Kindly Morrow
LoRa ESP32 Dev Board with 2.8" Touchscreen
Send sensor data across kilometers and read it on a built-in 2.8" color touchscreen, all from a single board. ESP32, SX1276 LoRa radio, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a touch display, no wiring harness required. Built for field deployments where you need range, a real UI, and zero dependencies on external infrastructure.
The SX1276 operates on 868 or 915 MHz ISM bands with configurable spreading factor and bandwidth, trading throughput (300bps to 50kbps) for multi-kilometer reach. That LoRa link bridges to WiFi or Bluetooth via the ESP32, so field data can feed MQTT or a mobile app while the resistive touchscreen renders a live local UI. Compatible with Arduino IDE and PlatformIO, and works with LoRaLib, RadioHead, and LVGL out of the box.
Things to build with this
- LoRa range mapper: walk a grid of your area while the onboard touchscreen plots live RSSI and SNR values using LVGL, logging each reading alongside GPS coordinates piped in from a UART-connected module. The SX1276's configurable spreading factor lets you compare SF7 vs SF12 performance across the same route.
- Meshtastic portable node: flash Meshtastic firmware with the correct pin mapping for this board's SX1276 LoRa pins and display driver. The result is a fully self-contained off-grid mesh communicator with a touch UI, no phone or external screen needed to read or send messages.
- Remote sensor dashboard: pair this board with a second SX1276-based node at a field site up to several kilometers away. Use the SX1276's LoRa link to receive telemetry packets and render temperature, humidity, and soil moisture live on the 2.8" touchscreen using LVGL widgets, with no WiFi or cellular required at either end.
Key Features
- SX1276 LoRa radio: 868/915 MHz ISM bands, configurable spreading factor and bandwidth, multi-kilometer range
- ESP32 dual-core 240MHz: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.2 Classic + BLE included
- 2.8" resistive touchscreen: render live dashboards, RSSI readouts, or custom touch UI directly on-device
- SMA antenna connector: stock antenna included, swap for higher-gain external antenna to extend range
- USB-C for power and programming: single cable handles both flashing and operation
- All-in-one form factor: display, radio, and MCU on one board with no breakout modules or inter-board wiring
- Compatible with LoRaLib, RadioHead, LVGL, and the full ESP32 Arduino and PlatformIO ecosystem
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this board work with Meshtastic firmware out of the box?
ESP32 plus SX1276 boards with screens are supported by Meshtastic, but the display driver and LoRa pin assignments must match a supported device config. Check the Meshtastic supported devices list and community forums before flashing. Some boards in this form factor require a custom config that the community maintains and shares.
What range should I realistically expect?
With the stock antenna, plan for 1 to 3 km in urban environments with buildings and terrain in the way. Open or elevated line-of-sight links routinely hit 5 to 10 km or more. Antenna height matters significantly. Swapping in a higher-gain external SMA antenna will extend range further. LoRa tops out around 50kbps, but for telemetry payloads and mesh packets that is more than sufficient.
How do I choose between the 868 MHz and 915 MHz versions?
Order 915 MHz for the United States and Canada. Order 868 MHz for Europe. Other regions have their own ISM band allocations, so check local radio regulations before ordering. The SX1276 hardware is frequency-specific and cannot be retuned after manufacture.
Can I use LVGL with the touchscreen on this board?
Yes. LVGL runs on the ESP32 and supports resistive touchscreens. You will need to configure the correct display driver (typically ILI9341 or ST7789 depending on the panel) and the touch controller (usually XPT2046) in your LVGL setup. The ESP32 Arduino ecosystem has well-maintained libraries for both.
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.
Movie mode with one tap
NFC tag on your coffee table. Tap your phone: lights dim, TV turns on, blinds close. Tap again to undo. Feels like magic every time.
Laundry notification system
Vibration sensor on your washing machine. When it stops vibrating, your phone buzzes. No more forgetting wet clothes for 3 days.
Automatic night light path
Motion sensors in the hallway trigger dim warm lights at floor level after 10pm. Walk to the bathroom without waking up fully.
Mailbox alert
Contact sensor on the mailbox door. Home Assistant sends a notification when mail arrives. Never walk to an empty mailbox again.
