Waveshare ESP32-S3 Mini Development Board w/ ESP32-S3FH4R2, 240MHz, Wi-Fi & BLE 5

The board is programmable via the Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, or MicroPython. Connect it to your computer using a micro-USB cable. Install the ESP32-S3 board support package in Arduino IDE or set up the ESP-IDF toolchain. The onboard USB serial chip handles communication and firmware uploading. Select the correct COM port and board target (e.g., ESP32-S3 Dev Module) before compiling and uploading your code.

The castellated (half-hole) edges allow you to solder the entire module directly onto a custom carrier PCB, integrating it as a permanent system-on-module. This is ideal for moving from a prototype to a final product, saving space and simplifying RF design as the onboard ceramic antenna is already certified. Ensure your PCB footprint matches the pinout and provides stable 3.3V power to the module's VCC pins.

This specific variant uses an integrated ceramic antenna and does not have an external antenna connector like an IPEX or SMA. The RF performance is optimized for the onboard antenna. For projects requiring an external antenna, you would need a module version with a connector or carefully solder a wire antenna to the designated RF pad, which requires impedance matching knowledge to avoid signal degradation.

The module operates at a nominal voltage of 3.3V, supplied via the VCC pin or the USB port. For low-power battery applications, utilize the ESP32-S3's advanced sleep modes. Deep sleep current can drop to microamps, significantly extending battery life. You must configure the GPIO states and disable unnecessary peripherals in firmware to achieve the lowest possible sleep current consumption.