ESP32-S31: Espressif's Most Powerful Wireless MCU Is Coming — What You Need to Know

ESP32-S31: Espressif's Most Powerful Wireless MCU Is Coming — What You Need to Know

Introduction

If you're an embedded systems enthusiast, an IoT developer, or someone who's been using the ESP32-S3 for your projects — hold tight. Espressif Systems has a new chip in the works that might just change your next design decision. The ESP32-S31 is shaping up to be the most powerful wireless microcontroller the company has ever released, and the buzz in the maker community is already real.

Let's break down everything we know so far.

What Is the ESP32-S31?

The ESP32-S31 is an upcoming MCU from Espressif Systems — the same company behind the legendary ESP8266, ESP32, and ESP32-S3. Think of the S31 as a next-generation successor to the ESP32-S3, but with a significant architecture upgrade and a feature set that borrows from the more powerful ESP32-P4.

Unlike the Xtensa LX7 cores found in the ESP32-S3, the S31 makes a clean switch to RISC-V architecture, a popular open-standard instruction set gaining massive traction in the embedded world.

Key Specifications

Here's what the ESP32-S31 is expected to pack:

Processor:

  • RISC-V HP (High-Performance) Core — RV32IMAFCP with FPU (Floating Point Unit) and SIMD instructions

  • RISC-V LP (Low-Power) Core for ultra-efficient standby operation

Memory & Storage:

  • 512 KB internal SRAM

  • 32 KB RTC SRAM

  • External Octal PSRAM and Flash support up to 64MB

Wireless Connectivity:

  • Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

  • Bluetooth (Classic + BLE)

  • 802.15.4 — supporting Zigbee, Thread, and Matter protocols

Wired Connectivity:

  • Gigabit Ethernet MAC — a first for a wireless ESP32 chip!

  • USB 2.0 OTG (High Speed)

GPIO & Peripherals:

  • Up to 62 GPIOs — more than any previous ESP32

  • 4× MCPWM (Motor Control PWM — great for robotics!)

  • 4× UART, 2× I2C, 2× SPI

  • ADC, Touch Sensor

  • Low-power peripherals: Analog Input, UART, I2C, SPI on LP core

Security:

  • Flash Encryption (XTS-AES-128/256)

  • AES, SHA, RSA, ECC hardware accelerators

  • Physical Memory Protection (PMP)

  • eFuse with key-purpose field

How Does It Compare to the ESP32-S3?

The ESP32-S31 is not a radical overhaul — it's a meaningful step up:

Feature ESP32-S3 ESP32-S31
CPU Architecture Xtensa LX7 (dual-core) RISC-V HP + LP
Ethernet No ✅ Gigabit MAC
Max GPIOs 45 62
802.15.4 (Matter/Zigbee) No ✅ Yes
USB OTG Full-Speed High-Speed
Memory (SRAM) 512 KB 512 KB
External Flash/PSRAM Up to 32MB Up to 64MB

The biggest wins are the Gigabit Ethernet, Matter/Zigbee support, more GPIOs, and the shift to RISC-V — which also means Espressif avoids Tensilica IP licensing fees, potentially keeping the chip affordable.

How Does It Compare to the ESP32-P4?

The ESP32-P4 is Espressif's current high-performance non-wireless chip. The S31 borrows some of its DNA but isn't meant to replace it:

  • The P4 has two HP RISC-V cores; the S31 has only one

  • The P4 supports H.264 video encoding, MIPI DSI, and MIPI CSI — the S31 does not

  • But the S31 adds full wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi, BT, 802.15.4) that the P4 lacks

So the S31 is the sweet spot — a wireless powerhouse for makers who want serious networking and wireless capabilities without needing multimedia/camera-heavy features.

Why Should Makers and Engineers Care?

Here's why the ESP32-S31 is exciting for your next project:

  1. Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi in one chip — perfect for industrial IoT gateways, smart routers, and server-edge devices

  2. Matter/Thread/Zigbee built-in — ready for the next generation of smart home ecosystems without external modules

  3. 62 GPIOs — finally enough pins for complex projects without GPIO expanders

  4. Motor Control PWM × 4 — ideal for robotics, drones, and multi-motor systems

  5. RISC-V architecture — modern, open-source toolchain, growing community support

  6. High-Speed USB OTG — faster data transfer for USB-based devices

  7. 64MB external memory support — run lightweight AI models, large buffers, and OTA updates with ease

When Will It Be Available?

As of March 2026, the ESP32-S31 has not received an official release date from Espressif. It is currently in the announcement/documentation phase, and the community is eagerly watching for engineering samples and a launch timeline. If Espressif follows its typical product cycle, we could expect developer previews within the next few months.

👉 Stay tuned — we'll be stocking the ESP32-S31 as soon as it becomes available. Drop your email below to get notified first!

Final Thoughts

The ESP32-S31 checks almost every box that embedded developers and IoT engineers have been asking for — Gigabit Ethernet, wireless everything (Wi-Fi + BT + Matter), more GPIOs, and a modern RISC-V core — all in a single chip. Whether you're building an industrial gateway, a smart home hub, a robotics controller, or an edge AI device, the ESP32-S31 looks like it'll be the chip to use in 2026 and beyond.

Have questions about the ESP32-S31 or want to know how it fits your project? Drop a comment below or reach out to us!

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