@wlzh: Purely in terms of power consumption, the ESP32 indeed can't match the STM32, but these two aren't really competing in the same category. @ericoding99 Twitter comment says STM32 is better when it comes to power consumption. Quick comparison: ESP32 is Espressif's "all-in-one connectivity" chip, with WiFi + Bluetooth fully integrated on-chip, only a few dollars per piece…

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Summary

Comparing the positioning differences between the ESP32 and STM32: the ESP32 is Espressif's low-cost connectivity solution with integrated WiFi/Bluetooth — higher power draw, but deep sleep can reach 10µA; the STM32 is ST's industrial-grade low-power series, with the L series drawing under 1µA in Stop mode, but requiring an external wireless module. Selection should balance connectivity needs against power targets.

Purely in terms of power consumption, the ESP32 indeed can't match the STM32, but these two aren't really competing in the same category. A Twitter follower @ericoding99 commented that the STM32 is better when it comes to power consumption. Here's a quick comparison: The ESP32 is Espressif's "all-in-one connectivity" chip — WiFi + Bluetooth fully integrated on-chip, only a few dollars per piece, making it a great deal for IoT projects. The trade-off is higher power consumption: current draw during WiFi transmit/receive can spike to one or two hundred milliamps. Deep sleep, however, is quite decent (around 10µA), so as long as you're not staying connected all the time, battery life is actually manageable. The STM32 is ST's industrial-grade veteran, featuring ARM Cortex-M cores with a product lineup ranging from M0 to M7. Its strength is low power consumption — especially the L series, which can draw under 1µA in Stop mode — along with rich peripherals and time-tested reliability. The downside is that it has no built-in wireless, so you need to add an external module for connectivity. So the conclusion is simple: if you need connectivity, want convenience, and are on a tight budget, go with the ESP32. If you need to minimize power consumption, demand stability, or are working in industrial scenarios, go with the STM32. The commenter's point that the STM32 has better power consumption is fair, but the ESP32 was always meant to be a "cheap solution with built-in connectivity" — just pick based on what your project actually needs.
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Cached at: 10/04/26, 01:15 PM

In purely power consumption terms, the ESP32 is indeed no match for the STM32 — but the two aren’t really competing in the same league. @ericoding99 mentioned in the comments that STM32 comes out ahead on power efficiency.

A quick comparison:

The ESP32 is Espressif’s “all-in-one connectivity chip” — WiFi and Bluetooth fully integrated on-die, a few dollars per chip, and a real delight for IoT projects. The trade-off is higher power draw: current can spike to 100–200 mA during WiFi transmit/receive. Deep sleep is decent though (~10 μA), so as long as you’re not constantly connected, battery life is actually manageable.

The STM32 is ST’s industrial-grade veteran, built on ARM Cortex-M cores, with a full product line from M0 to M7. Its strength is low power — especially the L series, which can drop to under 1 μA in stop mode — plus a rich set of peripherals and time-tested reliability. The downside is no built-in wireless; you’ll need to attach your own module to connect.

So the takeaway is straightforward: need connectivity, want it easy, budget-conscious → ESP32; squeezing every last microamp, demanding stability, running industrial workloads → STM32.

The commenter isn’t wrong that STM32 wins on power, but the ESP32’s whole reason for existing is “an affordable solution with connectivity built in.” Pick based on what your project actually needs.

M. (@wlzh): What kind of device is the ESP32 that can integrate with Muse’s open-source SDK?

Small gadgets, big engineering — let me break it down briefly.

The ESP32 is a chip made by Espressif in Shanghai. More precisely, it’s the whole family of devices that grew up around this one chip. Espressif is listed on the STAR Market (stock code 688018), and the company basically lives off this product line.

Inside a single chip there’s a

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