Makerfabs · ESP32-S3 · 2.1" · 480×480
Makerfabs MaTouch ESP32-S3 Rotary IPS 2.1 Round specifications
The Makerfabs MaTouch ESP32-S3 Rotary IPS 2.1-inch combines two input methods that rarely meet on one board: a round 480×480 capacitive touchscreen and a rotary knob around it that can be turned in both directions and pressed to confirm. It is the natural hardware for a thermostat, a volume control or any interface that should feel like a physical dial.
The 2.1-inch IPS panel is driven by an ST7701S over a 16-bit RGB interface, with 65K colours and refresh rates above 70 FPS according to Makerfabs. An ESP32-S3 with 16 MB of flash and 8 MB of PSRAM runs the show, and a single USB-C port handles both power and programming.
We have run LCD Ultra Pro on this exact board: the driver is verified on real hardware, the knob events (turned and pressed) are available in the event editor, and USB Live mirrors the design to the round screen while you edit.
- Screen
- 2.1" · 480×480
- Chip
- ESP32-S3
- Memory
- 16 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM
- Input
- capacitive touch
Key features
- Round 2.1-inch IPS, 480×480, ST7701S over RGB565
- Capacitive 5-point touch
- Rotary encoder knob with push-to-confirm
- ESP32-S3, 16 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
- Mabee I2C and UART connectors
- Verified on real hardware, USB Live supported
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Makerfabs |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 2.1" |
| Resolution | 480×480 px |
| Colour depth | 16-bit |
| Display controller | ST7701S |
| Display interface | RGB565 Parallel |
| Touch | CST826 (I2C) |
| Rotary encoder | Yes |
| Microcontroller | ESP32-S3 |
| Module | ESP32-S3R8 |
| CPU clock | 240 MHz |
| Internal SRAM | 512 KB |
| PSRAM | 8 MB |
| Flash | 16 MB |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Display type | IPS LCD, round, 65K colours |
| Refresh rate | Over 70 FPS (manufacturer figure) |
| Input | Capacitive touch + rotary encoder with push button |
| Power and programming | USB Type-C (native USB) |
| Expansion | 1 × I2C, 1 × UART (1.25 mm 4-pin Mabee connectors) |
| Operating temperature | −40 °C to +85 °C |
| Development platforms (manufacturer) | Arduino, LVGL, SquareLine Studio |
Free GPIOs and connectors
These GPIOs are not used by the display, touch or on-board peripherals, so you can wire your own sensors, buttons or relays to them.
| Pin | Capabilities | Note |
|---|---|---|
| GPIO 19 | GPIO, PWM, USB_DM | USB D- — the board's only USB port (upload); not on a connector |
| GPIO 20 | GPIO, PWM, USB_DP | USB D+ — the board's only USB port (upload); not on a connector |
| GPIO 43/TX | GPIO, UART_TX | UART0 TX — on the Mabee UART connector (J2); prints the boot log at reset |
| GPIO 44/RX | GPIO, UART_RX | UART0 RX — on the Mabee UART connector (J2) |
- Mabee I2C (J1) — GPIO 17, 18 (SDA, SCL)
Same I2C bus as the touch controller (CST826)
- Mabee UART (J2) — GPIO 43, 44 (TX, RX)
UART0 — the serial output goes here unless it is moved to the USB port
Good to know before you start
- The round panel is drawn as a 480×480 square: anything placed in the corners is cut off. LCD Ultra Pro shows the round mask on the canvas so you can see it while designing.
- There are practically no free GPIOs: add sensors on the Mabee I2C connector (shared with the touch controller) or use the UART connector.
- The UART connector carries UART0, which prints the ESP32 boot log at every reset — keep that in mind if another device listens on it.
What it is good for
- •Smart thermostats and climate dials
- •Volume, dimmer and speed controllers
- •Round gauges and clocks
- •Menu navigation with knob plus touch
LVGL support in LCD Ultra Pro
| Driver status | Verified on real hardware |
|---|---|
| Arduino export | Complete LVGL 8.4 project with the display driver |
| USB Live preview | Yes |
| Orientations | 0° |
| Brightness control | Hardware backlight dimming |
Pick this board in the editor and the canvas matches its exact resolution and shape. Build the interface with widgets, add events without code, try it in Live Preview, then export it as a ready-to-compile Arduino project. See the documentation for the workflow.
Frequently asked questions
How does the rotary knob work in LCD Ultra Pro?
The board's knob shows up as "Rotary knob turned" and "Rotary knob pressed" triggers in the event editor, so you can change a value, move through a menu or confirm a selection without writing code.
What is the resolution of the MaTouch Rotary 2.1-inch?
480×480 pixels on a round 2.1-inch IPS panel driven by an ST7701S.
How much memory does it have?
16 MB of flash and 8 MB of PSRAM on the ESP32-S3, enough for full-screen images and smooth animations at 480×480.
Has the driver been tested on the real board?
Yes. This board is in the Verified tier: the LCD Ultra Pro driver was run on the physical hardware, and USB Live works on it.
Sources
Specifications cross-checked against the manufacturer’s documentation (last checked 2026-10-03):
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