Text to ChipBoards
Which board for Text to Chip?
Text to Chip runs the same BASIC programs on three boards. They differ in memory, AI, motors and in how you install the firmware, which you do once. This table puts them side by side.
Updated on 8 October 2026.
| Feature | ESP32-S3 Freenove | Nordic nRF54LM20 DK | Arduino UNO R4 WiFi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | ESP32-S3 · Xtensa LX7 dual-core, 240 MHz | nRF54LM20 · Arm Cortex-M33, 128 MHz | Renesas RA4M1 · Arm Cortex-M4, 48 MHz |
| Memory | 512 KB RAM + 8 MB PSRAM · 8 MB flash | 512 KB RAM · 2 MB RRAM | 32 KB RAM · 256 KB flash |
| Longest program | 256 instructions | 256 instructions | 128 instructions |
| AI on the board | Voice (Lite board) or camera (CAM board) | Voice and camera; Axon NPU on the nRF54LM20B | No: 32 KB of RAM is too little |
| Motors (robot car) | Yes | Yes | Not yet |
| Pin voltage | 3.3 V | 3.3 V (VDDIO; 3.0 V out of the box) | 5 V |
| Firmware install | From the browser, one click | One terminal command (Linux, macOS) or nRF Connect (Windows) | From the browser, one click |
| Shows a program with nothing wired | No: wire an LED first | Yes: LEDs and a button on the board | Yes: the L LED follows the red LED |
| Status | Ready | Ready | New: bench testing in progress |
Which one should I pick?
- ESP32-S3: the default. It installs from the browser and runs every mission; the camera-less Lite is the robot and voice board, the CAM board does vision.
- Nordic nRF54LM20 DK: for edge AI. Voice and camera run on the board, and the nRF54LM20B adds an NPU. The install takes one command or nRF Connect.
- Arduino UNO R4 WiFi: if you already have one, or teach with Arduino. It installs from the browser and shows a first program with no parts thanks to its L LED. No AI and no motors yet, and its pins are 5 V: 3.3 V sensors need care.
The language is the same everywhere: a program written for one board compiles for the others, and the IDE warns you when a board lacks something your program uses.
Why not any board?
Text to Chip installs its own small runtime on the board, which runs the program your browser compiles. Each board needs that runtime built for its chip, a map from the program's names (LED red) to its real pins, and a way to install it from the browser. Every board is tested on the bench before it is listed here.
Your board is not here?
Tell us which one, and what you want to build with it. Requests decide which board we add next.