suggestion on esp32 -s3

[qubit0]

I have never used esp32-s3. This project can have such a huge impact. So, I want to try. Is the following kit good for this project:

ESP32 -S3

[AntwerpDesignsIonity]

Hey bud you can just use Generic N16 R8 ESP32 s3 Without Breakouts.

Even:
https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-s3-dev-kit-n8r8.htm?srsltid=AfmBOookVw8W2Q_22ZoHV06EhqMv2JFmbfBEw_wUniLtAJupH7BKCSOo

Hope that helps

[ruvnet]

Hi @qubit0, welcome!

That ESP32-S3 kit from Amazon should work — the key requirement is:

• ESP32-S3 chip (dual-core Xtensa, WiFi CSI capable)
• 8MB flash recommended (4MB works with the slim firmware build)
• PSRAM (N8R8 or N16R8) is nice to have but not required for basic CSI

The board you linked appears to be an ESP32-S3 N16R8 which is perfect.

A few budget-friendly alternatives that are confirmed working:

• Waveshare ESP32-S3 DevKit N8R8 (~$8) — community confirmed above
• Generic ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1 N8R8 — any ESP-IDF compatible board works
• LilyGO T-Display-S3 — has a built-in AMOLED display (shows node status)

Not compatible: Original ESP32, ESP32-C2, ESP32-C3 (single-core, can't run the CSI + DSP pipeline concurrently).

For a multi-node setup, start with 3 boards minimum — that gives you triangulation for better accuracy. See the latest release for pre-built firmware binaries.