ESP32 38-Pin DevKit (Generic Clone)

At its core is the ESP32 - a dual-core Xtensa with both Bluetooth Classic and BLE.

Expect to pay about $4.00 - less than the ~$20 most ESP32 boards go for.

32 GPIO are broken out - more than most ESP32 boards, so the pin budget is rarely the constraint.

Onboard you'll find EN/Boot buttons.

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The ESP32 38-Pin DevKit is a wider variant of the ESP32 development board commonly found on AliExpress, eBay, and Amazon. These boards typically have "NodeMCU-32S" or "ESP32-WROOM-32" silkscreen labels and offer more exposed GPIO pins compared to the 30-pin variant.

How to Identify Which Board You Have

1. Check the USB-to-Serial Chip
Look near the USB port for a square or rectangle IC with one of these labels:

• CH340C / CH340G → Most common on cheap clones. Rectangle chip.
{% image "images/ch340c.png", "CH340C on ESP32 30pin Development Board", [500], "auto", "rounded-lg my-4", "max-width: 500px; width: 100%; height: auto;", true, true %}
• CP2102 → Common on mid-range boards. Square chip.
{% image "images/cp2102-nodemcu-32s.png", "CP2102 on ESP32 30pin Development Board", [500], "auto", "rounded-lg my-4", "max-width: 500px; width: 100%; height: auto;", true, true %}
• CH9102F → Newer chip, similar to CP2102. Square chip.
{% image "images/cp2102-vs-ch9102.png", "CP2102 vs CH9102 on ESP32 30pin Development Board", [500], "auto", "rounded-lg my-4", "max-width: 500px; width: 100%; height: auto;", true, true %}
• FT232RL → Less common but still found. Rectangle chip.

If you want to know more about USB-to-Serial chips, check out this detailed guide.

2. Count the Pins
3. Check the Power Regulator

• AMS1117 → Older clones (gets hot under load)
  • Usually comes in a larger SOT-223 package with a flat metal tab (heatsinkable)
  • Often has "AMS1117" or "1117/3.3" printed directly on the chip
  • If you see a chunky 3-lead component with a metal tab near the USB port, it's likely AMS1117
  {% image "images/ams1117.png", "AMS1117 Voltage Regulator on ESP32 30pin Development Board", [500], "auto", "rounded-lg my-4", "max-width: 500px; width: 100%; height: auto;", true, true %}
• ME6211 / HT7333 → Newer low-dropout regulators (better efficiency)
  • Typically comes in small SOT-89 or SOT-23 packages (much smaller than SOT-223)
  • If it's a tiny 3-pin SMD component next to the input capacitors, it's likely HT7333
  • May have short marking codes that are harder to read

Tip: Some boards print the regulator type on the silkscreen (check the board's underside or near the regulator for labels like "AMS1117" or "HT7333").

4. Look for Common Labels
Many 38-pin boards are labeled as:

• NodeMCU-32S → Very common CP2102-based boards
• ESP32 DevKit V1 → Generic label, various USB chips
• ESP-WROOM-32 → Refers to the WiFi module, not the board itself

Key Advantages Over 30-Pin Boards

• More GPIOs exposed: 38 pins vs 30 pins means access to GPIO6-11 (though still not recommended for general use)
• VIN pin exposed: Can power from external 5V source without USB
• Better breadboard compatibility: Wider spacing works better with some breadboards
• More ground pins: Better for power distribution in complex projects

Important Notes

• 38 pins total → More GPIOs than 30-pin variant, but still avoid GPIO6-11 (flash pins)
• Some boards label ADC pins as VP, VN, SVP, SVN instead of GPIO numbers
• Driver installation required for CH340 chips (automatic on most modern systems)
• Strapping pins (GPIO0, GPIO2, GPIO12, GPIO15) must be in correct state during boot
• Wider board requires more breadboard space (may not fit standard 400-point breadboards)

Despite the variations, these boards are excellent for complex projects that need more GPIO pins and external power options. They work perfectly with Arduino IDE, PlatformIO, and ESP-IDF once you identify which USB driver you need.