diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board Review: The Compact Powerhouse for Ambitious DIY Projects

I remember the exact moment my project hit a wall. I was building a custom smart garden system, designed to monitor soil moisture, temperature, and humidity, while also controlling a small water pump and grow lights via a web interface. My trusty old ESP8266, a hero of countless smaller projects, was gasping for air. The code was becoming a tangled mess of compromises to save memory, the single processor core struggled to handle Wi-Fi, sensor readings, and the web server simultaneously, and I hadn’t even started implementing Bluetooth for direct control from my phone. It was a classic case of ambition outgrowing the hardware. This frustration is a familiar story for any maker, hobbyist, or engineer pushing the boundaries of their creations. You need more processing power, more memory, more connectivity, but you don’t want a bulky, power-hungry board that won’t fit inside your carefully designed enclosure. This is the critical gap where a new generation of microcontrollers must step in.

What to Consider Before Buying a Development Board

A development board is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for bringing digital ideas to life. It serves as the brain for countless electronics projects, from simple blinking LEDs to complex robotics, home automation systems, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Its primary benefit is providing a compact, integrated platform that combines a microprocessor, memory, and input/output (I/O) pins, often with built-in connectivity like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This accessibility dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for creating sophisticated electronics, allowing developers to focus on software and functionality rather than complex circuit design from scratch.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the limitations of simpler microcontrollers—a hobbyist, student, or engineer looking to build more complex, connected projects that require significant processing power and memory. It’s perfect for those prototyping a new IoT gadget, automating a complex task, or creating interactive art installations. However, it might not be suitable for those who are absolute beginners and need a more hand-held, breadboard-friendly experience out of the box, as compact modules like this often require a breakout board for easy prototyping. For projects that require the full power of a desktop operating system, a single-board computer (SBC) like a Raspberry Pi might be a better alternative.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The physical footprint of your board is paramount, especially for projects destined for custom enclosures. A “mini” or “zero” form factor is designed for permanent installation, often by being soldered directly onto a larger, custom-printed circuit board (PCB). Consider if you need breadboard-compatible pins for easy prototyping or a compact, solder-down module for the final product.
• Capacity/Performance: This is the heart of the board. Look at the processor’s architecture (e.g., Xtensa LX7), clock speed (MHz), and number of cores. Equally important are the amounts of SRAM (for active variables), ROM (for bootloader and core functions), Flash (for storing your program code), and PSRAM (pseudo-static RAM for extra memory), which allows your applications to be larger and more complex.
• Materials & Durability: The build quality affects both performance and longevity. Look for features like an integrated ceramic antenna, which offers good performance in a tiny package, versus a PCB trace antenna. The quality of the solder joints and the board material itself are also important. Be aware that some budget-friendly multi-packs may have issues with pins being bent during shipping if not packaged correctly.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: A board is only as good as its ecosystem. Check for compatibility with popular development environments like the Arduino IDE or Espressif’s own ESP-IDF. The number of available General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins and integrated peripherals (like I2C, SPI, UART) will determine how many sensors and other components you can connect. Long-term use depends on community support, documentation, and available software libraries.

Keeping these factors in mind, the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Compact Power in a No-Frills Package

The arrival of the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board was an exercise in minimalist efficiency. The three modules came neatly packed, each sealed in its own individual antistatic bag—a crucial detail for protecting sensitive electronics. Unsheathing the first one, its diminutive size was immediately striking. Weighing a mere 3.3 grams, it’s astonishing how much power is packed into a footprint barely larger than a postage stamp. The board feels solid, with clean solder lines and a professional finish. The pre-soldered header pins are a convenient touch, saving a potentially tedious task, though as some users have noted, the shipping packaging could be improved. We were fortunate that our pins arrived perfectly straight, but the lack of foam or a rigid protector means there’s a risk of them bending in transit.

This board is clearly not designed for the breadboard at heart. Its “half-hole” or castellated edge design is purpose-built for surface-mounting directly onto a custom PCB. This is a board for makers who have finalized their prototype and are ready to create a sleek, permanent installation. The integrated ceramic antenna is another key space-saving feature, eliminating the need for a larger, winding PCB trace antenna and contributing to its ultra-compact profile. It’s a dense, feature-rich module that promises to be the brain of a serious project, not just a weekend experiment.

