Home / Espressif / ESP32-C3 Super Mini

ESP32-C3 Super Mini

Category: Espressif
Manufacturer: Espressif Systems / Various
SKU: ESP32-C3 Super Mini
Status: Active
Release Year: 2022
Form Factor: ESP32 DevKit
Read Time: ~9 min read

Image Gallery

ESP32-C3 Super Mini top view
ESP32-C3 Super Mini bottom view
ESP32-C3 Super Mini pinout
ESP32-C3 Super Mini top view
ESP32-C3 Super Mini bottom view
ESP32-C3 Super Mini pinout

Overview

The ESP32-C3 Super Mini is an ultra-compact development board built on Espressif's ESP32-C3FH4 system-on-chip — the first ESP32-family SoC to use a RISC-V architecture instead of the Xtensa cores found in earlier ESP32 variants. At approximately 22.52 × 18 mm, it is among the smallest Wi-Fi + Bluetooth development boards available, making it ideal for space-constrained wearables, embedded sensors, and miniature IoT devices.

Despite its small size, the ESP32-C3 Super Mini delivers 4 MB of flash memory built directly into the chip package, native USB-C connectivity (no separate USB-to-serial converter), BLE 5.0, and a single-core RISC-V processor running at up to 160 MHz. The "Super Mini" is a popular third-party board design using the official ESP32-C3 module, produced by multiple manufacturers.

The ESP32-C3 resolves one long-standing frustration with earlier ESP32 boards: its single ADC unit has no conflict with Wi-Fi, meaning all six analog input channels can be read freely while the radio is active.

Quick Overview

Property Value
MCU ESP32-C3FH4 (single-core RISC-V, up to 160 MHz)
Flash 4 MB (built into MCU package)
SRAM 400 KB (384 KB + 16 KB RTC SRAM)
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth BLE 5.0 (no Classic BT)
GPIO 22 total (13 accessible on Super Mini headers)
ADC 6 channels, 12-bit (no Wi-Fi conflict!)
USB USB-C (native — no external serial converter chip)
Deep Sleep Current ~5 µA
Dimensions ~22.52 × 18 mm

Key Features

  • RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor at up to 160 MHz — first RISC-V in the ESP32 family
  • Ultra-compact 22.52 × 18 mm form factor — fits in tight enclosures and wearables
  • 4 MB flash embedded directly in the MCU die (no separate flash chip)
  • Native USB-C with built-in USB Serial/JTAG — no CP2102, no CH340
  • BLE 5.0 with extended range and higher broadcast capacity
  • 6-channel 12-bit ADC with no Wi-Fi conflict (single ADC unit — use any channel freely)
  • Deep sleep at ~5 µA for long battery life
  • Full Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, and MicroPython support
  • Low cost — typically one of the cheapest ESP32-family boards available

Technical Specifications

Parameter Value
MCU ESP32-C3FH4
Architecture RISC-V 32-bit single-core
Clock Speed Up to 160 MHz
Flash Memory 4 MB (integrated in MCU package)
SRAM 384 KB + 16 KB RTC SRAM = 400 KB total
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth BLE 5.0 (no Classic BT)
GPIO Pins (total) 22
GPIO Pins (accessible on board) 13 (on Super Mini headers)
ADC 6 channels, 12-bit (GPIO 0–5; ADC1 only, no Wi-Fi conflict)
USB Interface USB-C — native USB Serial/JTAG (built into ESP32-C3)
UART 2
I2C 1
SPI 3
Operating Voltage (I/O) 3.3 V
Input Voltage 5 V via USB-C
Deep Sleep Current ~5 µA
Operating Temperature −40 to +85 °C
Dimensions ~22.52 × 18 mm

Pinout

https://electronicswiki.com/images/products/esp32-c3-super-mini-top.png

The Super Mini exposes 13 pins on its two header rows. The following table shows accessible pin assignments:

Pin Label GPIO Primary Function Notes
3V3 — 3.3 V regulated output From on-board LDO
GND — Ground
5V — 5 V from USB-C Available when powered via USB
GPIO 0 0 ADC1_CH0 / Boot strapping Analog input; pull-up during boot
GPIO 1 1 ADC1_CH1 Analog input
GPIO 2 2 ADC1_CH2 Analog input; on-board LED on some variants
GPIO 3 3 ADC1_CH3 Analog input
GPIO 4 4 ADC1_CH4 / MTMS Analog input; JTAG
GPIO 5 5 ADC1_CH5 / MTDI Analog input; JTAG
GPIO 6 6 SPI CLK (FSPI) General GPIO / SPI
GPIO 7 7 SPI MOSI (FSPI) General GPIO / SPI
GPIO 8 8 General GPIO / on-board LED Built-in LED on GPIO 8 (most Super Mini boards)
GPIO 9 9 BOOT button / General GPIO Shared with on-board BOOT button; pull-up
GPIO 10 10 SPI CS (FSPI) General GPIO / SPI
GPIO 20 20 UART0 RX USB Serial RX
GPIO 21 21 UART0 TX USB Serial TX

Power

Power Parameter Value
USB Input Voltage 5 V (USB-C)
Regulated Output 3.3 V
MCU Supply Voltage 3.3 V
Typical Active Current (Wi-Fi TX) ~150 mA peak
Deep Sleep Current ~5 µA

The Super Mini includes a small LDO regulator converting 5 V from the USB-C connector to 3.3 V for the ESP32-C3 and any 3.3 V peripherals on the 3V3 pin. Its low deep-sleep current of ~5 µA makes it practical for battery-powered applications with periodic wake-up cycles.

