M5Stack New E-Paper Microcontroller M5PaperS3 Overview
Today we have a new product from M5Stack. I'd like to show you something and the differences between M5Paper and M5PaperS3.
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What is M5PaperS3
The M5PaperS3 is an innovative, low-power e-ink display controller device from M5Stack, designed to cater to the needs of IoT (Internet of Things) enthusiasts, developers, and hobbyists. Here's a comprehensive look at what the M5PaperS3 offers:
Microcontroller
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The heart of the M5PaperS3 is the ESP32-S3R8, featuring a dual-core LX7 processor running at 240MHz. This advanced chip provides excellent performance, security features, and USB OTG support, making it suitable for complex IoT applications.
Display
4.7" E-Ink Screen: With a resolution of 960x540 pixels, this display supports 16-level grayscale. E-ink technology ensures low power consumption, readability in sunlight, and image retention even when the device is powered off.
Capacitive Touch: Equipped with a GT911 capacitive touch panel, the M5PaperS3 supports two-point touch and various gesture operations, enhancing user interaction.
Memory and Storage
8MB PSRAM: For fast data access and processing.
16MB External Flash: Provides ample storage for firmware and data.
MicroSD Card Support: Allows for expanded storage, ideal for data logging or applications requiring large storage capacity.
Connectivity
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz): For internet connectivity, IoT device communication, and OTA (Over-The-Air) updates.
Bluetooth: While not explicitly mentioned in the provided documentation, the ESP32-S3 chip supports Bluetooth 5.0, suggesting its inclusion for short-range wireless communication.
Battery
Sensors and Other Features
Gyroscope (BMI270): For motion detection, enabling features like wake-up by lifting.
Onboard Buzzer: For audio feedback.
Physical Button: For device control, power management, and entering download mode.
RTC (BM8563): Real-time clock for sleep and wake-up functions, enhancing power efficiency.
Additional Enhancements
USB OTG: Allows the device to act as a USB host or device, expanding its connectivity options.
Back Magnet: For easy mounting on metal surfaces.
Hanging Hook: For convenient carrying and hanging.
Optimized Antenna: For better wireless performance and signal stability.
Overview
Front
From the front, we can see that both products use the same size screen. The M5PaperS3 is grey in colour. The screen is not concave like on the M5Paper V1.1, but is a completely flat surface with an additional fold.
Back
There is more information and differences on the back.
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First of all, the M5PaperS3 uses an ESP32-S3R8 chip, and M5Paper uses an ESP32 F0WDQ6-V3 chip.
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The M5Paper V1.1 has three Grove ports, while the interface of M5PaperS3 is hidden. You can only find the interface location when you cut the sticker of M5PaperS3 with scissors. Two E-Papers also have Type-C.
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The M5Paper V1.1 has a battery of 1150mAh and the M5PaperS3 has a battery of 1800mAh.
Other
M5PaperS3 retains the magnetic suction feature. I personally feel that the magnetic suction is a bit stronger than in M5Paper V1.1. At the same time, M5PaperS3 has an additional buzzer that is very loud.
In terms of Boot, both M5Paper V1.1 and M5PaperS3 enter the burning mode by pressing the Boot button for two seconds after connecting to the computer. However, M5PaperS3 has an additional indicator light, which can easily show whether it has entered burning mode.
In terms of weight, the official net weight of both products is 86g. I weighed M5Paper V1.1 and it was 80g, and M5PaperS3 was 95.5g.
Summary
The feelings I get from using these two products are different. Personally, I have been using M5Paper V1.1 for a long time, so I am very happy with the feel of it. I was a bit uncomfortable with M5PaperS3 when I first got it, but maybe I will get used to it over time.
In terms of display, both products have no backlighting and the M5PaperS3's display area is generally darker. When there is sufficient light, the viewing experience of the M5PaperS3 is better than that of the M5Paper V1.1, but when there is insufficient light, the viewing experience of the M5Paper V1.1 is much better than that of the M5PaperS3.
Overall, both products have their own advantages. If you are focusing on expanding and developing the smart home, I would recommend using M5Paper V1.1. If you are planning an application such as a reader or a desktop weather station, M5PaperS3 is more suitable. This is the actual experience of using these two products. I hope it helps you make your choice. If you would like to see demos of these two products in different scenarios, you can leave us a message.
