M5PaperS3: 4.7-inch Touch E-Ink Display with 16-level Grayscale, GT911 Capacitive Touch, and Gyroscope Sensor

The PaperS3 is an ESP32-S3 Development Kit designed as a low-power e-ink display controller. Powered by the ESP32-S3R8 SoC, it features a 4.7-inch e-ink display with a 960×540 resolution and 16-level grayscale. The display integrates a GT911 capacitive touch panel, enabling dual-point touch and gesture-based interactions. Additional features include a gyroscope sensor, onboard buzzer, and physical buttons, supporting functionalities such as wake-up by lifting and power on/off operations. With low power consumption and image retention during power loss, the PaperS3 is ideal for applications that require battery efficiency and clear text readability.

This ESP32-S3 Development Kit is equipped with 8MB of PSRAM and an external 16MB flash memory chip, providing expanded storage with faster data access. A MicroSD interface allows for additional storage expansion. The device is powered by a built-in 1800mAh lithium battery with charging functionality, making it well-suited for portable, battery-operated applications that demand efficient display performance and minimal power usage.

Previously, we explored e-ink displays such as the Lolin Tiny Tri-color, Waveshare 4-inch E-Ink Spectra 6, Hisense A7CC, INKPLATE 6 MOTION, LILYGO T-Display S3 Pro, Inkplate 5, and more. Feel free to check them out if you’re interested in similar products.

M5PaperS3  ESP32-S3 Development Kit specifications:

• SoC: ESP32-S3R8
  • Xtensa 32-bit LX7 Dual-Core Processor @ 240MHz
• Memory:
  • 512KB SRAM
  • 16KB SRAM in RTC
  • 8MB PSRAM
• Storage:
  • 16MB external Flash
  • microSD card expansion supported
• Networking:
  • 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE support
  • 20 MHz/40 MHz bandwidth in a 2.4 GHz band
  • Wi-Fi communication range: up to 111 meters (open space, antenna at 90° orientation)
• Display:
  • 4.7-inch touch-enabled E-Ink screen (EPD_ED047TC1)
  • Resolution: 960×540 pixels (235 PPI)
  • 16-level grayscale
  • GT911 capacitive touch panel with two-point touch and gesture support
• Sensors: BMI270 gyroscope sensor
• USB: Type-C USB for OTG/CDC/MSC/Firmware flashing
• Expansion and Interfaces:
  • 2x GPIO pins
  • HY1.25-4P peripheral interface
  • Built-in RTC chip (BM8563) for deep sleep/wake-up
• Power Management:
  • LGS4056H battery charging chip
  • Battery: 1800mAh Lithium @ 3.7V
  • Charging current: 5V @ 176mA
  • Input power: 5V @ 500mA
• Power Consumption:
  • Low power mode: DC 4.2V @ 9.28µA (main power off, gyroscope in low-power mode)
  • Standby mode: DC 4.2V @ 949.58µA (main power off, gyroscope on)
  • Operating mode: DC 4.2V @ 154.02mA (main power on)
• Miscellaneous:
  • PMS150G for power on/off and program download control
  • Onboard passive buzzer
  • 1x physical button for power/reset/download control
• Battery Connector: SMT-HDR 1.25-2P
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
• Dimensions and Weight:
  • Product: 121.5 x 67.7 x 7.7 mm | 89.3 grams
  • Package: 133 x 76 x 19 mm | 112.9 grams

The PaperS3 is a low-power e-ink display controller powered by the ESP32-S3R8 SoC. It integrates an RTC chip (BM8563) to enable sleep and wake-up functionality, optimizing power efficiency and extending battery life. An onboard battery detection circuit monitors battery status in real-time, ensuring effective and reliable battery management. These features make it well-suited for applications requiring extended operation with minimal power consumption.

Designed for a range of low-power display and interaction applications, the PaperS3 is ideal for IoT monitoring, smart home systems, environmental tracking, health monitoring, electronic tags, and data logging. Its 4.7-inch touch-enabled e-ink display provides excellent readability while maintaining low energy use, making it a practical choice for portable, battery-powered devices.

The device comes pre-loaded with MicroPython for quick deployment and supports multiple development platforms, including UIFlow 2.0, Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, and Platform.IO. The M5PaperS3 Development Kit is priced at $59, with further details available on the product page.

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