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Choose the standard Waveshare ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54 for a monochrome, integrated controller board; choose the ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54G when red and yellow matter enough to accept slower, vendor-specified refresh; choose the separate 1.54-inch E module only when you want to design the controller and wiring yourself. The name “ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54” covers touch and non-touch boards, and versions with or without a battery, so the exact listing and package contents matter. The standard board also exists in V1 and V2 hardware revisions whose example programs are not interchangeable.
This comparison separates those choices instead of treating every 1.54-inch product as the same device. Figures below are Waveshare specifications, not independent measurements.
Which 1.54-inch ESP32-S3 e-paper option fits your project?
Start with the display requirement, then decide how much hardware integration you want to do.
The Tool Desk
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54 | Integrated ESP32-S3 maker board | 1.54-inch, 200 × 200, black and white; touch, non-touch, battery and non-battery variants are listed | Static dashboards, labels, sensors and general monochrome prototypes | Confirm the exact bundle and identify V1 or V2 before installing firmware or examples |
| ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54G | Integrated ESP32-S3 maker board | 1.54-inch, 200 × 200, red, yellow, black and white; 8 MB Flash and 8 MB PSRAM; Waveshare lists 20 seconds for a full refresh and 15 seconds for a fast refresh | Projects where limited four-color graphics are more valuable than quick updates | The refresh figures are manufacturer specifications; they do not promise smooth animation or the same behavior in every application |
| 1.54-inch e-Paper Module (E) with driver board | Separate SPI display module, available as a module and in raw-panel form | 240 × 240 E6 full-color panel; Waveshare lists a 27-second full refresh | Custom-controller products and experiments where the display component is the main objective | It is not an integrated ESP32-S3 board. You must provide the controller, power design, wiring and software integration |
No like-for-like competing integrated ESP32-S3 board was verified for this comparison. The E module is therefore a different buying category, not a direct board replacement.
#1 Best Overall
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- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
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- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
What the standard ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54 includes
The standard board combines an ESP32-S3 controller with a small monochrome e-paper panel. That integration removes the separate display-controller wiring and gives a maker project a single board to power, program and mount. It is the straightforward choice when black-and-white text, icons, readings or a simple status screen are enough.
Touch is a configuration choice
Waveshare lists both touch and non-touch versions. Touch changes the interaction model: a touch board can support local menus, acknowledgements or page turns without adding another input device. A non-touch board is simpler when updates come from Wi-Fi, a sensor or a host computer and the screen itself does not need to accept input.
Do not infer touch from the product-family name. Check the listing title, photographs, part number and the contents list for the exact SKU. A project that assumes a touch controller will need redesign if a non-touch package arrives.
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Battery inclusion is also SKU-specific
Some listings include a battery and others do not. Treat “battery version” as a package distinction, not as proof of a particular runtime. Verify whether the cell, connector, charging circuitry and any mounting hardware are included before planning an enclosure or a charging workflow.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
How the 1.54G changes the decision
The 1.54G is a separate four-color integrated board, not merely a software mode for the monochrome model. Its panel uses red, yellow, black and white. That palette can make warnings, categories, trends or simple maps easier to read, but it also changes the acceptable update cadence.
Waveshare publishes separate full-refresh and fast-refresh times for this model. They are useful for setting expectations, yet they are not an independent laboratory test and should not be interpreted as a frame rate. E-paper refresh involves visible transitions, and a “fast” mode is still intended for deliberate screen updates rather than continuous animation.
Choose color when it carries information
- Use the 1.54G when color marks a state that would otherwise require extra text, such as an alert, a selected item or a category.
- Use the monochrome board when color is decorative or when the screen will update often enough that longer transitions would distract.
- Design the user interface around four available colors, not around full-color photographs. The panel does not provide a general-purpose RGB display.
Plan around complete-screen updates
For either integrated board, e-paper is best suited to information that changes occasionally: a room reading, a delivery status, a calendar entry, a device mode or a sign. If your design needs smooth animation, video, rapidly scrolling content or a low-latency control surface, this class of display is the wrong primary output.
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The values in the comparison table come from Waveshare product documentation dated 2026. They describe the panel and board configurations selected by the manufacturer; they are not measurements performed by this article.
