Description
Waveshare 2.13 inch E-Ink Display 250x122 E-Paper HAT for Raspberry Pi is a compact black and white e-paper display HAT designed for Raspberry Pi and other SPI-capable controller platforms. It features a 2.13 inch e-paper panel with 250×122 resolution, paper-like readability, and partial refresh support, making it a practical option for low-power display projects that need crisp text and graphics.
This 2.13inch e-Paper HAT connects directly through the Raspberry Pi GPIO/SPI interface and also exposes an onboard SPI control interface for use with STM32, Arduino, Jetson Nano, and other compatible boards. With no backlight, wide viewing angle, and extremely low refresh power requirements, it works especially well for IoT displays, status panels, smart labels, and embedded user interfaces.
Features
- 2.13 inch e-paper display with 250×122 resolution for sharp monochrome content.
- Black and white display effect with a paper-like viewing experience and nearly 180° viewing angle.
- Partial refresh support for faster local updates in compatible black and white e-paper applications.
- Raspberry Pi HAT form factor with direct GPIO / SPI connection.
- Onboard SPI control interface for STM32, Arduino, Jetson Nano, ESP32/ESP8266, and similar controller boards.
- Onboard voltage translator compatible with 3.3V / 5V MCUs.
- No backlight, ultra-low power consumption, and persistent display content after refresh.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Waveshare |
| Display Size | 2.13 inch |
| Resolution | 250 × 122 |
| Display Type | E-Ink / E-Paper |
| Display Color | Black and white |
| Interface | SPI via Raspberry Pi GPIO, onboard SPI control interface |
| Refresh Mode | Full refresh and partial refresh |
| Operating Voltage | 3.3V / 5V |
| Viewing Angle | Nearly 180° |
| Use Case | Low-power embedded display, smart labels, dashboards, portable UI panels |
Applications
- Raspberry Pi projects such as dashboards, HMI panels, and low-power status displays.
- IoT devices including smart sensors, portable readouts, and embedded indicators.
- Industrial monitoring panels where readability and low refresh power are more important than animation.
- Smart labels and information tags for shelves, identification, and static notices.
- Cross-platform e-paper development using Arduino, STM32, Jetson Nano, ESP32/ESP8266, and similar platforms.
Product List
- 2.13inch e-Paper HAT × 1
- RPi screws pack (2pcs) × 1
- PH2.0 20cm 8Pin × 1
Other Content
Onboard SPI control interface: besides Raspberry Pi GPIO use, the board also exposes a clean SPI interface for direct connection to other controller platforms. This makes the 2.13inch e-paper HAT useful for both Pi-native and MCU-based display development.
Voltage compatibility: the onboard voltage translator allows the display HAT to work with both 3.3V and 5V logic systems, which simplifies integration with common development boards.
Resources
- Wiki / Product Guide
- Detailed Manual
- E-Paper Driver HAT Wiki
- Schematic
- 2.13inch e-Paper Specification V4
- Demo Code
- Image2Lcd
- Zimo221
- Driver HAT User Manual
FAQ
Does this 2.13inch e-paper HAT support partial refresh?
Yes. This black and white e-paper HAT supports partial refresh. The official documentation also notes that after several partial refresh cycles, a full refresh should be performed to reduce residual image buildup.
Why is the BUSY pin always busy?
The official troubleshooting guidance recommends checking whether the BUSY pin has been initialized correctly as an input and confirming that the SPI configuration and related parameters are set properly.
Can I use this e-paper display with boards other than Raspberry Pi?
Yes. In addition to Raspberry Pi, the official manual covers usage with Arduino, Jetson Nano, STM32, ESP32/ESP8266, and other compatible SPI controller platforms.
What if I need a different size Waveshare e-paper display?
Related options on OpenELAB include Waveshare 2.9 inch E-Ink Display 296x128 E-Paper, Waveshare 1.02 inch E-Ink Display Module 128×80 E-Paper, and Waveshare 2.13inch E-Paper E-Ink Display Module for Raspberry Pi Pico.