Espressif Systems has officially announced that its ESP32-C5 System-on-Chip (SoC) has entered mass production. The ESP32-C5 is marketed as the industry´s first RISC-V based SoC supporting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6. In addition to advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, the SoC features integrated Bluetooth 5 (Low Energy) and IEEE 802.15.4 connectivity, enabling support for Zigbee and Thread protocols. This broad suite of wireless technologies situates the ESP32-C5 as a highly flexible solution for next-generation wireless and IoT applications.
At the core of the ESP32-C5 is a 32-bit single-core RISC-V processor that can operate at frequencies of up to 240 MHz, delivering efficient performance for a wide range of embedded tasks. The chip includes 384 KB of on-chip SRAM, supports external PSRAM for expanded memory needs, and offers 320 KB of ROM. To facilitate hardware integration, it supports up to 29 programmable GPIOs and multiple high-speed interfaces like SDIO and QSPI. All common peripheral connections are covered, making the device suitable for applications from industrial automation to smart home devices.
In addition to its main processor, the ESP32-C5 features a low-power CPU (LP-CPU) running at up to 40 MHz. This secondary processor can take over as the main controller when energy efficiency is paramount, helping to extend battery life in power-sensitive projects. Advanced security measures are built in, aimed at protecting connected devices from today’s escalating cyber threats. The introduction of mass production will significantly broaden the availability of this advanced SoC to developers and product manufacturers worldwide, supporting the move towards smarter and more secure embedded devices.
