I have been considering getting into led stuff with wled recently. However i already have an esp8266 and im wandering if there is a big difference between the esp32 and esp8266. If anyone knows please let me know
Thank you in advance
Here is what i found out on google:
What is the difference between ESP32 and ESP8266 chips? Which one has better performance?
ESP32 and ESP8266 are both MCU chips commonly used in our WiFi modules, so what do they have in common and what are the differences? Which one has better performance?
First of all, ESP32 and ESP8266 are both very cost-effective Wi-Fi module chips, which are very suitable for projects in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT). Both chips belong to 32-bit processors. ESP32 is a dual-core 160MHz to 240MHz CPU processor, while ESP8266 is a single-core processor with an operating frequency of 80MHz.
Both WiFi modules come with GPIO and support various protocols such as SPI, I2C, and UART. The best part is that they come with a wireless network, which distinguishes them from other microcontrollers such as Arduino. This means that you can easily remotely control and monitor your equipment via WiFi technology or Bluetooth technology (ESP32) at a very low price.
Specification comparison：
ESP32 is the successor of ESP8266. The ESP32 chip adds additional CPU cores, faster WiFi transmission technology and more GPIOs, and supports Bluetooth 4.2 protocol and Bluetooth Low Energy. In addition, the ESP32 chip is equipped with touch-sensitive pins, which can be used to wake up ESP32 to deep sleep, a built-in hall-effect sensor and a built-in temperature sensor.
Price comparison：
The prices of both chips are very cheap, but the cost of ESP32 is slightly higher. In addition, due to the long time to market of ESP8266, more support can be obtained in terms of software, which will be more convenient and compatible to use. However, ESP8266 has some limitations in GPIO mapping, and there are not enough pins to operate. At this time, you can choose to use ESP32 or ESP8266 according to the needs of the project.
GPIO comparison：
ESP32 has more GPIOs than ESP8266, and the code can be set according to different pins (UART, I2C, SPI), because the multiplexing function of the ESP32 chip allows you to assign multiple functions to the same pin.
For analog pins, these are static, but ESP32 supports measurements on 18 channels (analog enable pins), while ESP8266 has only one 10-bit ADC pin, and ESP32 also supports two 8-bit DAC channels. In addition, ESP32 contains 10 capacitive sensing GPIOs, which can detect touch and can be used to trigger events or wake up ESP32 to deep sleep.
ESP32 is more powerful than ESP8266, contains more GPIOs with multiple functions, faster Wi-Fi, and also supports Bluetooth. Many people think that ESP32 is more difficult to handle than ESP8266 because it is more complicated, but in fact ESP32 programming is as easy as ESP8266, especially Arduino language or MicroPython.
Arduino IDE：
There are many programming methods for ESP32 and ESP8266 boards.Currently, two boards can be programmed using the Arduino IDE programming environment. However, they may not be compatible with the same libraries and commands. Some libraries are only compatible with one of the boards, so some modifications are required.
MicroPythonFirwmare：
Another way to program the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards is to use the MicroPython firmware. MicroPython is a re-implementation of Python 3 for microcontrollers and embedded systems. MicroPython is very similar to regular Python. In MicroPython, most Python scripts are compatible with both boards (different from when using the Arduino IDE), ESP32 and ESP8266 can use the same script.
In general, ESP32 has better performance, but ESP32 is more expensive than ESP8266. If you only need to make a simple IOT project, then ESP8266 is completely sufficient. Both development boards have their own application space, and the one with a higher price ratio can be selected according to the needs of the project.
As your research shows the ESP32 is superior in most ways. I have been using the 8266 successfully over the last couple of years but I understand that recent versions of WLED are getting more demanding on CPU usage and the 8266 might struggle.
If you are starting from scratch I would go for the ESP32 and future proof your display.
I have recently bought several for under £5 each (UK) and will soon be replacing my current setup.
Alan