Deep Dive: Performance and Real-World Application

A spec sheet can only tell you so much. To truly understand a component like the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board, you have to put it through its paces. We integrated these boards into several test projects, ranging from a multi-sensor data logger to a BLE-controlled robotics platform, to see how they performed under pressure. Our findings confirm that this tiny module is a genuine powerhouse, capable of handling tasks that would bring lesser microcontrollers to their knees.

The Powerhouse Core: Unpacking the Xtensa LX7 Performance

At the heart of this board lies the Espressif ESP32-S3, a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) that represents a significant leap forward in embedded processing. Its dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor, humming along at up to 240 MHz, is the star of the show. In our testing, this dual-core architecture proved transformative. We could dedicate one core to managing time-sensitive operations like the Wi-Fi stack and Bluetooth communications, while the other core was free to run our main application logic—polling sensors, calculating values, and updating displays. This separation completely eliminates the stuttering and lag common in single-core microcontrollers trying to juggle connectivity and computation.

The generous memory allocation is just as critical. With 512KB of internal SRAM, 4MB of Flash, and an additional 2MB of PSRAM, we never once felt constrained. Our most complex test involved running a web server to display real-time sensor data, managing a BLE connection for configuration, and performing data analysis simultaneously. The board handled it all with ease, with plenty of memory to spare for future feature additions. This capability is echoed by users in the field, like one hobbyist who successfully deployed a dozen of these boards to control a sophisticated model railway layout, managing a complex network of sensors and servos without a hitch. This is the kind of robust performance that allows a project to grow from a simple idea into a complex, reliable system. For any project that involves data-intensive tasks or multiple communication protocols, the processing headroom offered by the diymore ESP32-S3 development board is a game-changer.

Seamless Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 in Action

A modern IoT device is defined by its ability to communicate, and the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board excels in this domain. We found the integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) to be both reliable and straightforward to implement. Using the standard Arduino IDE libraries, we had the board connected to our local network and serving a simple webpage within minutes. The signal strength from the compact ceramic antenna was impressive, maintaining a stable connection even at a considerable distance from the router, through several interior walls. This robust performance is critical for devices that may be installed in less-than-ideal locations, like a basement, garage, or outdoor enclosure.

The inclusion of Bluetooth 5 (LE) is another significant advantage. It opens up a world of possibilities for low-power applications and direct-to-phone communication. We tested its BLE capabilities by creating a simple beacon and a more complex peripheral that allowed us to configure the board’s Wi-Fi credentials from a smartphone app. In both cases, the connection was quick to establish and perfectly stable. The low-energy protocol is particularly valuable for battery-powered projects, where every milliamp matters. Our tests, confirmed by feedback from other users who have programmed and tested all wireless functions, show that the board performs flawlessly across both standards. This dual-connectivity makes it an incredibly versatile choice, capable of acting as a standalone Wi-Fi node, a BLE peripheral, or even a gateway that bridges the two protocols.

Designed for Integration: Form Factor and Physical Design

While power and connectivity are crucial, the physical design of the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is what truly sets it apart for serious projects. This is not a beginner’s learning tool meant to live on a breadboard forever; it is an integration-ready module. The “mini” form factor and the use of half-hole castellated vias along the edges are deliberate design choices for builders creating permanent, custom hardware. In our own workshop, we designed a small custom PCB for a sensor array and were able to solder the diymore module directly onto it. The result was an incredibly compact, professional, and robust final product with no messy wires.

Despite its small size, the board breaks out an impressive 34 GPIO pins, providing ample connectivity for a wide array of peripherals. We had no trouble interfacing with multiple I2C sensors, an SPI-based display, and several UART devices simultaneously. This high density of I/O is what allows for the creation of complex devices like the aforementioned model railway control system, where numerous components must be managed by a single brain. While this design is a huge advantage for creating finished products, it’s important to reiterate that it presents a hurdle for initial prototyping. As several users have pointed out, a breakout board with standard 0.1-inch spaced headers is almost a necessity for experimenting and development. Once the design is proven, however, this little module is ready to become the permanent, powerful heart of your creation.

What Other Users Are Saying

Our positive experience with the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is largely mirrored by the broader community of makers and hobbyists. The prevailing sentiment is that these modules offer exceptional power and functionality for their price and size. One user, who is using them extensively for a model railway, praises their ability to keep the project “nice and organized,” highlighting how their compact, solderable form factor is ideal for creating clean, modular systems that are easy to manage and expand.

