Kindly Morrow
ESP32-S3 1.9" Touch Display Dev Board 16MB Flash 8MB PSRAM
Build handheld tools, touch dashboards, and BLE interfaces without wiring a single display module. The 1.9" capacitive touchscreen is internal, the GPIO stays yours, and 16MB Flash plus 8MB PSRAM give you real room to run LVGL without fighting for memory.
The ESP32-S3R8 runs dual-core Xtensa LX7 at 240MHz with hardware vector instructions that matter when you are rendering touch UI and processing sensor data at the same time. The ST7789-driven 170x320 display connects over internal SPI, and the onboard JST connector with charging circuitry means this goes portable without a separate PMIC. Supported toolchains include Arduino IDE, MicroPython with community touch and display drivers, and ESP-IDF via PlatformIO.
Things to build with this
- Handheld oscilloscope with touch-controlled timebase and voltage scaling: use the 8MB PSRAM as a waveform capture buffer, render traces via LVGL on the ST7789 display, and store snapshots to the 16MB internal flash
- Portable BLE HID macro pad: use the ESP32-S3's native USB OTG and BLE 5.0 to act as both a wireless keyboard and a wired HID device simultaneously, with the capacitive touchscreen handling profile switching and key remapping without any physical buttons
- Standalone MQTT control panel: poll sensors over Wi-Fi, render live animated gauges with LVGL using the PSRAM frame buffer, and handle touch input for setpoints, all self-contained with a LiPo keeping it running away from a desk
Key Features
- ESP32-S3R8: dual-core Xtensa LX7 at 240MHz with hardware security engine and USB OTG support
- 1.9" capacitive touchscreen at 170x320 resolution, ST7789 driver, connected over internal SPI so all header GPIO stays free
- 16MB Flash + 8MB PSRAM: enough for full LVGL frame buffers, UI state, and complex application logic
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 5.0 for IoT and BLE peripheral work
- JST single-cell LiPo connector with onboard USB-C charging circuitry for portable deployments
- USB-C for programming and power, compatible with standard ESP32-S3 toolchains
- Arduino, MicroPython (st7789 + CST816 drivers), and ESP-IDF all supported
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LVGL work out of the box, or do I need to configure drivers manually?
You will need to configure the ST7789 display driver and the CST816 (or compatible) touch driver yourself, but community-maintained examples exist for both Arduino and MicroPython. The 8MB PSRAM handles the frame buffer cleanly, which is the main thing LVGL needs to run well.
What battery can I connect to the JST connector?
The JST connector is wired for a single-cell 3.7V LiPo. Onboard charging circuitry lets you charge via USB-C with the battery connected. Check the rated charge current in the datasheet before pairing it with very small capacity cells, under 150mAh can stress during charge cycles.
How much GPIO is actually free with the display running?
The display and touch controller use internal SPI and I2C connections, so the exposed header pins are fully available for your own peripherals. Cross-reference the pinout diagram for your specific board revision before committing to a PCB layout.
Can I use MicroPython instead of Arduino?
Yes. Flash the standard ESP32-S3 MicroPython firmware, then install the st7789 and ft6x36 or cst816 MicroPython drivers. PSRAM is accessible from MicroPython, which gives display-heavy scripts the buffer space they need.
Why we stock this
Curated by Kindly Morrow. We test and vet every product before it hits the store. If we wouldn't use it in our own builds, we don't sell it.
Things to build with this
Fun projects to try once you get your hands on it.
Weather station that texts you
Hook up a temperature sensor and have it send you a Telegram message when it drops below freezing. 20 lines of MicroPython.
Garage door opener you control from bed
Wire a relay to your garage door motor and trigger it from your phone via Home Assistant. No cloud, no subscription.
Plant watering system that knows when to water
Soil moisture sensor + a small pump. Runs on a schedule or when the soil gets dry. Your plants stop dying.
Desk presence sensor for smart lighting
mmWave or PIR sensor detects when you sit down and turns on your desk lights. Turns them off when you leave. Zero effort after setup.
