Recently, it was discovered that Espressif released a chip.
ESP32-H2
The performance is quite ordinary, featuring a RISC-V 32-bit single-core CPU with a maximum frequency of 96MHz, 128KB ROM, 320KB SRAM, 4KB LP Memory, and 2MB or 4MB of embedded Flash. This performance is considered the lowest in Espressif’s product line.
Its advantages lie in connectivity.
Supports low-power Bluetooth 5.3 (Bluetooth LE 5.3).
Low-power Bluetooth PHY.
Bluetooth Mesh.
IEEE 802.15.4
Supports Thread 1.3.
Zigbee 3.0
Matter.
Other application layer protocols (HomeKit, MQTT).
19 programmable GPIOs, similar to the programmable GPIOs of Raspberry Pi Pico. This is a new feature from Espressif, and it is hoped that this feature can be extended to other models.
Another feature present in all new Espressif chips is USB CDC, which is very convenient to use.
However, currently Arduino and MicroPython have not yet adapted, and it can only use the official ESP-IDF, making it temporarily unsuitable for those who have not used it before. But actually, using ESP-IDF has become increasingly convenient.
Currently, the models supported by Arduino are mainly ESP32, ESP32-S2, ESP32-S3, and ESP32-C3. Other models are still waiting for adaptation.
In terms of pricing, I checked, and the official price for the ESP32-H2-Mini-1U module is 18.5.
The development board ESP32-H2-DevKitM-1 is priced at 60, which is comparable to the price of ESP32-S2, placing it in the lower-middle price range. The module price is expected to be around 10, and the development board around 30, which should not be a big issue.
Overall, the highlights are support for Bluetooth, Zigbee, Thread, and other IoT protocols, as well as programmable GPIOs. The clear positioning is aimed at IoT and smart home applications.
This chip can be used in most smart home scenarios without high costs. There is no need to worry about whether to use Bluetooth or Zigbee, as it supports both, which is fantastic.
For example, with many of Xiaomi’s smart home products, you need to check whether they use Bluetooth or Zigbee protocol. Now, Xiaomi seems to have fully embraced Bluetooth. With this chip, there is no need to worry, as it is compatible with both, which is very convenient.
This indirectly promotes the development of Zigbee, as one of the reasons Zigbee has not developed well is the high cost, but the development board of this chip completely eliminates that issue. However, the Zigbee gateway remains a problem, which is not the case with Bluetooth. Additionally:
The conflict over IoT protocols is not over; stay tuned. However, it seems that Espressif is now mainly promoting Thread and Matter.
Programmable GPIOs have taken the unique feature of Raspberry Pi Pico compared to other development boards. Therefore, some users may choose Espressif’s chip due to price or functionality. It is hoped that this feature will cover more Espressif chips in the future.
For those wanting to use it immediately at a low cost, it seems that this will take a long time, as the demand does not seem that high. This chip is likely mainly aimed at enterprise users in the IoT and smart home sectors. For enterprises, this could be a great product.
Orange Pi 3G-IOT-A
https://m.tb.cn/h.5cPlTTz?tk=A7SOdvm5rSb
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