ESP32-C3
Hacker ApprovedRanked 11 of 28 microcontrollers by recommenders
Cheap, stable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth microcontroller with a RISC-V core, praised for Rust and Embassy projects. Critics cite high latency and errata.
Cheap, stable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth microcontroller with a RISC-V core, praised for Rust and Embassy projects. Critics cite high latency and errata.
21 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 19
- criticize it
- 2
- approval share
- 90%
Recommended in 7 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 19 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 9.5 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 7 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Runs Rust and Embassy well
“The newer model, C3, C6, C5 all have RSIC-V cores which make it a dream to run Rust”
Comment from 27 Apr 2026 in “Running Bare-Metal Rust Alongside ESP-IDF on the ESP32-S3's Second Core” “I've enjoyed learning the basics of bare-metal no_std rust on the esp32c3”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async” “the esp32c3 is dirt cheap and runs embassy projects well”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async” RISC-V core, fantastic microcontroller
“The newer model, C3, C6, C5 all have RSIC-V cores which make it a dream to run Rust”
Comment from 27 Apr 2026 in “Running Bare-Metal Rust Alongside ESP-IDF on the ESP32-S3's Second Core” “Also espressif RISC V mcu's like the ESP32-C3 and -C6 are fantastic.”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async” “Wi-Fi: Esp Risc-V (C3 etc)”
Comment from 15 Dec 2025 in “Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’” Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support
“replacing them with ESP32-C3 for bluetooth support”
Comment from 27 Oct 2026 in “SIMD-accelerated computer vision on a $2 microcontroller” “Wi-Fi: Esp Risc-V (C3 etc)”
Comment from 15 Dec 2025 in “Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’” Cheap and stable for projects
“I find the tiny C3 to be much more stable than other versions.”
Comment from 10 Sep 2026 in “ESP32 Bit Pirate Hardware Hacking Kit with Web Tools That Speaks Every Protocol” “the esp32c3 is dirt cheap and runs embassy projects well”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Embassy: Modern embedded framework, using Rust and async”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Too much latency for some uses
“I'm not seeing the practical application of this in a real world env, surely the latency is a deal breaker”
Comment from 7 Oct 2026 in “ESP32-C3 Adblock” “latency might be too high, wish the docs weren't all AI vomit”
Comment from 7 Oct 2026 in “ESP32-C3 Adblock” “This will be slow for one user, let alone more than one”
Comment from 7 Oct 2026 in “ESP32-C3 Adblock”
Other microcontrollers people recommend
The four most recommended other microcontrollers, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32 | 190 | 35 | 84% | 12 | 5 yrs3 owners | Approved |
| Arduino boards | 81 | 73 | 53% | 12 | 16 yrs7 owners | — |
| Raspberry Pi Pico | 72 | 16 | 82% | 12 | — | Approved |
| Raspberry Pi RP2350 | 47 | 13 | 78% | 11 | — | Approved |
| ESP32-C3This page | 19 | 2 | 90% | 7 | — | Approved |
What people said
21 of the 22 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“replacing them with ESP32-C3 for bluetooth support”
“I can see it being useful if you aren't allowed to change the router”
“Nice demonstration of an embedded software technique, to create a device I can't imagine a practical use for”
“I really like this conceptually. However, multiple elements feel like slop”
“Having the ability to add antennas onto ESP-32 is a blessing-in-disguise that helps with more complex projects at a range later on”
“I'm not seeing the practical application of this in a real world env, surely the latency is a deal breaker”
“The normal C3 has a built-in antenna that is extremely weak, making it useless for most things I was planning using it for.”
“Great idea, and good for casual blocking, but I'm almost moving to an "allow list" mindset.”
“This will be slow for one user, let alone more than one”
“latency might be too high, wish the docs weren't all AI vomit”
“I find the tiny C3 to be much more stable than other versions.”
“C3 dev kits weren't widely available, so I never used it for anything.”
“The newer model, C3, C6, C5 all have RSIC-V cores which make it a dream to run Rust”
“The tool chains that Espressif seem to work pretty well with these”
“the recommended solution is to add a C3 as a coprocessor.”
“I've lost count of how many confirmed errata I've reported to Espressif”
“a much more sophisticated ESP32-c3, would last a month in sleep mode on two coin batteries”
“Also espressif RISC V mcu's like the ESP32-C3 and -C6 are fantastic.”
“I've enjoyed learning the basics of bare-metal no_std rust on the esp32c3”
“the esp32c3 is dirt cheap and runs embassy projects well”
“Wi-Fi: Esp Risc-V (C3 etc)”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.