Introduction
Seeed Studio XIAO family has become one of the most popular choices for developers who need tiny yet powerful microcontrollers. With their thumb‑sized form factor (21 × 17.8 mm), these boards are ideal for wearables, IoT nodes, and compact robotics projects. Recently, Seeed expanded the lineup with the XIAO ESP32‑C5, joining the existing ESP32‑S3 and ESP32‑C6. Each board offers unique strengths: the S3 focuses on performance and memory, the C6 emphasizes Matter‑native smart home integration, and the C5 introduces dual‑band Wi‑Fi for next‑generation connectivity.
This article provides a detailed comparison of the three boards, highlighting their specifications, advantages, and how to decide which you need.
XIAO ESP32‑S3: Performance and AI at the Edge
The ESP32‑S3 is built around the Xtensa LX7 dual‑core processor running at 240 MHz, making it the most powerful of the trio. It comes with 8 MB Flash and 8 MB PSRAM, which is a huge advantage for projects requiring large memory buffers, such as image recognition, speech processing, or embedded machine learning.
-
Wireless: Wi‑Fi 2.4 GHz + Bluetooth 5.0
-
Memory: 8 MB Flash + 8 MB PSRAM
-
Strengths: High compute power, AI acceleration, large memory capacity
-
Limitations: No support for Zigbee/Thread, limited to 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi
Best suited for: Robotics, AI vision systems, ML experiments, and projects where performance outweighs power consumption.
XIAO ESP32‑C6: Matter‑Native Smart Home Integration
The ESP32‑C6 is the first XIAO board designed with Matter, Zigbee, and Thread support. Powered by dual RISC‑V cores (160 MHz + 20 MHz), it balances performance with ultra‑low power consumption. With Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 GHz) and Bluetooth 5.3, it ensures interoperability across smart home ecosystems like Home Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home.
-
Wireless: Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee/Thread)
-
Memory: 4 MB Flash + 512 KB SRAM
-
Strengths: Native Matter support, ultra‑low power modes (~15 μA deep sleep), secure boot and encryption
-
Limitations: Smaller memory footprint compared to S3
Best suited for: Smart home hubs, IoT sensors, wearables, and battery‑powered devices where interoperability and efficiency are critical.
XIAO ESP32‑C5: Dual‑Band Wi‑Fi for Next‑Gen IoT
The newly released ESP32‑C5 is the first XIAO board to support dual‑band Wi‑Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). This is a game‑changer for IoT developers working in environments where 2.4 GHz channels are congested. The C5 ensures smoother, faster, and more reliable connectivity, making it ideal for gateways and industrial IoT applications.
-
Wireless: Wi‑Fi 6 dual‑band (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, IEEE 802.15.4
-
Memory: 4 MB Flash (no PSRAM)
-
Strengths: Dual‑band Wi‑Fi, modern wireless stack, secure boot and encryption
-
Limitations: Limited memory compared to S3, not ideal for heavy AI workloads
Best suited for: IoT gateways, industrial sensors, and applications requiring stable high‑speed wireless connections.
Side‑by‑Side Comparison
| Feature | XIAO ESP32‑S3 | XIAO ESP32‑C6 | XIAO ESP32‑C5 |
| Processor | Dual‑core Xtensa LX7 @ 240 MHz | Dual RISC‑V cores (160 MHz + 20 MHz) | RISC‑V MCU |
| Wireless Connectivity | Wi‑Fi 2.4 GHz + Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee/Thread) | Wi‑Fi 6 dual‑band (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, IEEE 802.15.4 |
| Memory | 8 MB Flash + 8 MB PSRAM | 4 MB Flash + 512 KB SRAM | 4 MB Flash (no PSRAM) |
| Security Features | Standard ESP32 security | Secure Boot, Encryption, Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) | Secure Boot, Encryption |
| Power Consumption | Deep sleep ~14 μA | Deep sleep ~15 μA | Low‑power Wi‑Fi 6 operation |
| Dimensions | 21 × 17.8 mm | 21 × 17.8 mm | 21 × 17.8 mm |
| Interfaces | UART, I²C, SPI, GPIO, ADC, PWM | UART, LP_UART, I²C, LP_I²C, SPI, GPIO, ADC, SDIO | UART, I²C, SPI, GPIO, ADC, PWM |
| Wireless Range | ~80 m BLE/Wi‑Fi | ~80 m BLE/Wi‑Fi, plus Zigbee/Thread mesh | ~80 m BLE/Wi‑Fi (dual‑band stability) |
| Target Use Cases | AI, robotics, ML, IoT cameras | Smart home hubs, Matter devices, wearables, sensors | IoT gateways, industrial IoT, smart city devices |
| Price (USD) | ~7.49 | ~4.99 | ~6.90 |
How to Decide Which XIAO Series You Need
Choosing the right XIAO board depends on what your project values most: performance, interoperability, or connectivity. Here’s a simple decision framework:
-
If your project requires heavy computation, AI, or robotics → go with XIAO ESP32‑S3.
-
It offers dual‑core processing and extra PSRAM, perfect for image recognition, ML, and complex algorithms.
-
-
If your project focuses on smart home integration or ultra‑low power IoT → choose XIAO ESP32‑C6.
-
With Matter, Zigbee, and Thread support, it ensures seamless interoperability across ecosystems, while deep sleep modes make it ideal for sensors and wearables.
-
-
If your project demands stable, high‑speed wireless in crowded environments → pick XIAO ESP32‑C5.
-
Its dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4/5 GHz) guarantees reliable connectivity, making it perfect for IoT gateways, industrial sensors, and smart city devices.
-
Conclusion
The Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32 series demonstrates how a single form factor can adapt to vastly different needs in the IoT and embedded world. Each board brings its own strengths:
-
XIAO ESP32‑S3 delivers raw performance and memory, making it the go‑to choice for robotics, AI vision, and machine learning at the edge.
-
XIAO ESP32‑C6 emphasizes interoperability and efficiency, with Matter, Zigbee, and Thread support for smart home ecosystems and battery‑powered devices.
-
XIAO ESP32‑C5 introduces dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6, ensuring stable and fast connectivity in crowded environments, ideal for gateways, industrial IoT, and smart city deployments.
By understanding the differences in processing power, connectivity options, and application focus, developers can confidently select the board that best matches their project requirements. Whether you’re building an AI‑driven robot, a Matter‑compliant smart home device, or a next‑generation IoT gateway, the XIAO family offers a compact yet powerful solution tailored to your needs.
