LILYGO’s T-Watch Ultra is an IP65-rated ESP32-S3 smartwatch with LoRa, GNSS, NFC, and AMOLED, programmable via Arduino or MicroPython for $78.32.
Key Takeaways
IP65 rating closes the durability gap that relegated every previous ESP32-based DIY smartwatch to toy status.
ESP32-S3 dual-core LX7 at 240 MHz with 16MB flash, 8MB PSRAM, and vector AI instructions makes edge inference viable on the wrist.
Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver enables Meshtastic nodes and off-grid messaging, a capability essentially absent from commercial wearables.
Full sensor stack: u-blox MIA-M10Q GNSS, Bosch BHI260AP motion AI, ST25R3916 NFC, DRV2605 haptics, microSD, and MAX98357A audio amplifier.
Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, and MicroPython all supported out of the box; USB-C for both charging and flashing.
Hacker News Comment Review
ESP32 power draw is the credible hardware objection: the chip is not optimized for always-on wearables with frequent radio activity, and no battery life figures accompany the 1,100mAh spec.
Commenters drew a sharp line between “programmable” and “DIY” – firmware access on a commercial module is not the same category as custom PCB and printed case, and the headline overstates the openness.
At $78.32, the price sits in an awkward band: more than double the PineTime and large enough physically (49x63x22mm) that wrist fit is a real filter before any software consideration.
Notable Comments
@deferredgrant: “‘Works’ and ‘you’d actually use it’ are very different milestones” – clean framing of the taste gap in embedded engineering.
@jblezoq: links an actual scratch-built watch (custom PCB, 3D-printed case) as a concrete counter-reference to the programmable-vs-DIY semantics debate.
