Bare ESP32-WROOM-32D Chip Setup Schematic - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: AlwaysAbia
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 11:06:44 am
content: Hello, newbie to schematic/PCB design here.I'm working on a project where I want to use a bare esp32 chip on a PCB, before this I've only ever used the dev board (This is my first time designing a PCB).I can't seem to find any detailed guides on how to set the the bare chip up.This is where I am so far (Refer to Pic.)I would appreciate any and all tips you might have on how to go about getting the hang of this.Things I am particularly interested in:- It seems there are a lot of different versions of identical components, like buttons for example, how should I choose which ones to use?- How do I set up the programming pins so it's not a headache later (even though I plan to set up OTA updates for the MCU)?- Any tips on the placement of decoupling caps.- Anything else you might have to add

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 12:16:36 pm
content: That is not the bare chip. that's the SoM.Bare chip:https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/espressif-systems/ESP32-D0WD-V3/11657616SoM:https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/espressif-systems/ESP32-WROOM-32E-N4/11613125The ESP32-WROOM-32D you listed is not recommended for new designs. If you want to use the original ESP32, use one that is active.If you want to make your own board and don't know how to set up stuff, find another design that has a schematic available and copy that.Like this:https://www.sparkfun.com/sparkfun-thing-plus-esp32-wroom-usb-c.htmlhttps://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/5/9/7/4/1/SparkFun_Thing_Plus_ESP32-WROOM_C_schematic2.pdf

author: AlwaysAbia
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 12:54:31 pm
content: I see, considering this, I want to make my own PCB with an esp32 SoM on board.Could you specify why exactly it is that the ESP32-WROOM-32D is not recommended for new designs and an example SoM that would be better for this case?Also, the design you linked has a lot of components, I'm guessing that I should go through each of them and decide which of them I need to keep for my project.Thanks for your response!

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 01:00:39 pm
content: You can see the status of the ESP32-WROOM-32D by putting that part number in digikey. Not for new designs means the manufacturer is still making it but it's a warning that they are going to discontinue that part soon.If it were me, I'd use the esp32-S3 for a new project.Here is another sparkfun example:https://www.sparkfun.com/sparkfun-thing-plus-esp32-s3.htmlhttps://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/5/e/6/5/0/SparkFun_Thing_Plus_ESP32-S3.pdf

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 09:11:50 pm
content: DigiKey doesn’t say anything about the ESP32-WROOM-32D being NRND. You have to visit the Espressif website to see that. The recommended version is the ESP32-WROOM-32E. With that said, I agree that I’d design a new product around the ESP32-S3 instead.As for how to proceed: go to the Espressif website and look at the evaluation boards (“devkits”), for example ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 for the S3 or ESP32-DevKitC for the original ESP32, or to vendors like Adafruit (for their ESP32 Feather series), Olimex, DFROBOT, etc. They all make similar evaluation boards (with various features) as open-source designs with full schematics, etc. available.IMHO there’s no better way to get a good idea than to look at what the vendors themselves do. Study their designs and modify as needed.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2025, 11:52:35 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on January 12, 2025, 09:11:50 pm?? Type "ESP32-WROOM-32D" into digikey. Click the " rf transceiver modules and modems" category.Of the 9 results, 1 is active but out of stock. 1 is obsolete. And 7 are not recommended for new designs.Yes, the manufacture is the final word on this, but if you can't get them in distribution who cares what the manufacturer says about status.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 05:01:49 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on January 12, 2025, 11:52:35 pmI don’t know what to tell you: Ididdo a DigiKey search at the time I wrote, and it didn’t come up as NRND. Right now I’m seeing the same as you.Either way it’d be silly to go with the -32D when the -32E are significantly cheaper!