ESP32-S3 LCD 3.16 inch 320×820 Display

The Waveshare ESP32-S3 LCD 3.16 is a compact development board with a 3.16-inch LCD and a resolution of 320×820 pixels. The core is an ESP32-S3R8 with Xtensa LX7 Dual-Core up to 240 MHz, integrated 8.0 MB PSRAM and 16.0 MB Flash – ideal for high-performance GUI applications. The display is driven via an RGB565 interface with ST7701 driver and is perfect for LVGL-based interfaces with smooth image processing. For sensing and time base, a QMI8658 6-axis IMU (Gyro + Acceleration) and a PCF85063 RTC are integrated; an RTC battery can be connected via SH1.0 header. Thanks to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 (LE), wireless communication is immediately available, either via the onboard ceramic antenna or – via resolderable resistor – an external antenna at the IPEX connector. An MX1.25 header allows power supply with a 3.7 V Li-Ion cell (charging and discharging via USB-C), and a TF card slot provides additional memory. For development, UART, I2C and USB headers are reserved, and BOOT and RST buttons as well as an ON/OFF slide switch are available. The board is predestined for HMI prototypes, wearable screens, sensor data terminals, and mobile IoT applications where a sleek, high display format provides advantages. The robust, well-documented platform facilitates a quick start in projects with LVGL, Arduino ecosystem, or ESP-IDF.

Recommended Accessories:

• LiPo Battery 2000mAh JST 1.25 / Lithium Ion Polymer
• 8GB MicroSDHC Memory Card Class 10 UHS-I incl. SD Adapter

Features:

• The 3.16-inch LCD with 320×820 pixels and RGB565 control offers a clear vertically oriented display for GUI layouts.
• The ESP32-S3R8 provides dual-core performance up to 240 MHz with 16.0 MB Flash and 8.0 MB PSRAM for smooth LVGL interfaces.
• The integrated QMI8658 6-axis IMU allows gesture/motion detection, tilt measurement, and step counting.
• A PCF85063 RTC secures time functions; a separate RTC battery header is available.
• Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5 (LE) are onboard, optionally with ceramic antenna or external IPEX antenna.
• A TF card slot, a Li-battery header (charge/discharge), UART/I2C/USB headers and BOOT/RST and power switches ease prototyping.
• The board is suitable for LVGL and supports common ESP development workflows (Arduino-IDE, ESP-IDF, PlatformIO).
• Supports LVGL GUI library for developing high-quality user interfaces

Application Examples:

• Slim status and sensor displays for IoT devices
• Portable HMI terminals with battery operation
• Data logger with TF card storage and RTC timestamp
• Wearables/dashboard prototypes with motion detection
• Control units with vertical GUI navigation

Documentation:

• Waveshare Wiki
• LVGL GitHub

Technical Data:

• Manufacturer: Waveshare
• Manufacturer SKU: 31786
• SoC: ESP32-S3R8, Xtensa LX7 Dual-Core up to 240.0 MHz
• Internal Memory: 512.0 KB SRAM, 384.0 KB ROM
• Onboard Memory: 16.0 MB NOR-Flash, 8.0 MB PSRAM
• Radio: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 5 LE
• Antenna: Ceramic antenna onboard, IPEX socket (switchable via resistor)
• Display: 3.16 inch LCD, 320×820 pixels, 64K colors (RGB565), Driver IC ST7701, brightness approx. 550 cd/m², contrast 1500:1
• IMU: QMI8658 6-axis (3-axis Gyro + 3-axis Acceleration)
• RTC: PCF85063, RTC battery header (SH1.0)
• Mass Storage: TF card slot (FAT32)
• Power Supply: USB-C, 3.7 V Li-Ion/LiPo via MX1.25 2-Pin, Charging/Discharging supported
• Controls: BOOT button, RST button, Power slide switch
• Headers/Interfaces:
• UART header (SH1.0 4-pin, reserved)
• I2C header (SH1.0 4-pin, reserved)
• USB header (MX1.25 4-pin, reserved)
• RTC battery header (SH1.0)
• Display Interface: RGB565 to ST7701 (onboard)
• Development Environment: Arduino-IDE, ESP-IDF, PlatformIO, LVGL compatible
• Dimensions: 31 × 77 × 9 mm
• Weight: 42 g

Package Contents:

• 1x Waveshare ESP32-S3 LCD 3.16 Board
• 1x 4-Pin Dupont Connection Cable female