Arduino UNO vs ESP32

Arduino UNO or ESP32? Which one should YOU buy? 🤔

ROUND 1 · SPEED: UNO runs at 16 MHz (8-bit, 1 core). ESP32 runs at up to 240 MHz (32-bit, 2 cores). That's 15× more clock ticks every second.

ROUND 2 · MEMORY: UNO has 2 KB RAM + 32 KB flash. A typical ESP32 board has 520 KB RAM + 4 MB flash. Room for much bigger programs.

ROUND 3 · WIRELESS: ESP32 has Wi-Fi + Bluetooth built in, so you can switch an LED from your phone. UNO has no radio and needs an extra module.

ROUND 4 · VOLTAGE: UNO pins work at 5 V, ESP32 pins at 3.3 V. Never put 5 V into an ESP32 pin, it can damage it. Use a level shifter.

VERDICT: Learn the basics on UNO (5 V, simple, tough). Build Wi-Fi / IoT projects on ESP32. Both work in the Arduino IDE.