In this guide:
- The Confusing Lineup: S, C, and H series explained
- The Powerhouse: ESP32-S3
- The Budget King: ESP32-C3
- The Connectivity Beast: ESP32-C6
- The Verdict: Why we picked the C6 as the 2025 Winner
Back in 2016, life was simple. You bought an "ESP32," and it did everything. Today, Espressif has flooded the market with an alphabet soup of chips: S2, S3, C3, C6, H2. Which one should you buy?
For the "Great Meets" community, the answer depends on one question: Are you building a robot, or are you building a smart home?
In this article, we cut through the datasheets to compare the top contenders and crown a single winner for the modern home automation enthusiast.
The Contenders
While there are dozens of variants, only three really matter for hobbyists in 2025.
ESP32-S3
The "Brain"
Dual-Core, 240MHz, AI Instructions, lots of pins. It’s a beast for driving screens and cameras.
ESP32-C3
The "Cheap"
RISC-V Single Core. It’s basically an ESP8266 replacement with Bluetooth 5. Great for simple smart plugs.
ESP32-C6
The "Bridge"
RISC-V with Wi-Fi 6 AND Zigbee/Thread radios built-in. The first true multi-protocol chip.
Round 1: Raw Power (ESP32-S3)
If you are building a retro-gaming console or a smart display with a touchscreen, the ESP32-S3 is untouchable. It has native USB (no more driver issues!) and enough RAM to buffer images.
- Pros: Powerful Dual-Core, Native USB, huge GPIO count.
- Cons: Power hungry. Overkill for a simple temperature sensor.
Round 2: The "Just Works" Factor (ESP32-C3)
The ESP32-C3 is the pin-compatible replacement for the aging ESP8266. It is ultra-cheap (often under $2) and power-efficient.
- Pros: Dirt cheap, widely supported.
- Cons: Only supports Wi-Fi 4. No Zigbee. Limited pins.
Round 3: The Game Changer (ESP32-C6)
This is where things get interesting. The ESP32-C6 is the first mainstream chip to include Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) AND an 802.15.4 radio (Zigbee/Thread) on the same die.
Why does this matter? Because previously, if you wanted to build a Zigbee Gateway (a device that translates Zigbee sensors to your Wi-Fi network), you needed two chips. The C6 does it all by itself.
Matter Support:
The ESP32-C6 is "Matter Native." It can act as a Thread Border Router, allowing your Apple HomeKit or Google Home setup to talk directly to your DIY sensors without a messy cloud integration.
The Winner: ESP32-C6
For the "Great Meets" community, the ESP32-C6 wins hands down. Here is why:
- The "Supernode" Ability: It bridges the two worlds of smart homes (Wi-Fi and Zigbee) without extra hardware.
- Wi-Fi 6 Efficiency: It uses "Target Wake Time" (TWT), allowing it to sleep better and stay connected to modern routers without draining the battery.
- Future Proof: As we move toward a Matter-dominated world, the S3 and Original ESP32 are left behind because they physically lack the 802.15.4 radio.
The S3 is still great for cameras, but for the sensors, lights, and switches that make up 90% of a smart home, the C6 is the new king.
Start Building with Matter
Have you built a project with the new ESP32-C6 yet? We want to see your custom Matter bridges! Share your code and wiring diagrams in the Electronics forum.
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