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The DRM Watch 3 is a DIY ESP32 wearable designed to look and function more like a daily-use watch than a bulky electronics prototype. Its defining choice is a 2.7-inch Sharp Memory Display: the large, sunlight-readable screen gives it a distinctive black-on-gray face, but also makes the case quite wide. A custom PCB, a slim enclosure and an added electroluminescent backlight round out the design.
What is the DRM Watch 3?
DRM Watch 3 is a wearable project by maker Drfailov, featured by Cameron Coward on Hackster.io. It is built around an ESP32-S2 and intended to be suitable for daily use. The original project is hosted on Instructables.
What sets it apart from many hobbyist watch builds is the effort to integrate the electronics into a custom board and a comparatively slim, finished enclosure. Coward calls the packaging “extremely impressive” and the watch “pretty darn slim,” while noting that it is “admittedly, quite wide.” Those are the writer’s impressions; the feature does not provide measured dimensions or a direct comparison with other watches.
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Why choose a Sharp Memory Display?
The watch uses a 2.7-inch Sharp Memory Display with a black-on-gray appearance. Hackster describes the display as low-power, readable in sunlight and faster to refresh than e-ink. Those are reported characteristics of the display in this project, not results from an independent test of the finished watch.
#1 Best Overall
- Attention: This is a wearable watch style development board that is not a standard pre configured smartwatch. It is a DIY module that requires customers to develop their own applications to fully utilize its features. This product is aimed at technology enthusiasts, developers or programming enthusiasts, manufacturers, etc.
- Features the ESP32-S3R8 (dual-core, 240 MHz) with 8 MB P-S-RAM and 32 MB Flash, making it suitable for running complex graphics libraries such as LVGL. Supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth 5 (LE), with onboard antenna.
- 2.06inch AMOLED screen, 410x502 resolution, 16.7M colors. Driven by the CO5300 chip via QSPI interface and FT3168 touch chip via I2C, it ensures smooth graphics rendering and responsive touch control while saving IO resources.
- Built-in dual microphone array and audio codec; compatible with XiaoZhi AI and DeepSeek for voice interaction, speech applications and AI wearable development.
- QMI8658 6-axis IMU for motion and step detection; PCF85063 RTC with AXP2101 PMIC; 3.7V MX1.25 Li battery interface for efficient charging and uninterrupted power.
The large panel is both the watch’s visual signature and its main ergonomic trade-off: it occupies enough of the front to make the case wide. The feature gives no case measurements, so it is not possible to quantify that width or compare it precisely with a commercial watch.
Backlight for darker conditions
The Sharp Memory Display used in the build has no backlight. Drfailov added a cut-to-size electroluminescent panel to illuminate it, addressing a practical limitation when ambient light is low. The source does not specify the panel’s brightness, power draw or effect on runtime.
Rank #2
- All-in-one STEM Learning Kit: This complete starter kit is designed for beginners, students, and makers, containing a variety of electronic modules and sensors to help you learn programming, electronics, robotics, and IoT projects step-by-step.
- Includes introductory tutorials: The kit includes detailed tutorials, wiring diagrams, sample code, and project courses to help users quickly get started with open-source platforms and ESP32 development. Ideal for self-study, school courses, and STEM education.
- Learn Wi-Fi IoT Development: Unlike traditional introductory kits, this learning kit fully utilizes the powerful Wi-Fi capabilities of the ESP32 microcontroller. Users can build real-world web-based control systems and monitor sensor data in real-time via a browser on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Through progressive projects, users will learn how to: create web control interfaces, remotely control LEDs, motors, and other modules to display real-time sensor data online, build smart home prototypes, and understand the fundamentals of IoT communication.
- Rich Components and Smart Modules: Includes a variety of commonly used modules, such as: ultrasonic sensors, RFID modules, servo motors, MPU6050 angle sensors, OLED displays, temperature and humidity sensors, PIR motion sensors, and dozens of other sensors, allowing users to build dozens of creative DIY projects out of the box.
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How the electronics and enclosure fit together
Hackster identifies an ESP32-S2, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 450mAh lithium battery and a custom PCB among the watch’s components. Putting the electronics on a purpose-built board helps make a compact wearable layout possible, rather than relying on a generic development board inside the finished watch.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The enclosure can be 3D-printed. For a more metal-finished front, the feature says the panel could instead be CNC-machined from aluminum, steel or another metal. That is a possible fabrication option, not evidence that the pictured watch was made with a particular metal or process.
