ESP32-P4 and ESP32-C5 MCUs Now in Mass Production: What Engineers Need to Know

Introduction – Two Long-Awaited Espressif MCUs Officially in Production

Espressif has confirmed that two significant RISC-V based SoCs, the ESP32-P4 and ESP32-C5 MCUs have now entered main production. Their production release marks a milestone for developers requiring secure wireless performance or high-speed local processing in edge designs.

The ESP32-C5 stands out as Espressif’s first dual-band Wi-Fi 6 SoC, supporting 2.4 and 5 GHz operation in a compact, power-efficient format. Meanwhile, the ESP32-P4 offers rich audio, graphics, and HMI-focused features without integrated radio, optimised for advanced processing at the edge.

Focus on Connectivity and Dual-Band Wi-Fi: ESP32-C5 MCU in Production

The ESP32-C5 is a major step forward for developers needing dual-band Wi-Fi in embedded systems. It supports 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) in both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, featuring OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and beamforming for optimised throughput and power efficiency. It is also compliant with earlier 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards and includes hardware support for Bluetooth LE 5.0, Zigbee 3.0, and Thread 1.4.

Security features include:

• Secure boot and flash encryption

• XTS-AES for external memory protection

• Hardware cryptographic accelerators (AES, SHA, RSA, ECC)

• Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) and access permission management

• Digital Signature and ECDSA acceleration with anti-leakage safeguards

With its combination of dual-band Wi-Fi, full BLE and IEEE 802.15.4 support, and robust hardware security, the ESP32-C5 fills a long-standing gap in Espressif’s line-up for wireless products that require strong coexistence and compliance.

Performance and Peripherals: ESP32-P4 MCU in Production

The ESP32-P4 is engineered for designs where local processing, multimedia, and user interface capabilities are critical. It offers a dual-core RISC-V CPU up to 400 MHz, built-in 2D graphics acceleration, JPEG decode, and ISP input for display and vision tasks. It supports high-speed peripherals such as USB OTG, parallel LCD, RGB camera, and multiple I2S audio interfaces.

Key features include:

• Hardware voice activity detection and audio front-end

• LCD interface with 2D graphics acceleration

• Parallel camera support and JPEG decoding

• High-speed USB, SDIO, and CAN FD

• Secure boot and cryptographic engines

• Flexible GPIO and high-speed timers

For audio interfaces, touch panels, and GUI-based HMIs, the ESP32-P4 enables standalone or co-processor designs where wireless connectivity is handled separately.

Comparing ESP32-C5 and ESP32-P4 Specifications

Feature	ESP32-C5	ESP32-P4
CPU Core	1× RISC-V HP (240 MHz) + 1× LP	2× RISC-V HP (up to 400 MHz)
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 + 5 GHz), BT LE, Zigbee, Thread	None
Security	Secure Boot, XTS-AES, ECC, RSA	Secure Boot, Crypto Accelerators
Multimedia	—	G2D, JPEG decoder, ISP input
Audio	Basic I2S, BLE Audio	VAD, Audio Front-End, I2S, PDM
USB	USB Serial/JTAG	USB OTG, Host, Device
Memory	320 KB ROM, 384 KB SRAM	512 KB SRAM, 16 MB external Flash
Applications	IoT nodes, dual-band clients	Smart HMI, vision, voice control

Industry Applications and Use Cases

The ESP32-C5 and ESP32-P4 unlock very different capabilities for product developers, with no expectation of being used in combination.

• ESP32-C5 targets IoT devices that require reliable dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth mesh, or Zigbee/Thread. It is ideal for home automation gateways, smart sensors, health monitors, and wireless data loggers.

• ESP32-P4 is more suited to local processing workloads in embedded HMI panels, voice-activated devices, or smart retail terminals. Its multimedia support and interface options are especially relevant for display and audio-centric applications.

Both devices extend Espressif’s offering into areas where customers have long sought better wireless co-existence (ESP32-C5) or enhanced peripheral control (ESP32-P4).

Espressif’s ESP32-P4 and ESP32-C5 MCUs - now open for evaluation and orders

The move to mass production for the ESP32-C5 and ESP32-P4 shows Espressif’s commitment to serving both secure connectivity and advanced edge compute segments. Whether your application needs dual-band Wi-Fi with full wireless coexistence or high-speed multimedia processing, there is now a production-ready solution available within the Espressif ecosystem.

To explore how these new MCUs can transform your next design, contact Ineltek for datasheets, samples, and competitive pricing.