Unexpected Maker launches Series[D] ESP32-S3 boards with dual antenna, software RF switch

Unexpected Maker has recently released the Series[D], a lineup of four new ESP32-S3 development boards: the EdgeS3[D], TinyS3[D], FeatherS3[D], and ProS3[D]. The boards feature dual antenna support (onboard and u.FL) and are available in various form factors for different applications.

Other features across the series include USB-C with native USB and USB Serial JTAG, LiPo battery charging, ultra-low deep sleep current, 8MB to 16MB of QSPI Flash, up to 8MB of PSRAM, and a new I2C battery fuel gauge chip. Additionally, ProS3[D] comes with ESD protection, castellated headers, and it’s also compatible with TinyS3 shields. The EdgeS3[D] module, on the other hand, uses an M.2 B-Key edge connector and an IO expander for some extra I/O access.

EdgeS3[D], TinyS3[D], FeatherS3[D], and ProS3[D] share the following features:

• SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3
  • CPU – Xtensa Dual-core 32-bit LX7 Microprocessor with up to 240MHz clock speed
  • Memory – 512KB SRAM, 8MB PSRAM
  • Storage – 384KB ROM
  • Wireless – Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE
• Memory – Up to 8MB QSPI PSRAM
• Storage – Up to 16MB QSPI Flash
• Antenna
  • Onboard 3D high-gain antenna
  • u.FL connector for external antenna
  • RF switch for software antenna selection
• USB – USB-C for power and programming
• Debug –  USB serial JTAG
• Misc – Charge and Power LEDs
• Power
  • One or two 700mA 3.3V LDO regulators
  • LiPo battery charging support
  • Max 17048G I2C fuel gauge IC
  • Ultra-low deep sleep current

The boards differ in terms of form factor, available PSRAM, Flash size, battery connection options, and more, as shown in the table below

Feature	EdgeS3[D]	TinyS3[D]	FeatherS3[D]	ProS3[D]
MCU	ESP32-S3-PICO-1	ESP32-S3FN8	ESP32-S3	ESP32-S3
Flash	8MB	8MB	16MB	16MB
PSRAM	2MB	8MB	8MB	8MB
USB Port	No native port	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
GPIO	29+8 IOs via IO Expander	17	21	21
RGB LED	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Extra Sensors	No	No	Ambient Light (ALS-PT19)	Ambient Light (ALS-PT19)
STEMMA/QT	No	No	2x	2x
Boot/Reset Buttons	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
M.2 Connector	Yes	No	No	No
Regulators	1x 3.3V 700mA	1x 3.3V 700mA	2x 3.3V 700mA	2x 3.3V 700mA
ESD protection	Yes (PWR + Data)	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified
Battery connection	No dedicated JST, routed via M.2	Pads for optional JST PH (not soldered)	JST PH connector	JST PH connector
VBAT Monitoring	Not specified	Not specified	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	22mm x 23mm	36.3mm x 17.8mm	52.3mm x 22.9mm	52.3mm x 22.9mm
Form Factor	M.2 B-Key	TinyPICO Format	Feather	Feather
Max Thickness	2mm (at u.FL)	4.3mm (at USB-C)	6.6mm (at JST PH)	6.6mm (at JST PH)

The EdgeS3[D] is the smallest and most compact board in the whole series, and very similar to the MicroMod modular ecosystem. It uses an M.2 B-Key edge connector and supports the Edge Carrier board. This makes it suitable for prototyping and other space-constrained applications, such as wearables and embedded IoT devices.

To work with the module, you will need the breakout and prototyping board which featues a USB-C port for power and data, an M.2 B-Key connector with mounting hardware, 2.54mm headers for all I/Os, Reset and Boot (IO0) buttons, a 3.3V power LED with header pin, and a 1.25mm battery connector. Each kit includes the assembled PCB, 2×20-pin male and female headers, a 4-pin male header, and an M2x4mm screw, basically everything you need to plug in the module and get started.

The TinyS3[D] is the successor of the TinyS3 and is compatible with TinyPICO and TinyS2 layouts. It uses the ESP32-S3FN8 chip, features 8MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, USB-C, LiPo charging, and an I2C battery fuel gauge. optimized for low-power use with deep sleep support.

The FeatherS3[D] is a direct upgrade of the FeatherS3 and FeatherS2. It features 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, dual antenna support (onboard + u.FL), USB-C, LiPo charging, 21 GPIOs, STEMMA connectors, and ultra-low deep sleep current. The board is compatible with Feather Wings and supports multiple development environments.

According to Unexpected Maker, the ProS3[D] is an “Extremely Pro ESP32-S3 board,” which is a direct upgrade of the ProS3, It comes with up to 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, dual antenna, castellated headers, USB-C with ESD protection, 27 GPIOs, a MicroBlade LiPo connector, and STEMMA QT interface. It also includes a fuel gauge, low-power RGB LED, and deep sleep support, making it ideal for advanced wireless and battery-powered projects.

If we compare the four boards, the EdgeS3[D] features a unique M.2 B-Key connector and 2MB PSRAM, ideal for embedded applications. The TinyS3[D] is a small, breadboard-friendly board with 8MB PSRAM, 17 GPIOs, and TinyPICO compatibility. The FeatherS3[D] uses the Adafruit Feather layout, has 8MB PSRAM, 21 GPIOs, and dual STEMMA connectors. The ProS3[D] is the most feature-rich one with 16MB flash, 8MB PSRAM, 27 GPIOs, castellated headers, STEMMA QT, and full compatibility with TinyPICO/TinyS3 shields.

Now comparing the newer Series[D] with the older generation (TinyS3, FeatherS3, and ProS3) boards, the Series[D] models have the same ESP32-S3 chip and core specs but add dual antenna support (onboard + u.FL) with software-controlled RF switching. There’s also ESD protection, improved battery connection options, while maintaining the same form factors for compatibility. So the core features remain the same, but the Series[D] boards add RF flexibility, better protection, and power handling.

The Series[D] comes pre-installed with CircuitPython and includes the UF2 bootloader for easy firmware updates. There is also support for Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, MicroPython, and PlatformIO.

There is a Getting Started Guide for all Unexpected Maker ESP32-S3 boards, and a GitHub repository, where you’ll find hardware design files and code for the new boards in the series_d directory. Additionally, you can check out the product pages of the product pages of the EdgeS3[D], TinyS3[D], FeatherS3[D], and ProS3[D] boards for more information.

The Unexpected Maker Series[D] boards can be purchased for $19 to $24 on the company’s store, and the Edge Carrier is sold separately for $15.00. In the future, the new boards may also show up on Amazon and Adafruit like their predecessors.

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