Rank #3
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- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
- Resolution is a physical pixel count, not a guarantee that every font or graphic will be legible at the viewing distance you have in mind.
- Refresh time depends on the selected mode and model. It does not establish Wi-Fi latency, battery runtime or total time from a sensor reading to a visible update.
- Memory figures apply to the documented 1.54G board configuration. Do not assume that every revision or every standard-board SKU has the same memory.
- A module’s panel specification says nothing about the capabilities of the controller you connect to it.
V1 and V2: check the hardware before using example code
Waveshare says the V2 standard board is being phased in from November 1, 2025. The vendor identifies V1 as an ESP32-S3FH4R2 design and V2 as an ESP32-S3-PICO-1-N8R8 design, with V2 adding larger documented Flash and PSRAM capacities and optimized whole-board sleep consumption.
“Example programs are not interchangeable between different versions.”
This warning is the most important compatibility detail in the standard-board family. A sketch that compiles for one revision can still use the wrong pin definitions, initialization sequence, memory assumptions or power controls on the other revision.
How to identify the revision
- Read the board marking and the revision information printed on the PCB or packaging.
- Compare the physical board and the controller designation with the V1 and V2 descriptions in the official documentation.
- Record the revision beside the project source code, wiring notes and firmware binary so a later board swap is visible.
- Download or select examples specifically labeled for that revision. Do not substitute a similarly named example merely because it targets an ESP32-S3.
What to do when a listing is unclear
Ask the seller for a photograph of the actual board and the revision marking. Stock can change while a product name remains the same. If the seller cannot identify the revision, postpone software integration until you can inspect the hardware; this is cheaper than debugging a board with mismatched examples.
Rank #4
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- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
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Software support: Arduino and ESP-IDF
Waveshare documents both Arduino IDE and ESP-IDF development paths for the integrated 1.54 board. The 1.54G repository is described as containing sample programs, factory firmware, hardware design files and examples for both frameworks.
A safe setup sequence
- Inventory the board. Write down the exact model, color variant, touch status, battery status and hardware revision.
- Choose the framework. Arduino IDE is convenient for small sketches and maker experiments; ESP-IDF is the more explicit path when you need configuration control, component management or a product-style build.
- Open the model-specific documentation. Use the pin definitions, display driver and initialization sequence supplied for the exact board rather than a generic ESP32-S3 example.
- Start with the vendor’s display example. Confirm that the panel initializes, draws a known image and enters its intended sleep state before adding Wi-Fi, sensors or a user interface.
- Test the update mode you plan to ship. A demo that uses a particular refresh mode may not match the visual transition, ghosting or timing of your final screen.
- Add peripherals incrementally. Connect sensors, touch handling and networking one at a time, checking that their GPIO use and power states do not conflict with the display.
Keep the official example set with the project. If the board is replaced by a different revision, compare the example directories and configuration rather than copying only the display calls.
When the separate 1.54-inch E module is the better route
The E module is a component for a custom build. It uses SPI and provides a 240 × 240 E6 full-color panel, but it does not supply the integrated ESP32-S3 system found on the two boards above. You choose the microcontroller, storage, power source, enclosure and software architecture.
Choose the module for system-level control
- You already have a controller board and want to add an e-paper output.
- The product must fit a custom enclosure or a board with an existing processor, radio or industrial connector.
- You need to design the power path, sleep behavior and update scheduling yourself.
- You are prepared to validate SPI timing, reset and busy-signal handling, and display-driver initialization.
Budget the integration work
- Confirm the mechanical form. Decide whether the driver-board module or the raw-panel form fits the enclosure. Measure the panel, connector and cable bend radius before designing the PCB.
- Allocate the SPI interface. Reserve the controller pins required by the module and check voltage levels, chip select, reset and busy signals against the module documentation.
- Design power switching. Ensure the controller can remove or reduce display power when the system sleeps, while still following the panel’s required startup and shutdown sequence.
- Protect the flex cable. Waveshare describes the flex as delicate. Avoid sharp folds, repeated bending and mechanical loads transferred from the enclosure.
