Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero Mini Development Board RISC-V 32-Bit 240MHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero RISC-V Dual-Band WiFi6 BT5.0 Zigbee

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Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero Mini Development Board RISC-V 32-Bit 240MHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0

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ESP32-C5-Zero Product Overview

The ESP32-C5-Zero is an ultra-compact multi-protocol wireless development board from Waveshare, based on the Espressif ESP32-C5-HF4 chip, featuring a RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor running at up to 240MHz. As the industry‘s first development board based on a RISC-V SoC supporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6, the ESP32-C5-Zero also integrates Bluetooth 5.0 (LE) and IEEE 802.15.4 (supporting Zigbee 3.0 and Thread) wireless protocols. It features 384KB SRAM, 320KB ROM, and 4MB Flash. With a stamp-hole half-hole process design, the board is compact and easy to solder onto custom carrier boards. An onboard antenna switching chip supports either the onboard ceramic antenna or an external IPEX-1 antenna. A reversible USB Type-C port is provided for power and programming. The ESP32-C5-Zero supports ESP-IDF, Arduino, and MicroPython development environments, making it ideal for smart home, industrial IoT, Matter devices, Thread/Zigbee gateways, and other embedded and IoT applications requiring efficient dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and multi-protocol wireless connectivity.

Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero Mini Development Board RISC-V 32-Bit 240MHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero RISC-V Dual-Band WiFi6 BT5.0 Zigbee
ESP32-C5-Zero Key Features

RISC-V 32-bit Processor: Powered by the Espressif ESP32-C5-HF4 chip with a RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor running at up to 240MHz. Integrated with 384KB SRAM, 320KB ROM, and 4MB Flash.

Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.0 + Zigbee/Thread: Integrates 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0 (LE), and IEEE 802.15.4 (supporting Zigbee 3.0 and Thread) wireless communication. The ESP32-C5-Zero is the industry‘s first development board based on a RISC-V SoC supporting dual-band Wi-Fi 6, delivering high-performance wireless connectivity for IoT devices.

Flexible Antenna Configuration: Onboard antenna switching chip allows selection between the onboard ceramic antenna and an external IPEX-1 antenna via IO26 pin configuration. IO26 low selects the onboard antenna; IO26 high selects the external antenna.

Stamp-Hole Half-Hole Process: The ESP32-C5-Zero features a stamp-hole half-hole process design with rich peripheral interfaces exposed, facilitating soldering and integration onto user-designed carrier boards. Available in without-header (ESP32-C5-Zero) and pre-soldered-header (ESP32-C5-Zero-M) versions.

USB Type-C Port: The ESP32-C5-Zero features a reversible USB Type-C port for convenient power supply and programming.

Onboard Resources: The ESP32-C5-Zero includes a WS2812 RGB LED, BOOT button, and RESET button for user interaction and debugging.

Multi-Platform Development Support: The ESP32-C5-Zero supports ESP-IDF (Espressif‘s official development framework), Arduino IDE, and MicroPython. Comprehensive SDK and open-source tutorials enable quick start and rapid integration into applications.

Low-Power Design: The ESP32-C5-Zero supports multiple low-power operating states, allowing flexible adjustment between communication range, data rate, and power consumption to meet the power requirements of various application scenarios.

ESP32-C5-Zero Applications

With its dual-band Wi-Fi 6, multi-protocol wireless support, and ultra-compact design, the ESP32-C5-Zero is widely used in:

Smart Home & Building Automation: Zigbee 3.0 and Thread support make the ESP32-C5-Zero ideal for smart home gateways, Matter devices, smart lighting, and sensor nodes

Industrial IoT (IIoT): Data acquisition, remote monitoring, and wireless control for industrial equipment, with dual-band Wi-Fi 6 offering better interference immunity and transmission efficiency. The ESP32-C5-Zero is well suited for these tasks.

