What is M5Stack PaperColor?

M5Stack PaperColor is a development board built around a 4-inch full-color E Ink Spectra 6 e-paper display with a 400x600 resolution. It combines an ESP32-S3R8 dual-core processor, 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with a complete human-machine interaction system. The board includes an audio codec, MEMS microphone with echo cancellation, a speaker, temperature and humidity sensor, real-time clock, microSD slot, infrared emitter, RGB LEDs, and a 1250mAh battery — all in a compact 70.8 x 103.9 x 8.5mm package.

Who it's for

• IoT developers needing a low-power, full-color e-paper platform for wireless signage or data display panels
• Embedded audio engineers building voice interaction terminals with high-quality capture and playback
• Environmental monitoring specialists requiring onboard temperature and humidity sensing with long battery life

Key features

Full-color E Ink display with low power

The 4-inch E Ink Spectra 6 panel delivers vivid colors at 400x600 resolution while consuming minimal power. It retains the displayed image without any power draw, making it ideal for always-on signage and art installations.

ESP32-S3R8 with ample memory

The dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor runs at up to 240MHz and is paired with 16MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM. This provides enough headroom for complex IoT applications, audio processing, and graphical user interfaces.

Integrated audio system

An ES8311 audio codec, MEMS microphone with built-in AEC echo cancellation, and a 1W speaker driven by an AW8737A amplifier enable clear voice capture and playback. This makes the board suitable for voice-controlled terminals and interactive kiosks.

Onboard sensors and expansion

The SHT40 temperature and humidity sensor, RX8130CE real-time clock, microSD card slot, infrared emitter, two RGB LEDs, and an HY2.0-4P expansion interface give you a wide range of sensing and connectivity options without external modules.

What stands out

A full-color e-paper development board that combines audio, sensing, and wireless connectivity in a single low-power package.

Most e-paper boards offer only monochrome or limited-color displays. The M5Stack PaperColor brings a 4-inch full-color E Ink panel together with an ESP32-S3, audio codec, MEMS microphone, temperature and humidity sensor, and a 1250mAh battery — all in a 73g form factor. This integration eliminates the need for multiple separate modules, reducing both complexity and power consumption.

Worth checking out if…

You need a low-power, full-color e-paper display for IoT signage, data dashboards, or digital photo frames, and also want onboard audio for voice interaction or environmental sensing. The PaperColor is a strong fit for projects that require long battery life, wireless connectivity, and a rich set of integrated peripherals without the bulk of separate components.