Board Comparison¶

This page is meant to help you choose a board, not just list every technical detail.

Start Here¶

If you are new to MeshCore hardware and just want a sensible starting point, first decide whether the device is a companion or a repeater.

For companions, think Wi-Fi-connected automation endpoint:

• use companion Wi-Fi builds when another system, such as Home Assistant, RemoteTerm, or your own tooling, needs to connect to MeshCore over Wi-Fi
• these are usually not hands-on daily devices, so a screen is optional rather than a must-have
• headless or simple boards are often fine when the companion will sit near power and be managed from another app or automation system
• check the companion tables below when you do want a display, GPS, or a more complete board package

For MQTT/web repeaters, think Wi-Fi, broker visibility, and enough headroom for the local web panel:

• common starting points are Heltec_v3 and heltec_v4
• heltec_v4_repeater_observer is a strong all-round observer choice with GPS, PSRAM, and 16 MB flash
• choose boards with more flash and PSRAM when you want MQTT plus the local web panel, stats, or more room for future features
• screens are not a major requirement because observers have the local web panel for setup and troubleshooting
• headless repeaters are often the cleanest choice when the device will live in a roof, box, or fixed install and you will configure it from the web panel, serial console, or app

For bridge repeaters, think local radio linking between nearby repeaters:

• use bridge firmware when two local repeaters need to exchange traffic across different MeshCore radio configs, such as Australia (Narrow) and Australia (Mid)
• pure ESP-NOW bridge repeaters do not need MQTT, the EastMesh web panel, or a screen
• prioritise stable power, suitable antennas, and placement over display features
• use observer-eastmesh-bridge-espnow only when the same repeater also needs MQTT uplink; otherwise repeater-bridge-espnow keeps the role simpler

Other notes:

• screens matter more for companions or bench/field devices than fixed repeaters
• if you do want an onboard screen people will actually use, prefer TFT boards
• if you want a low-power status screen, prefer e-paper boards
• if location-aware or mobile use matters, prefer GPS-capable boards such as the T-Beam family, heltec_tracker_v2, Heltec_v3, heltec_v4, or ThinkNode_M5
• if you want the most conservative, older radio family choices, the SX1276 boards are LilyGo_TLora_V2_1_1_6, Tbeam_SX1276, and Heltec_v2

About The Tables¶

The tables below are built from the repo's PlatformIO board metadata and variant build flags.

• Target is the short board name used in this comparison page. Release filenames and local build commands still use the full env names such as heltec_v4_repeater_observer.
• MCU shows the chip family only. Actual runtime clock can vary by env and board configuration.
• RAM is the MCU's built-in RAM.
• PSRAM is extra memory on some boards. More PSRAM usually means more headroom for UI, MQTT, and future features.
• GPS uses ✅ when present and is blank when absent.
• SD uses ✅ when the board is currently known to support the SD-backed archive path in EastMesh, 🧪 when the hardware likely supports TF/microSD but the board-specific integration still needs validation, and is blank when there is no current SD/archive support note.

Track Notes¶

• companion-wifi boards are for app-connected companion devices.
• observer-eastmesh boards are for Wi-Fi repeaters that publish to MQTT.
• repeater-bridge-espnow and observer-eastmesh-bridge-espnow boards are for local ESP-NOW bridge use between nearby repeaters on different MeshCore radio configs.

Bridge firmware is not MQTT-over-WAN or VPN bridging. Use it when two local repeaters need to exchange traffic across radio configs such as Australia (Narrow) and Australia (Mid).

Additional Signals¶

If you are deciding between otherwise similar boards, these target-level settings often matter more than flash alone.

• CPU cfg is the runtime clock MeshCore sets for that target. default means MeshCore does not override the board's default clock.
• TX cfg is MeshCore's configured LORA_TX_POWER, not guaranteed antenna output. Boards with a PA or RF front-end may radiate much more than the configured value suggests.
• Power is how the target exposes power in the repo: ADC batt, PMU, custom 2S, fixed/ext, or none.
• Extras lists notable RF or peripheral extras exposed by the target, such as PA/FEM, RF switch, BME280, NeoPixel, or ext ant.

* These targets use a PA or RF front-end, so effective output can be much higher than the configured LORA_TX_POWER.

repeater_observer Boards¶

This table includes all observer targets currently defined in variants/eastmesh_mqtt/platformio.ini.

SD notes:

• ✅ means the board is currently known to work with the SD-backed archive path in EastMesh.
• 🧪 means the board hardware likely supports TF/microSD, but the EastMesh board-specific integration still needs validation before it should be treated as supported.
• For the current stats archive, a 4 GB FAT32 microSD card is more than sufficient. Larger cards are also supported.

companion_radio_wifi Boards With A Display¶

These are the Wi-Fi companion targets that have a display configured for local status, setup help, or occasional direct interaction.

companion_radio_wifi Headless Boards¶

These are the Wi-Fi companion targets that rely on the companion app as the primary interface. For many users, this is the best everyday option.

Practical Picks¶

• Best all-round observer with screen and overall headroom: heltec_v4_repeater_observer, heltec_v4_tft_repeater_observer, Station_G2_repeater_observer, LilyGo_TBeam_1W_repeater_observer.
• Best observer if you want a simple headless install: RAK_3112_repeater_observer, Generic_E22_sx1262_repeater_observer, Meshimi_repeater_observer, Xiao_C6_repeater_observer.
• Best low-power display observer builds: Heltec_E213_repeater_observer, Heltec_E290_repeater_observer, Heltec_Wireless_Paper_repeater_observer, ThinkNode_M5_Repeater_observer.
• Best companion choices if you want the richest local UI: heltec_v4_tft_companion_radio_wifi and heltec_tracker_v2_companion_radio_wifi.
• Best companion choices if you want maximum memory headroom: T_Beam_S3_Supreme_SX1262_companion_radio_wifi, Station_G2_companion_radio_wifi, LilyGo_TBeam_1W_companion_radio_wifi.
• Best companion choices if you are happy with an app-first, mostly headless setup: RAK_3112_companion_radio_wifi, Xiao_S3_WIO_companion_radio_wifi, Station_G2_companion_radio_wifi.
• Best companion choices if you prefer OLED over TFT: T_Beam_S3_Supreme_SX1262_companion_radio_wifi, heltec_v4_companion_radio_wifi, LilyGo_TBeam_1W_companion_radio_wifi.