Another detailed account from an Italian user confirms our findings on functionality, stating, “I tested all three modules received, programming them for both WiFi and Bluetooth use, and they proved to be perfectly functional.” This reliability, especially when buying a multi-pack, is a significant point of confidence for builders.

However, the feedback isn’t without its criticisms, which largely center on packaging and usability for newcomers. The most common complaint, which we were lucky to avoid, is the issue of bent pins upon arrival. A German user noted, “After opening the package, the parts appeared with severely bent pins,” rendering them unusable. This points to a clear need for better protective packaging. A few technically advanced users also noted some programming quirks, with one Spanish developer mentioning an issue with the `write_flash` command in `esptool`, forcing them to upload code with the board disconnected from their rig. While not a dealbreaker for most, it’s a valuable data point for those planning to use advanced development toolchains.

How the diymore ESP32-S3 Compares to Other System Components

While the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is the brain of a custom electronics project, builders of traditional desktop PCs rely on a different set of core components. To understand where this module fits in the vast world of computing hardware, it’s useful to compare its role to that of some popular PC components, even though they serve fundamentally different markets.

1. Cooler Master MWE Gold 750 V2 ATX 3.1 PSU

The Cooler Master PSU is designed to deliver hundreds of watts of stable power to a high-performance desktop computer, running everything from a power-hungry CPU to a top-tier graphics card. In contrast, the diymore ESP32-S3 is a marvel of low-power computing, designed to run on just 5 volts and sip milliamps of current, making it suitable for battery-powered operation for months or even years. While the PSU is the powerhouse of a PC, the ESP32-S3 is the efficient, intelligent core of a compact IoT device. A user would choose the Cooler Master for building a gaming rig or workstation, whereas the diymore board is for creating small, embedded electronics.

2. MSI PRO Z790-P WIFI Motherboard ATX DDR5

The MSI PRO Z790-P is a full-sized ATX motherboard, acting as the central nervous system for a PC. It’s a large board with sockets and slots for discrete components like a CPU, RAM modules, storage drives, and expansion cards. The diymore ESP32-S3 takes the opposite approach: it’s a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) where the CPU, RAM (SRAM/PSRAM), storage (Flash), and connectivity (Wi-Fi/BT) are all integrated into a single, tiny package. The MSI board offers modularity and extreme performance for desktop computing, while the diymore module offers extreme integration and efficiency for embedded applications. They are both “motherboards” in their own right, but for vastly different scales and purposes.

3. ASUS ROG Strix B760-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard

The ASUS ROG Strix B760-I is a Mini-ITX motherboard, representing a move towards compact yet powerful PC builds. Here, we can draw a slight parallel in design philosophy. Both the ASUS board and the diymore ESP32-S3 prioritize putting a lot of functionality into a small footprint. However, the scale remains worlds apart. The ASUS board is for building a small form-factor gaming PC that still requires a separate CPU, cooler, RAM, and a powerful PSU. The diymore module *is* the entire computer for its intended application, designed to be soldered onto an even larger custom board that holds its sensors and actuators. Someone building a portable LAN gaming PC would choose the ASUS, while someone building a portable environmental sensor would choose the diymore.

Final Verdict: Is the diymore ESP32-S3 the Right Choice for Your Project?

After extensive testing and analysis, we can confidently say that the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is an exceptional piece of hardware for the modern electronics hobbyist and prototyper. It delivers a massive performance upgrade over older microcontrollers, packing a dual-core processor, ample memory, and robust dual-band connectivity into a package so small it can disappear into any project. The 3-pack format represents outstanding value, providing enough boards for multiple projects or for scaling up a single, complex system.

Its primary strengths—raw power, compact size, and design for integration—make it the ideal choice for anyone moving past the breadboard stage to create permanent, polished, and powerful IoT devices. However, these same strengths mean it’s not the best starting point for an absolute beginner, who would be better served by a larger, all-in-one development kit. The potential for bent pins in transit is a minor but real risk to consider. For the ambitious maker ready to build smarter, faster, and more connected devices, this board is a clear winner.

If you’ve decided the diymore ESP32-S3 WiFi Bluetooth Development Board is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.