ESP32 vs ESP8266: Which is better?

The ESP32 is a dual-core 160MHz to 240MHz CPU, whereas the ESP8266 is a single-core processor that runs at 80MHz.The ESP32 and ESP8266 are both fantastic Wi-Fi modules. When it comes to particular aspects, one is sometimes chosen above the other. The ESP8266 has a lower current consumption than that of its competitor however one has more digital pins than the other. As a result, you should select the appropriate option. Therefore, this article is going to discuss the pros and cons between ESP32 and ESP8266 and which one is better for your choice. I hope you found this post to be informative.

ESP32 is a low-cost, low-power Microcontroller with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It is the successor to the ESP8266 which is also a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip albeit with limited vastly limited functionality.

It is an integrated antenna and RF balun, power amplifier, low-noise amplifiers, filters, and power management module. The entire solution occupies the smallest amount of space on the printed circuit board. This board is used with TSMC 40nm low power technology 2.4 GHz dual-mode Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, which have the best power and RF attributes, are safe, dependable, and scalable to a variety of applications.

ESP32 Pinout

The ESP8266 is a Wi-Fi SoC that integrates all the needed components to create a fully functional Wi-Fi device. The L106 is a custom 32-bit processor with 32KB of instruction space, 80KB of user data, 16 GPIO pins, and a variety of peripherals including a serial peripheral interface (SPI), inter-integrated circuit protocol (I2C), universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART), and an analog-to-digital converter onboard the SoC. (ADC). Because the ESP8266 integrated circuit (IC) comes in a difficult-to-use maker package, most builders opt for the ESP-01, which includes the ESP8266, onboard flash memory, and other components.

ESP8266 Pinout

Let's compare the two modules using the Arduino IDE, which is mostly used to program the ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers. Both boards can be programmed using the Arduino IDE, which is a benefit for individuals who are familiar with the platform. Both share the same library and command set. Some libraries are only compatible with the ESP32 or ESP8266 modules, and will not run on both. However, only a few changes are required.

How to program ESP32 on Arduino IDE

• In your Arduino IDE, go to File> Preferences.

• Open the Boards Manager. Go to Tools > Board > Boards Manager…

• Search for ESP32 and press the install button for the “ESP32 by Espressif Systems“:

• That's it. It should be installed after a few seconds.

Install ESP8266 Add-on in Arduino IDE

• To install the ESP8266 board in your Arduino IDE, follow these next instructions:

• In your Arduino IDE, go to File> Preferences

• Enter http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json into the “Additional Boards Manager URLs” field as shown in the figure below. Then, click the “OK” button:

• Open the Boards Manager. Go to Tools > Board > Boards Manager…

• Search for ESP8266 and press the install button for the “ESP8266 by ESP8266 Community“:

• That’s it. It should be installed after a few seconds.

ESP32 Pros:

• ESP32 offers you dual-core 160MHZ to 240MHZ

• You can control and monitor your device with the help of Wi-fi or Bluetooth at a very low price.

• ESP32 offers you more GPIOs

• ESP32 gives you a high speed of 150Mbps.

ESP32 Cons:

• ESP32 is more expensive than the ESP8266

ESP8266 Pros:

• ESP8266 Module gives you powerful onboard processing and storage capability, which allows it to integrate with sensors and other applications.

• It has a high level of on-chip integration. The on-chip integration allows the user for very little external refer circuitry.

• The ESP8266 goes with APSD for the Bluetooth and VoIP applications coexistence interfaces. It also contains a self-calibrated radio frequency (RF) that allows it to work with all the conditions of operating and does not require any radio frequency parts.

ESP8266 Cons:

• ESP8266 does not have Bluetooth connectivity, whereas in ESP32 you can use this feature.

• The GPIO is very less in ESP8266 compared to ESP32.

• Using Wi-Fi to triangulate a location

• Automated outlets in various stores and workshops

• Industrial security in home and business sectors

• Wireless monitoring CCTV cameras and sensors that feed data

• In the field of robotics for both academic and professional purposes

The ESP8266 and ESP32 SoC microcontrollers both provide builders with an Internet communication device, but the ESP32 comes out on top. The Arduino IDE can program the ESP8266 directly, however it is frequently more difficult, whereas the ESP32 is simple to program. The ESP32's quicker processor and larger memory allow for far larger projects to be created on a single SoC, while the ESP32's robust security features make it a more secure device. Furthermore, the ESP32 is a dependable board, even though its firmware and attached peripherals can be flaky at times. Secure sockets layer (SSL) connections become increasingly viable as memory and processing power increase, which are critical criteria in a society where security is crucial.

In general, ESP32 devices have more GPIO to work with, making them more useful in complex applications. Because many ESP32 development boards have small cameras, the ESP32 appears to be a very capable device.

Choose ESP32 or ESP8266? It depends on what you want to do.

ESP32 is better than ESP8266 because ESP32 has extra features such as CPU core, Faster Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE), touch sensitivity pins, and built-in Hall Effect sensors and temperature sensors. The ESP32 has more GPIO pins as compared to the ESP8266. The ESP32 contains 10 capacitive GPROS that detect touch and can be used to trigger events. The trigger event is a circuit in which action is initiated by an input pulse e.g. as in a radar module.

The ESP8266 is a less expensive alternative to the ESP32. Although it lacks several features, it suffices for the majority of simple DIY IoT projects. However, the GPIO mapping has some limits, and there may not be enough pins for what you want to achieve. If that's the case, an ESP32 is the way to go.

ESP32 Datasheet

ESP8266 Datasheet