Rank #3
- Part Number: ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.46
- ESP32-S3 1.46inch Round Display Development Board, 412×412, Supports WiFi & Bluetooth, Accelerometer And Gyroscope Sensor, Onboard Speaker And Microphone, ESP32 With Display
- ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.46 is a microcontroller development board with 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth BLE 5 support, integrates high-capacity Flash and PSRAM. Onboard 1.46inch LCD display which can smoothly run GUI programs such as LVGL.
- Combined with various peripheral interfaces, it is suitable for the quick development of the HMI and other ESP32-S3 applications.
- Equipped with ESP32-S3R8 high-performance Xtensa 32-bit LX7 dual-core processor, up to 240MHz main frequency
What is known about battery life?
Hackster attributes an estimate of about two weeks between charges to Drfailov. That is the maker’s stated usage estimate, not an independently verified battery test. The feature does not give the usage pattern, display settings, wireless activity or other test conditions needed to predict how long another build would run.
Is this a practical project to reproduce?
The concept offers a useful reference for makers interested in a wearable with a large, sunlight-readable display and a more integrated enclosure. However, Hackster’s feature does not provide measured dimensions, a standardized runtime test or a complete bill of materials. Although it links to the Instructables project, detailed assembly steps, exact part numbers and current component availability are not established by the available source information.
Rank #4
- COMPREHENSIVE STARTER KIT: Includes an ESP32 development board and over 20 different types of electronic components and modules. This complete set provides everything you need to start learning electronics and building Internet of Things (IoT) projects, all organized in a convenient plastic storage case.
- POWERFUL ESP32 MICROCONTROLLER: Features a versatile ESP32 development board with an integrated dual-core CPU, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. This board serves as the core of your projects, enabling wireless communication and control for a wide range of applications from home automation to robotics.
- DIVERSE SENSORS AND MODULES: Explore your environment with a variety of included sensors. The kit contains a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor, HC-SR501 PIR motion sensor, an IR infrared obstacle avoidance sensor, and a photoresistor light detection module for creating responsive, intelligent devices.
- INPUTS, OUTPUTS, AND CONTROL: Features an I2C OLED display for showing data, a 2-channel 5V relay module for controlling high-power devices (rated 10A 250VAC / 15A 125VAC), active and passive buzzers for audio feedback, various color LEDs, push buttons, and a potentiometer for precise analog input.
- PROTOTYPING ESSENTIALS INCLUDED: Get building right away with an 830-tie-point solderless breadboard, a bundle of male-to-male jumper wires, a USB cable for power and programming the ESP32 board, and a variety of common resistors. The kit is perfect for both beginners and experienced makers.
An ESP32-S2 development board may help with early experiments, but it is not the custom PCB used in the finished watch and is not a complete kit. A 3D printer could be useful for making the printable enclosure, though no printer model or print settings are specified. Before sourcing parts, consult the original Instructables project for whatever build details are currently available.
Who might want to wear it?
The DRM Watch 3 is most compelling to someone who values a readable, unconventional display and the satisfaction of a custom-built wearable. Its slim packaging and maker-selectable enclosure finish make it more considered than a bare electronics prototype, while the broad screen is a clear compromise for anyone who prefers a compact watch. The available account supports calling it an ambitious wearable design, but not claiming it has been validated as a comfortable or durable everyday product.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Powerful ESP-32 Board: Unlock the world of Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced electronics with the heart of this kit: the ESP-32 board. It features a powerful dual-core processor, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, making it perfect for building connected, smart devices that communicate with your phone or the cloud. It's fully compatible with the Arduino IDE for easy programming.
- Super Starter Kit: This kit contains over 35 different modules and electronic components, including sensors, displays, motors, and input devices. From LEDs and buttons to an OLED screen, servo motor, and keypad, you have everything needed to explore a vast range of projects in one box.
- Step by Step Online Tutorial: Jump right in with our detailed, beginner-friendly tutorial. Access 30+ projects with complete code, clear circuit diagrams, and step-by-step instructions. Learn the fundamentals of electronics, coding, and how to utilize the ESP-32's unique capabilities without any prior experience.
- Hands-on Learning for All Skill Levels: Perfect for students, makers, engineers, and hobbyists. Start with basic circuits and coding, then progress to intermediate and advanced IoT applications. Build practical projects like weather stations, smart home controllers, remote-controlled devices, and interactive gadgets. The skills you learn are the foundation for real-world innovation.
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