9 of the 20 features in our table differ between the ESP32-C5 and the ESP32-C6.
Dual-band Wi-Fi 6, BLE, Thread and Zigbee
The only one of these eight with 5 GHz: Wi-Fi 6 on both bands, plus Bluetooth LE, Thread and Zigbee, and PSRAM support.
Watch out: The newest chip here: fewer boards and examples so far, and ESPHome needs the ESP-IDF framework.
Wi-Fi 6, BLE 5.3, Thread and Zigbee
Wi-Fi 6 on 2.4 GHz plus Thread and Zigbee in one chip: the natural pick for Matter devices and mixed networks.
Watch out: No PSRAM, a single 160 MHz core, and ESPHome supports it only with ESP-IDF.
| Feature | ESP32-C5 | ESP32-C6 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1 × RISC-V, 240 MHz | 1 × RISC-V, 160 MHz |
| SRAM | 384 KB | 512 KB |
| PSRAM | In-package or external | No |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 2.4 + 5 GHz | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 2.4 GHz |
| Bluetooth | LE 5 (Core 6.0 certified) | LE 5.3 |
| GPIO | 29 | 30 (22 on QFN32) |
| ADC channels | 6 | 7 |
| TWAI (CAN) | 2 (CAN FD) | 2 |
| Deep sleep | See datasheet | 7 µA |
Same on both: Low-power core, Thread / Zigbee, USB, DAC, Touch pins, Camera, Display interface, Ethernet MAC, AI / DSP, ESPHome, and Arduino-ESP32.
Open the ESP32 comparison →Tick what your project needs and see which of the eight chips fits best.
The ESP32-C5 has the 5 GHz band, PSRAM for large buffers (camera, display, audio), and a faster CPU (240 against 160 MHz). The ESP32-C6 has more internal SRAM (512 against 384 KB).
Espressif rates the ESP32-C6 at 7 µA in deep sleep; for the ESP32-C5, check the latest datasheet. On a board the regulator and the LEDs usually draw more than either chip.
Arduino-ESP32 and ESP-IDF support both chips, so most code builds for either; pin numbers, strapping pins and some peripherals change. Anything that uses the 5 GHz band or PSRAM for large buffers (camera, display, audio) won’t carry over: the ESP32-C6 doesn’t have that hardware.
ESP32 vs ESP32-C5 ESP32 vs ESP32-C6 ESP32-C3 vs ESP32-C5 ESP32-C3 vs ESP32-C6 ESP32-C5 vs ESP32-H2 ESP32-C5 vs ESP32-P4 ESP32-C5 vs ESP32-S2 ESP32-C5 vs ESP32-S3 ESP32-C6 vs ESP32-H2 ESP32-C6 vs ESP32-P4 ESP32-C6 vs ESP32-S2 ESP32-C6 vs ESP32-S3
Figures from Espressif datasheets, ESPHome and Arduino-ESP32 documentation, checked in November 2026.