGB LED is addressable, not a plain LED: digitalWrite does not light it. Drive it as a one-pixel strip on GPIO38 (v1.1) or GPIO48 (v1.0).
- Each GPIO sources about 40 mA and sinks about 28 mA (typical, Espressif); the absolute limit is the total across all pins.

## Common mistakes

- **Driving the RGB LED like a plain LED.** The LED is an addressable RGB LED on GPIO38 on v1.1 boards (GPIO48 on v1.0). digitalWrite(38, HIGH) does nothing useful; use neopixelWrite(38, r, g, b) in arduino-esp32 or a NeoPixel library with one pixel.
- **Using classic ESP32 pin habits.** The ESP32-S3 has no DAC, so dacWrite() fails, and its pin map differs from the original ESP32: there is no GPIO22 to GPIO25. Check every pin against the S3 pinout before reusing an ESP32 sketch.
- **Using GPIO35 to GPIO37 on an octal PSRAM board.** On N8R8 and WROOM-2 boards these pins carry the flash and PSRAM bus (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide). Wiring a part to them crashes or corrupts the board.
- **Plugging into the wrong USB port.** The USB-to-UART port carries the default Serial console and flashing. The other port is the S3's native USB: use it for USB HID, USB CDC or JTAG debugging, and expect it to re-enumerate on reset.
- **Analog reads that stop when Wi-Fi starts.** ADC2 cannot be used while Wi-Fi is active (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, p. 59). Move the sensor to an ADC1 pin, GPIO1 to GPIO10.

## Questions

### Is the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 5 V tolerant?

No. The board takes 5 V on its 5V pin or USB, but the ESP32-S3's I/O runs from a 3.0 V to 3.6 V supply with inputs rated to VDD + 0.3 V (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 64, 65). Keep every GPIO signal at 3.3 V.

### Why won't my ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 upload?

Hold BOOT, press RESET, then release BOOT to enter firmware download mode (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide). Upload through the USB-to-UART port with a cable that carries data, and make sure nothing pulls GPIO0, GPIO3, GPIO45 or GPIO46 at reset, since those are strapping pins (datasheet p. 26).

### Which pin is the RGB LED on the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1?

GPIO38 on v1.1 boards and GPIO48 on the original v1.0 (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide). It is an addressable RGB LED, so send it colour data with neopixelWrite() or a NeoPixel library.

### What is the difference between the two USB ports?

The USB-to-UART port goes through a bridge chip at up to 3 Mbps and is used for power, flashing and the Serial console. The USB port is the ESP32-S3's full-speed USB OTG interface, which can act as a keyboard, mouse or USB serial device and supports JTAG debugging (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide).

### ESP32-S3 vs ESP32: what changed?

The S3 has LX7 cores at up to 240 MHz with vector instructions, native USB OTG, 45 GPIO and 14 touch pins (ESP32-S3 datasheet v2.2, pp. 3 to 5). It drops Bluetooth Classic and the DAC, and its pin numbers differ, so classic ESP32 sketches often need new pins.

### Does the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 have PSRAM?

Depends on the version: N8 has none, N8R2 has 2 MB of quad PSRAM, N8R8 has 8 MB of octal PSRAM and N32R16V has 16 MB (DevKitC-1 v1.1 user guide; WROOM-1 datasheet v1.8, p. 3). The module's marking tells you which you have.

## Related parts

- [XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/xiao-esp32-s3-sense.md): same chip, another board
- [ESP32-S3-WROOM](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-s3-wroom-freenove.md): same chip, another board
- [ESP32 NodeMCU-32S](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-devkit.md): same job: an ESP32 board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- [ESP32 DevKit V1](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-devkit-v1.md): same job: an ESP32 board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- [ESP32-C3 SuperMini](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-c3-super-mini.md): same job: an ESP32 board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- [XIAO ESP32-C3](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/xiao-esp32-c3.md): same job: an ESP32 board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

## Try it

Tinkered simulates the ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 in the browser: wire it on a 3D breadboard, run your real code on the board, and measure it. Free to start at https://www.tinkered.ai.