HiLetgo ESP32 OLED WiFi Kit V3 Type-C ESP-32 0.96 Inch Blue OLED Display WiFi+Bluetooth CP2012 Internet Development Board for Arduino ESP8266 NodeMCU

The media could not be loaded. The ESP32 OLED development board is decent for experimenting and designing esp32 based projects. The built in display makes it easy to show status information without relying on dumb LEDs or going to the trouble of connecting an external display.SummaryPros - good display, reasonable price, faster than 8266 boards, 32MB of flash.Cons - headers tricky to install near display cable, WiFi signal slightly weaker than on other WiFi boardsThis board is designed by Heltec of China. The model number shown on the bottom is HTIT-WB32 (aka WIFI_Kit_32). There is also a version of this board that includes LORA for long range communication at low data rates, also sold by HiLetgo.The header pins come loose in the package along with stickers to mark the pins. I prefer the headers uninstalled so I can solder wires directly for permanent projects. Soldering the header on the lower portion of the board must be done carefully as it would be easy to damage the display ribbon cable. It would be best to insert thin piece of cardboard or other insulating material between the header and the ribbon cable when soldering.The processor runs at 240Mhz with 32MB of flash, which is a decent upgrade over an esp8266. I found that the WiFi and display libraries take up about 45% of the flash memory (most of it is used by WiFi). That still leaves quite a bit though, providing you don’t need any other large libraries.Physical size is very close to 1” x 2” x 0.4” when including all the connectors and components. Weight is less than ten grams without the header pins attached.Power consumption varies depending on how much it’s transmitting, how the display is used, how many GPIO lines being driven, etc. I measured ~150mA (USB powered) with the display about half illuminated while receiving WiFi and no addition peripherals on the I/O pins.The 0.96” display is bright and easy to read in all but direct sunlight (which is still readable but more challenging).I found WiFi reception is a little less than esp8266 boards I’ve used in the past. It still works fine, but you may have slightly less range. From what I can tell, the reception signal is 4-8db lower than on other development boards with integrated PCB antennas.The micro USB port both powers and programs the device. The port can be used for general serial communication over USB. There is also a JST battery plug for powering from typical LiPO battery packs.Programming was straight forward using the Arduino IDE. One needs to install the U8g2 display library by oliver and put the esp32 board manager URL in from espressif. I used the instructions to configure the Arduino IDE from robotzero for the Heltec wifi kit 32 and had no issues (link is in the product description). I have used this environment before so it might be more difficult for newcomers than it was for me.I didn’t experience any issues so far, everything seems to work as expected. It’s a good little board.

There are 2 primarily important things with any of these IoT boards: quality assembly and documentation.On the first issue, the board appears to be of relatively high quality. The soldering is consistent and good: perfect amount of solder on every connection. The board is clean, with no visible traces of leftover chemicals.The silkscreen is clear, crisp and text is readable.Packaging was quite nice, in having a little cardboard box enclosing the board contained in a two-part ESD bag (the other half containing the headers). There was also a sticker on the board with a support email address if there are any questions. The seller also sent an email shortly after delivery to ensure I was happy with my purchase.I really liked not having he headers pre-soldered. This allows top mount for using jumper wires directly, bottom-mount for use in a breadboard, or the flexibility to solder wires directly for a more permanent installation.The actual name printed on the board is Heltec Automation. A quick google search will provide a variety or resources on both the ESP32 site, as well as the HelTecAutomation GitHub account with the Heltec_ESP32 repository for sample code and how-to.Although similar boards may be available on auction or other Chinese sites, the great thing about Amazon is of course the awesome return policy and quick shipping. I've ordered my share of items from China and admittedly the month-long delay is no fun.My ESP32 arrived with sample code already loaded to how that the device was functional. The display showed scans showing WiFi functionality was working properly.The serial UART driver is the Silicon Labs CP210x, I probably would have preferred the CH340, as I've had problems in the past with Windows 10 replacing the drivers for the Silicon Labs. In my case, the board was recognized immediately - in part because perhaps I already had the Windows drivers installed. The important thing here is that is manually downloading and installing drivers - do *not* use the "universal" drivers for Windows 10. (my file is called CP210x_Windows_Drivers.zip)I've used a bunch of different ESP32 boards, and I am completely happy with this one.Full disclosure: the manufacturer offered a discount on the boards if I promised to write a fair and accurate review of the board. I am not in any way associated with the seller or company.

First off, it's packed with features, which is great for tinkerers and developers. The 0.96-inch blue OLED display adds a nice visual touch to your projects. However, there's a downside - the documentation is lacking. Seriously, it's frustrating not knowing the details about the OLED screen, like what component it uses and what protocol to follow. This lack of information can be a hurdle.Wi-Fi: It's functional, but not as smooth as some other ESP32 devices I've used. There's room for improvement here. A stable Wi-Fi connection is crucial for most IoT projects, so this inconsistency can be a bit annoying.In a nutshell, it has potential, but it needs better documentation and Wi-Fi performance tweaks to be a top choice. It's a decent board for developers, but be ready to do some digging for information and possibly deal with Wi-Fi quirks along the way.