XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus Unsoldered Board 240MHz Dual-Core Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5 LE 16MB Flash 8MB PSRAM 18 GPIO U.FL

XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus Unsoldered Development Board

The XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus is a compact wireless microcontroller development board powered by the ESP32-S3R8 SoC. It combines a 240MHz dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 LE, 16MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM with an expanded 18-GPIO design. Redesigned castellated edges and rear SMD pads make it suitable for professional IoT equipment, smart-home controllers, robotics and compact board-to-board embedded systems.

Technical Specifications

• Product model: XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus
• Version: Unsoldered
• Microcontroller: ESP32-S3R8 SoC
• Processor: 32-bit Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor
• Maximum clock frequency: 240MHz
• Flash memory: 16MB
• PSRAM: 8MB
• Wi-Fi: Complete 2.4GHz Wi-Fi subsystem
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5 Low Energy
• Mesh connectivity: Bluetooth Mesh
• Additional wireless protocol: ESP-NOW through compatible firmware
• PWM-capable GPIOs: 18
• ADC channels: 9
• UART interfaces: 2
• I²C interface: 1
• I²S interface: 1
• SPI interfaces: 2
• Board-to-board interface: 1 × B2B connector
• Antenna interface: U.FL connector
• Antenna compatibility: External 2.4GHz Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antenna
• USB connector: USB Type-C
• Onboard indicators: User LED and charging LED
• Onboard controls: RESET button and BOOT button
• Battery-voltage monitoring: ADC_BAT connection
• USB Type-C input: 5V DC
• Battery input: 3.7V
• Battery management: Onboard rechargeable lithium-battery charging
• Typical fast-charging current: Approximately 100mA
• Typical trickle-charging current: Approximately 0.9mA
• Typical Type-C circuit current: Approximately 28mA at 5V
• Typical battery circuit current: Approximately 35mA at 3.8V
• Typical modem-sleep current: Approximately 31.6mA at 3.8V
• Typical light-sleep current: Approximately 2.45mA at 3.8V
• Typical deep-sleep current: Approximately 33.51μA at 3.8V
• Typical Wi-Fi active current: Approximately 81mA
• Typical Bluetooth LE active current: Approximately 101mA
• Development platforms: Arduino, MicroPython and ESP-IDF
• Working temperature: -20°C to 65°C
• Dimensions: 21 × 17.8mm
• Header configuration: Unsoldered

Dual-Core ESP32-S3 Processing

The ESP32-S3R8 integrates a 32-bit Xtensa LX7 dual-core processor operating at up to 240MHz. Its 16MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM provide expanded capacity for wireless protocol stacks, data buffering, graphical interfaces, automation firmware and other memory-intensive embedded applications.

Expanded GPIO and SMD Connectivity

The Plus version features redesigned castellated edges and additional rear solder pads for compact board-to-board installation. It provides 18 PWM-capable GPIOs, nine ADC channels, two UART interfaces, two SPI interfaces, I²C, I²S and a B2B connector for advanced peripheral integration.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE and ESP-NOW

Integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi supports local-network and cloud-connected IoT applications. Bluetooth 5 LE and Bluetooth Mesh enable communication with mobile devices, gateways and compatible peripherals, while ESP-NOW can be implemented for direct low-latency communication between compatible ESP devices.

External U.FL Antenna Connection

The onboard U.FL connector accepts a compatible external 2.4GHz antenna for flexible antenna positioning and enclosure integration. Wireless range depends on the selected antenna, transmit settings, surrounding obstacles and local RF conditions.

USB and Battery-Powered Operation

The board accepts 5V power through USB Type-C or power from a compatible 3.7V rechargeable lithium battery. Integrated charging management and battery-voltage monitoring support portable equipment, wearables and remotely deployed wireless sensors. Typical deep-sleep current is approximately 33.51μA under the specified 3.8V test conditions.

Unsoldered Integration Options

This version is supplied without pre-soldered pin headers. Users can install compatible 2.54mm headers for prototyping or use the castellated edges and rear SMD pads for compact board-to-board assembly in production hardware.

Typical Applications

• Advanced Internet of Things devices
• Smart-home controllers and sensors
• Professional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth equipment
• ESP-NOW communication nodes
• Robotics and industrial automation
• Wearable and health-monitoring prototypes
• Battery-powered wireless sensors
• Compact board-to-board embedded systems
• Electronics education and rapid prototyping