Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This is one of the most interesting ESP32 boards released recently.
In this video, I test the Waveshare ESP32-S3-RLCD-4.2, a development board that features a 4.2-inch reflective LCD (RLCD). Unlike normal TFT or OLED displays, this screen has no backlight and uses ambient light, making it extremely readable in direct sunlight.
AMAZON: amzn.to/3RHjcGo
LINK:
waveshare.com/esp32-s3-rlcd-4.2.htm?&aff_id=VolosProjects
RLCD sits in a unique middle ground between e-ink and traditional LCDs. It offers paper-like visibility outdoors, but with much faster refresh rates, making it suitable for real user interfaces, dashboards, and low-power smart displays.
In this video, you’ll see:
Real sunlight visibility tests
RLCD vs TFT and e-ink discussion
Hardware overview of the ESP32-S3-RLCD-4.2
Pros and cons of reflective LCD
Why RLCD is great for outdoor and battery-powered projects
CODE: github.com/VolosR/waveshareLRCL
If you’re building ESP32 projects that need to work in bright sunlight, this board is a very interesting alternative to TFT, OLED, and e-ink displays.
#ESP32 #ReflectiveLCD #RLCD #Waveshare #ESP32S3 #Embedded #IoT #OutdoorDisplay #SunlightReadable #EinkAlternative #LowPower #LVGL #Electronics #Microcontroller
This is one of the most interesting ESP32 boards released recently.
In this video, I test the Waveshare ESP32-S3-RLCD-4.2, a development board that features a 4.2-inch reflective LCD (RLCD). Unlike normal TFT or OLED displays, this screen has no backlight and uses ambient light, making it extremely readable in direct sunlight.
AMAZON: amzn.to/3RHjcGo
LINK:
waveshare.com/esp32-s3-rlcd-4.2.htm?&aff_id=VolosProjects
RLCD sits in a unique middle ground between e-ink and traditional LCDs. It offers paper-like visibility outdoors, but with much faster refresh rates, making it suitable for real user interfaces, dashboards, and low-power smart displays.
In this video, you’ll see:
Real sunlight visibility tests
RLCD vs TFT and e-ink discussion
Hardware overview of the ESP32-S3-RLCD-4.2
Pros and cons of reflective LCD
Why RLCD is great for outdoor and battery-powered projects
CODE: github.com/VolosR/waveshareLRCL
If you’re building ESP32 projects that need to work in bright sunlight, this board is a very interesting alternative to TFT, OLED, and e-ink displays.
#ESP32 #ReflectiveLCD #RLCD #Waveshare #ESP32S3 #Embedded #IoT #OutdoorDisplay #SunlightReadable #EinkAlternative #LowPower #LVGL #Electronics #Microcontroller
