XIAO IPS Display Series Now Has Wi-Fi: Meet the XIAO IPS Display (ESP32S3) Series
Last week we launched the XIAO IPS Display Series on the XIAO nRF52840 Plus — 1.47″, 1.14″, 0.96″, built for wearables, badges, and anything that needs to run untethered on a battery for days. Today we’re adding a second version, built on the XIAO ESP32S3 Plus, bringing Wi-Fi into the mix. Same displays, same sizes, same sensing core — plus a few real differences underneath, including Wi-Fi connectivity, and power consumption.
Meet the XIAO IPS Display (ESP32S3 Plus) Series: Same Small Board, Now Online
The XIAO IPS Display Series is expanding today with a second core controller option: XIAO IPS Touch Display (ESP32S3) Series powered by the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Plus, available across the same three screen sizes — 1.47-inch, 1.14-inch, and 0.96-inch. The (touch) display, the 6-axis IMU, and the microphone all carry over unchanged. What’s different is what’s driving them: a dual-core processor with real headroom, and a Wi-Fi radio alongside Bluetooth.
What's Actually Different
Same displays, same sizes, same sensing core (6-axis IMU, PDM microphone, capacitive touch + MicroSD on the 1.47″, Grove I2C + extra buttons on the 1.14″). The real differences are underneath:
- Wi-Fi, not just BLE. Adding Wi-Fi opens up a category of project the nRF52840 version simply can’t do on its own, such as a weather screen, a server status monitor, a Home Assistant touch panel, a cloud data display, a mini AIoT node that connects sensors to online services, or firmware that updates itself over the air instead of over a cable.
- A more capable core controller. The XIAO ESP32S3 Plus runs a dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor at up to 240 MHz, with 8MB PSRAM and 16MB Flash —bringing more headroom than the nRF52840’s Cortex-M4 for running application that requires more RAM.
- Slightly different battery monitoring. Both versions support battery voltage monitoring via onboard ADC, but the ESP32S3 version does not support battery status detection.
- A board-to-board (B2B) connector, unique to this version.
| Specification | XIAO 1.47'' IPS Touch Display (ESP32S3) | XIAO 1.14'' IPS Display (ESP32S3) | XIAO 0.96'' IPS Display (ESP32S3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Positioning | Touch & Full Interaction | Sensing & Expansion | Ultra-Compact |
| Core Controller | Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Plus | ||
| Processor | ESP32-S3R8, Dual-Core, up to 240 MHz | ||
| Memory | 8 MB PSRAM + 16 MB Flash | ||
| Wireless Connectivity | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi + BLE 5.0 | ||
| Display Type | 1.47" IPS TFT LCD | 1.14" IPS TFT LCD | 0.96" IPS TFT LCD |
| Resolution | 172 × 320 | 135 × 240 | 80 × 160 |
| Display Driver | JD9853A | ST7789 | ST7789 |
| Touch | Capacitive Touch | No | No |
| 6-Axis IMU | Yes | ||
| PDM Digital Microphone | Yes | ||
| MicroSD Card Slot | Yes | No | No |
| Grove I2C Connector | No | Yes | No |
| User Buttons | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Battery Connector | 2-pin JST 2.0 Connector for 3.7 V LiPo | ||
| Battery Monitoring | Battery voltage monitoring via D16 ADC; battery level can be estimated from the measured voltage. Battery status detection is not supported. |
||
| Expansion Interfaces | 1x I2C Interface 1x I2S Interface 1x JTAG Interface 2x User Button Interface | 1x I2S Interface 1x JTAG Interface 3x User Button Interface | 1x I2C Interface 1x I2S Interface 1x JTAG Interface 2x User Button Interface |
| Board Size | 26.4 × 51.4 × 12.6 mm | 26 × 48 × 10.6 mm | 18.8 × 43.6 × 10.6 mm |
| Best For | Touch UI, connected dashboards, smart home panels | Connected sensor dashboards, Grove projects, smart home controls | Tiny IoT devices, wearables, connected status displays |
| Unit Price | USD $19.90 | USD $16.90 | USD $15.90 |
Power Consumption Comparison: XIAO IPS Display (ESP32S3) VS XIAO IPS Display (nRF52840)
Using a Nordic Power Profiler Kit 2 in Source Meter mode (3700mV supply, matching the 3.7V LiPo spec, 100 samples/second, 60 seconds per board), we tested all six boards with each dashboard displayed and no touch interaction:
| Size | XIAO IPS Display (ESP32S3) | XIAO IPS Display (nRF52840) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.96" | 159.76mA average | 28.69mA average |
| 1.14" | 160.05mA average | 39.07mA average |
| 1.47" | 130.53mA average | 83.32mA average |
What this means for your choice: need days of battery life and don’t need to leave BLE range? The nRF52840 Plus is still the better foundation. Need it online? The ESP32S3 Plus is worth the extra draw — and now you know how much to plan for.
See It in Action
We built two demos specifically for this version, both running on the XIAO 1.47″ IPS Touch Display (ESP32S3).
Getting Started
The XIAO IPS Display (ESP32S3) Series — 1.47″, 1.14″, and 0.96″ — is live now pricing at USD $19,90, USD $$16.90, and USD $15.90 respectively via our official Webstore Bazaar. Full hardware documentation, getting-started guides, and tutorials are on the wiki for each size.
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