Microcontroller

The ESP32-C3FH4 is a single-chip solution with the 4 MB flash die stacked inside the package itself, eliminating the need for an external SPI flash chip. This reduces board size and BOM cost. The RISC-V core is fully supported by the open-source RISC-V toolchain in addition to Espressif's ESP-IDF.

Core Parameter Value
Architecture RISC-V 32-bit (RV32IMC)
Cores 1 (single-core)
Clock Speed Up to 160 MHz
Flash 4 MB embedded in package
SRAM 400 KB total (384 KB + 16 KB RTC)
ULP Co-processor Yes (RISC-V ULP for deep sleep tasks)

Wireless Connectivity

Radio Parameter Value
Wi-Fi Standard IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz
Wi-Fi Security WPA/WPA2/WPA3-Personal
Bluetooth BLE 5.0
BLE Long Range Yes (Coded PHY, S=2 and S=8)
Antenna PCB trace antenna (on-chip module)
TX Power Up to +20 dBm
Rx Sensitivity −98 dBm (Wi-Fi), −106 dBm (BLE Long Range)

The following example connects to Wi-Fi and blinks the built-in LED to confirm connection:

#include <WiFi.h> const char* ssid = "YOUR_SSID"; const char* password = "YOUR_PASSWORD"; // Built-in LED is on GPIO 8 for most ESP32-C3 Super Mini boards #define LED_PIN 8 void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); delay(1000); pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW); // LED off Serial.print("Connecting to Wi-Fi: "); Serial.println(ssid); WiFi.begin(ssid, password); int attempts = 0; while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) { delay(500); Serial.print("."); attempts++; } if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) { Serial.println(); Serial.println("Wi-Fi connected!"); Serial.print("IP Address: "); Serial.println(WiFi.localIP()); // Blink LED 3 times to confirm connection for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) { digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH); delay(200); digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW); delay(200); } } else { Serial.println(); Serial.println("Failed to connect. Check credentials."); } } void loop() { // Keep LED on when connected, off when not if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) { digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH); } else { digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW); Serial.println("Reconnecting..."); WiFi.reconnect(); delay(5000); } }

Getting Started

Hardware Required

  • ESP32-C3 Super Mini board
  • USB-C cable (data-capable)
  • Computer with USB port

Step 1 — Install Arduino IDE

Download Arduino IDE 2.x from https://www.arduino.cc/en/software.

Step 2 — Add ESP32 Board Package

  1. Open Preferences and add to Additional Boards Manager URLs:

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json

  1. In Boards Manager, search "esp32" and install Espressif Systems package (v2.0.5 or later).

Step 3 — Select Board

Go to Tools > Board > ESP32 Arduino > ESP32C3 Dev Module.

Step 4 — Upload

Connect via USB-C and click Upload. If the port does not appear, hold the BOOT button (GPIO 9) while plugging in the USB cable to force boot-loader mode.

USB Driver Note

Because the ESP32-C3 uses native USB, Windows may require installing a WinUSB or CDC driver on first connection. Most systems detect it automatically as a CDC serial port.

Programming

Environment Notes
Arduino IDE (ESP32 Core v2+) Select "ESP32C3 Dev Module"
ESP-IDF v4.4+ Full C/C++ SDK; supports RISC-V toolchain
MicroPython ESP32-C3 firmware available from micropython.org
PlatformIO Use platform = espressif32; board = lolin_c3_mini or esp32-c3-devkitm-1

Applications

  • Battery-powered IoT sensors
  • BLE beacons and proximity devices
  • Compact Wi-Fi data loggers
  • Smart home end-nodes (door sensors, temperature nodes)
  • Wearable electronics
  • Low-cost prototyping where small size matters
  • Replacing older ESP8266 modules with BLE capability added

Where to Buy

  • Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ESP32+C3+Super+Mini
  • AliExpress: Search "ESP32-C3 Super Mini"
  • Various electronics sellers — the Super Mini design is produced by multiple manufacturers

Equivalent Boards

Board MCU Key Differences
ESP32 Dev Module ESP32 (LX6 dual-core) Dual-core, Classic BT, more GPIO, larger board, micro-USB
ESP32-S3 Dev Kit ESP32-S3 (LX7 dual-core) Dual-core LX7, AI acceleration, more GPIO, USB-C OTG, larger
Arduino Nano ESP32 ESP32-S3 Arduino form factor, easier ecosystem integration
Seeed XIAO ESP32C3 ESP32-C3 Similar size, better build quality, Seeed ecosystem

Documentation

  • ESP32-C3 Datasheet: https://www.espressif.com/en/support/documents/technical-documents
  • ESP-IDF Programming Guide (ESP32-C3): https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32c3/
  • ESP32 Arduino Core GitHub: https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32

Notes

  • 3.3 V I/O ONLY: All ESP32-C3 GPIO pins operate at 3.3 V logic. Do NOT connect 5 V signals directly — this will permanently damage the chip. Use a logic level shifter for 5 V peripherals.
  • ADC has no Wi-Fi conflict: Unlike the original ESP32 and ESP32-S3, the ESP32-C3 has a single ADC unit. All 6 analog channels (GPIO 0–5) can be read freely regardless of Wi-Fi state.
  • LED pin varies by board: The on-board LED is commonly on GPIO 8, but verify with your specific board's schematic, as some manufacturers use GPIO 2 or GPIO 3.
  • No Classic Bluetooth: The ESP32-C3 supports only BLE 5.0. It cannot stream A2DP audio or use SPP/HFP Bluetooth profiles.
  • GPIO 11, 12, 13, 14 are connected internally to the SPI flash interface and must not be used by the application.
  • The Super Mini is a community/third-party design — quality and exact pinout may vary slightly between manufacturers.

Community

Revision History

Version Date Notes
v1.0 2026-06 Initial entry