- Validate temperature assumptions. The vendor warns that color can shift at low temperature. Test the finished assembly in the temperatures it will actually encounter.
- Port the driver before the application. Render test patterns, exercise full and partial updates where supported, and verify recovery from an interrupted update before adding business logic.
The module’s refresh behavior and color characteristics belong to the panel-and-driver combination. They should not be used to predict how an integrated ESP32-S3 board will behave.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Power, sleep and the limits of battery claims
E-paper reflects ambient light rather than requiring a continuously illuminated backlight. Waveshare also describes the last image as remaining visible after display power is removed. Those properties make the technology attractive for static information and low-power designs.
They do not establish a complete product runtime. Actual battery life depends on the ESP32-S3’s Wi-Fi duty cycle, sensor load, update frequency, sleep configuration, regulator losses, battery capacity and the time spent awake drawing each screen. No end-to-end battery-runtime test is established here.
Design a realistic power budget
- Measure the complete assembled device, not just the panel.
- Separate active update current, radio activity, idle current and deep-sleep current.
- Include wake-up, connection retries and failed-update recovery in the duty-cycle calculation.
- Decide whether the display should be fully disconnected between updates or left in a documented low-power state.
- For a battery SKU, verify charging, protection and connector details rather than assuming they from the product name.
Use-case decisions
Room sensor or environmental badge
The standard monochrome board is usually the simplest fit. Temperature, humidity, time and a trend arrow do not require four colors, and infrequent updates suit e-paper’s deliberate refresh behavior. Add touch only if the user must change pages or acknowledge an alert locally.
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Inventory, status or warning sign
The 1.54G earns its place when a red or yellow state prevents misreading. Keep the layout sparse and update on state changes instead of attempting a continuously animated indicator.
Portable label or field instrument
Start by confirming whether the exact package includes a battery and whether the enclosure can accommodate it. Then validate radio use, sleep current and outdoor readability with the actual firmware; the display’s retained image alone cannot predict operating time.
Custom connected product
Use the E module when an existing controller, custom connector or unusual enclosure matters more than one-board simplicity. Expect to own the driver port, SPI validation, flex protection and power sequencing.
Common failure modes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| The example compiles but the panel stays blank | Wrong board revision, display variant or pin configuration | Recheck the PCB revision and select the matching Waveshare example and driver definitions |
| Touch input is unavailable | A non-touch SKU was purchased or touch support was not enabled | Verify the package contents and touch hardware before changing software |
| Updates appear much slower than expected | Full refresh selected, color panel behavior, or expectations based on a different model | Use the model-specific documented mode and design the interface for deliberate updates |
| Color looks different in cold conditions | Temperature sensitivity of the E6 color module | Test at operating temperatures and qualify the visual design for that range |
| Intermittent display failures in a custom build | SPI wiring, reset/busy handling, power sequencing or a damaged flex cable | Run a minimal panel test, inspect the cable and verify each control signal before adding application code |
| Battery life is shorter than expected | Radio and controller consumption dominate the panel’s static-display advantage | Measure each power state and reduce wake time, retries and update frequency |
A buyer’s checklist
- Choose monochrome or four-color output based on information needs, not on the assumption that color is automatically better.
- Decide whether touch is required.
- Confirm whether the exact listing includes a battery and what else is in the package.
- For the standard board, identify V1 or V2 and keep its matching examples with the project.
- For the 1.54G, treat the published refresh figures as specifications rather than independent performance tests.
- If selecting the module, plan the controller, SPI wiring, power design, enclosure, flex protection and driver work.
- Check current stock, bundle contents, shipping region and firmware details at purchase time; those details can change independently of the product-family name.
Bottom-line choice
For most first ESP32-S3 e-paper projects, the standard ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54 is the sensible starting point: it is integrated, monochrome and available in touch and battery configurations. Buy the 1.54G when four-color status information is a core requirement and your user interface can tolerate the vendor-listed refresh behavior. Select the 1.54-inch E module when you deliberately want a display component for a custom controller—not when you want a drop-in alternative to an ESP32-S3 board. Whichever path you take, verify the exact package and hardware revision before writing or flashing application code.
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