Key Takeaway: July 2026 is a watershed moment for embedded systems development. Espressif’s ESP32-S31 brings Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, edge AI capabilities, and a 320 MHz dual-core RISC-V processor to a single SoC. Simultaneously, Waveshare’s new ESP32-C5 boards offer dual-band Wi-Fi 6 at prices as low as $12, while the Clintech Pico Board exposes all 48 GPIOs of the RP2354B in a Pico-compatible form factor. For embedded engineers, the choice of MCU platform has never been more interesting — or more confusing.
The Embedded Revolution of 2026
The microcontroller market has been in a state of rapid evolution for several years, but the pace of change in mid-2026 is unprecedented. Three major developments within weeks of each other are giving embedded engineers more choice, more performance, and more connectivity options than ever before.
Espressif Systems, already the dominant player in the Wi-Fi-enabled MCU space with its ESP32 family, has pushed further with the ESP32-S31 — a high-end SoC that brings together Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, edge AI capabilities, and a powerful dual-core RISC-V processor. Meanwhile, the company’s ESP32-C5 is enabling a wave of affordable dual-band Wi-Fi 6 development boards. And Raspberry Pi’s RP2354B, the larger sibling of the RP2350, is getting the board support it deserves from third-party manufacturers.
ESP32-S31: The Flagship RISC-V SoC
Announced by Espressif in March 2026, the ESP32-S31 represents a significant architectural leap for the company. While earlier ESP32 devices used Tensilica Xtensa cores, the S31 moves entirely to RISC-V — specifically a dual-core 32-bit RISC-V implementation running at up to 320 MHz with MMU support.
The standout feature is the 128-bit SIMD data path on one of the cores, enabling fast parallel processing for AI and machine learning inference at the edge. Combined with 512 KB of on-chip SRAM and support for 250 MHz 8-bit DDR PSRAM with concurrent flash and PSRAM access, the chip can handle memory-intensive multimedia and AI workloads that were previously the domain of much more expensive processors.
Connectivity is comprehensive: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, IEEE 802.15.4 (for Thread and Zigbee), and Ethernet are all integrated. With 60 GPIO pins, the chip offers flexibility for complex designs that integrate multiple wireless protocols, diverse display interfaces, and a wide range of peripherals.
Espressif has also positioned the S31 for the AI agent era, noting that it will work with the ESP Private Agents platform and directly with common LLMs to build client devices that run or interact with AI agents for voice-enabled and intelligent applications.
ESP32-C5: Affordable Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6
While the S31 targets high-end applications, the ESP32-C5 is democratizing dual-band Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. Waveshare has released two development boards based on this chip that are notable for their aggressive pricing.
The ESP32-C5-LCD-1.47 is the first board to feature an ESP32-C5 chip with dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). It includes a 1.47-inch 320×172 color display, 4 MB of flash, a microSD card slot, and two 9-pin headers for GPIO expansion. At $12 from Waveshare’s store or $14 on AliExpress, it brings dual-band Wi-Fi 6 to a price point previously associated with simple Bluetooth MCUs.
For applications requiring touch input, the ESP32-C5-Touch-LCD-2.8 offers a 2.8-inch IPS display with capacitive touch at 320×480 resolution, plus 32 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM, a built-in microphone, speaker connector, 6-axis IMU, temperature and humidity sensor, and LiPo battery support with charging circuitry. It is priced at $26 from Waveshare.
Clintech Pico Board: 48 GPIOs from the RP2354B
Raspberry Pi’s RP2350 microcontroller, used in the Pico 2, offers 30 GPIOs from its 60-pin package. But the larger RP2354B variant in the 80-pin QFN package provides 48 GPIOs and 8 analog-capable inputs. The problem has been that no board in the Pico form factor exposed all these extra pins.
Clintech has solved this with the Clintech Pico Board, now available through a Crowd Supply campaign for $19. The board maintains full pin compatibility with the original Raspberry Pi Pico along its two castellated edge rows, while an additional set of 27 through-holes within the board exposes the remaining GPIO and QSPI signals. It also breaks out the RP2354B external memory interface, allowing up to 16 MB of external QSPI flash or PSRAM.
Choosing the Right Platform
With three strong options now available, here is a practical decision framework for embedded engineers:
- ESP32-S31: Best for high-end applications requiring edge AI, multiple wireless protocols, and extensive GPIO. Ideal for industrial IoT, smart speakers, voice-controlled devices, and automation systems.
- ESP32-C5 boards: Best for cost-sensitive projects that still need dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The $12 starting price makes it viable for consumer IoT products and HMI prototypes.
- Clintech Pico Board: Best for projects that need maximum GPIO from the RP2350 ecosystem. Ideal for data acquisition, robotics, custom communication interfaces, and applications needing the dual-architecture flexibility of Arm and RISC-V.
Browse ESP32 development boards and accessories on Amazon India and explore MCU options on Mouser India for your next embedded project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ESP32-S31 and how is it different from the ESP32?
The ESP32-S31 is Espressif’s new high-end SoC with dual-core RISC-V at 320 MHz, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, 128-bit SIMD for AI inference, and 60 GPIOs. It replaces the Tensilica Xtensa cores of earlier ESP32 chips with RISC-V architecture.
Does the ESP32-C5 support 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
Yes. Unlike the ESP32-C6 which is limited to 2.4 GHz, the ESP32-C5 supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands with Wi-Fi 6. This is a significant advantage for applications in congested urban environments.
How much does the Clintech Pico Board cost?
The Clintech Pico Board is available through Crowd Supply for $19, with orders expected to ship by November 30, 2026. The design is open-hardware with publicly available schematics.
What development frameworks are supported by these new MCUs?
ESP32-S31 and C5 are supported by ESP-IDF, Arduino IDE, ESP-Matter, and ESP-GMF. The RP2354B supports C/C++ SDK, MicroPython, and CircuitPython.
Can the ESP32-S31 run AI models locally?
Yes. The 128-bit SIMD data path enables neural network inference, signal processing, and computer vision on-device. Espressif also supports direct LLM integration through the ESP Private Agents platform.
Which board is best for a beginner in embedded development?
The Waveshare ESP32-C5-LCD-1.47 at $12 offers an excellent entry point with built-in display and dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The Clintech Pico Board at $19 is also beginner-friendly with the extensive Raspberry Pi Pico ecosystem.
Related Reading
Sources
- Espressif Systems, “Espressif Unveils ESP32-S31: A Dual-Core RISC-V SoC with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and Advanced HMI Capabilities” (March 26, 2026)
- CNX Software, “ESP32-C5 dual-band WiFi 6 and Bluetooth LE IoT board features 1.47-inch color LCD” (July 3, 2026)
- CNX Software, “ESP32-C5 devkit offers 2.8-inch capacitive touch display, dual-band Wi-Fi 6” (July 7, 2026)
- LinuxGizmos, “Clintech Pico Board exposes all 48 RP2354B GPIOs in Pico-compatible form factor” (July 15, 2026)
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