ESP32-S3 • ESP32-C6 • Classic DevKit • Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.3 • Price/Performance
By Ümit Sönmez • December 16, 2025
The ESP32 family continues to dominate the IoT and maker world in 2025. New models with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, more RAM and AI acceleration are now widely available on AliExpress at incredibly low prices.
I tested the most popular 12 boards from reliable sellers – measuring real-world Wi-Fi range, power consumption, GPIO performance and stability. Here are the winners.
| Board | Chip | RAM/PSRAM | Wi-Fi / BT | Price (2025) | Best For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 Winner | ESP32-S3 | 512KB + 8MB PSRAM | Wi-Fi 4 / BT 5 | $4–6 | AI, Display, Camera | 9.8/10 |
| ESP32-C6-DevKit | ESP32-C6 | 512KB + 4MB | Wi-Fi 6 / BT 5.3 / Zigbee | $5–7 | Matter, Thread | 9.5/10 |
| Classic ESP32-DevKit V1 | ESP32-D0WDQ6 | 520KB | Wi-Fi 4 / BT 4.2 | $2.5–4 | Beginners, Basic IoT | 9.0/10 |
The ESP32-S3 is the king right now. Dual-core Xtensa LX7, 8MB PSRAM, native USB, and excellent AI acceleration make it perfect for camera projects, TFT displays, and voice assistants.
Most popular version • Official Espressif design • Perfect for LVGL GUI and TinyML
$5.49 – $6.20
If you're building Matter-compatible smart home devices or need Zigbee/Thread support, the C6 is the future-proof choice.
Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.3 • Zigbee/Thread • Low power
$6–8
In 2025, go with ESP32-S3 for 95% of projects. It's the best balance of price, features and community support. Only choose C6 if you specifically need Wi-Fi 6 or Matter.
All links are affiliate – I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend boards I've personally tested.