Thread/Zigbee Gateways: As Matter and Thread network border routers, the ESP32-C5-Zero connects Zigbee/Thread devices to Wi-Fi networks

Wearable Devices: Ultra-compact size and low power consumption make the ESP32-C5-Zero suitable for smart watches, bands, and other portable devices

Smart Sensor Nodes: Low-power wireless sensor networks supporting multiple communication protocols are enabled by ESP32-C5-Zero

Edge Computing & AIoT: The 240MHz RISC-V processor of ESP32-C5-Zero provides sufficient computing power for edge computing and lightweight AI applications

Education & Maker Projects: Arduino and MicroPython support on ESP32-C5-Zero make it suitable for university teaching and DIY projects

ESP32-C5-Zero Advantages and Highlights

Industry‘s First Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 RISC-V Development Board: Based on the Espressif ESP32-C5 chip, the ESP32-C5-Zero is the industry’s first development board based on a RISC-V SoC supporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 delivers higher data rates, lower latency, and stronger interference immunity. The 5GHz band effectively avoids crowded 2.4GHz spectrum, making the ESP32-C5-Zero ideal for high-density deployment scenarios.

Multi-Protocol All-in-One: The ESP32-C5-Zero integrates Wi-Fi 6, BLE 5.0, Zigbee 3.0, and Thread wireless protocols. A single ESP32-C5-Zero can simultaneously serve as a Wi-Fi gateway and Zigbee/Thread border router, significantly reducing system complexity and BOM cost — ideal for Matter smart home devices.

Ultra-Compact Stamp-Hole Design for Easy Production Integration: The stamp-hole half-hole process of the ESP32-C5-Zero allows direct SMD soldering onto custom carrier boards. Two versions are available — the without-header version for direct SMD integration, and the pre-soldered-header version for prototyping. The ultra-compact size of ESP32-C5-Zero makes it easy to embed into various space-constrained products.

Flexible Antenna Switching: The onboard antenna switching chip of the ESP32-C5-Zero allows software-configurable switching between the onboard ceramic antenna and an external IPEX-1 antenna. The onboard antenna is convenient for prototyping, while external high-gain antennas can be selected for production to enhance signal coverage.

RISC-V Open Architecture + 240MHz High Performance: Powered by a RISC-V 32-bit processor running at up to 240MHz, the ESP32-C5-Zero offers the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture with greater flexibility and autonomy, while the high 240MHz clock speed ensures smooth operation of complex applications and multi-protocol stacks.

Comprehensive Software Ecosystem: The ESP32-C5-Zero supports ESP-IDF, Arduino, and MicroPython development platforms. ESP-IDF provides a complete toolchain and rich APIs; Arduino enables rapid prototyping; MicroPython lowers the barrier for Python developers. Comprehensive SDK and open-source tutorials enable quick start and rapid integration into applications.

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Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero Mini Development Board RISC-V 32-Bit 240MHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 Waveshare ESP32-C5-Zero RISC-V Dual-Band WiFi6 BT5.0 Zigbee

FAQs:

Q: What processor architecture does the ESP32-C5-Zero use?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero uses a single-core RISC-V 32-bit architecture, with a maximum main frequency of 240 MHz .
Q: What is the memory capacity of this board?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero integrates 384 KB SRAM, 320 KB ROM, and 4 MB of Flash memory .
Q: Which wireless protocols does it support?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 (LE), and IEEE 802.15.4 protocols .
Q: How do I switch between the onboard and external antennas?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero's onboard antenna switching chip uses the IO26 pin to control the selection: a low level activates the onboard antenna, while a high level activates the external antenna .
Q: What physical interfaces does this development board provide?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero offers 29 programmable GPIOs and a reversible USB Type-C port .
Q: What are the dimensions and soldering methods of this board?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero's board size is approximately 28×18 mm, and the castellated hole design allows it to be soldered directly onto custom PCBs .
Q: What IoT applications is this board suitable for?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero is ideal for projects requiring stable dual-band connections, such as smart home gateways, 5GHz network extenders, and battery-powered devices .
Q: Does it support low-power operation modes?
A: Yes, ESP32-C5-Zero supports multiple low-power states and the TWT feature of Wi-Fi 6 to extend battery life .
Q: Which development environments are supported?
A: ESP32-C5-Zero is compatible with ESP-IDF, Arduino IDE, and MicroPython, with complete SDKs and tutorials available .
Q: How does it differ from the ESP32-S3 series?
A: The ESP32-C5-Zero uses a RISC-V architecture (same as ESP32-C5), supports the 5GHz frequency band (the S3 is limited to 2.4GHz), and provides Thread protocol support .