By Wren Calloway Fact-checked by Hugo Lindgren Published
CONFIRMED
SparkFun has released two IoT RedBoard boards built around Espressif’s ESP32-P4, both in a layout modeled on the Arduino UNO. One gets power and network over a single Ethernet cable via PoE for $55.95. The other adds an ESP32-C5 module for dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5 and 802.15.4 for $49.95.
What we know
SparkFun’s product pages lay out two distinct boards. These are not one board with optional extras. You pick the variant that matches your network plan.
The first is the IoT RedBoard – ESP32-P4 (PoE), part number DEV-30910, listed by SparkFun at $55.95. SparkFun says it runs a 400 MHz dual-core RISC-V ESP32-P4 and draws both power and network connectivity through one Ethernet cable using Power over Ethernet. SparkFun is explicit that this version has no wireless module. If you want radio on this board, you will not find it here.
The second is the IoT RedBoard ESP32-P4 WiFi/BLE, part number DEV-30909, listed by SparkFun at $49.95. According to SparkFun, it pairs the ESP32-P4 with an ESP32-C5 module that handles the radios: dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5 and 802.15.4. The ESP32-P4 itself does not carry the wireless here. The C5 module does, which makes this the WiFi 6 option in the lineup.
That split is the key detail for anyone shopping. The P4 is the application processor on both boards. Connectivity comes from either the PoE Ethernet path or the C5 companion module, never both on the same board.
CNX Software reported the pair as Arduino UNO-like ESP32-P4 v3.x development boards with WiFi 6 and PoE options. That fits SparkFun’s existing IoT RedBoard family. CNX Software covered the earlier members on 2025-03-24, when SparkFun offered RP2350 or ESP32 versions with WiFi and Bluetooth in the Arduino UNO R4 form factor. The P4 boards extend that idea to Espressif’s higher-performance RISC-V part.
On software, SparkFun’s listing says its Hookup Guide provides a quick patch script for Arduino users, or you can work in Espressif’s ESP-IDF SDK for native support. SparkFun notes this is the arrangement while upstream Arduino support updates are merged. In practice, ESP-IDF is the supported path today, and the Arduino route needs SparkFun’s patch for now.
What we don’t know yet
The facts available so far are about chips, part numbers and prices. Several things makers will want before ordering are not covered here.
Memory is the big one. Neither SparkFun’s listing details nor CNX Software’s report, as provided, give RAM or flash figures for these boards. For a 400 MHz dual-core part, that number shapes what you can realistically run, so check the product page before committing.
PoE specifics are also missing. We do not have the PoE standard or power class, the Ethernet link speed, or how much power budget reaches the header pins for attached hardware. Your switch or injector choice depends on those details.
Pin mapping is unknown beyond the UNO-like layout. “UNO-like” tells you about board outline and header placement, but not which P4 pins land on which header positions, logic levels, or what is reserved for Ethernet or the C5 link. Shield compatibility should be verified, not assumed.
Finally, there is no date for when upstream Arduino support will land. SparkFun only says the updates are being merged.
What it means
For makers, the UNO-style footprint is the practical win. It means a familiar board size and header arrangement, which helps with enclosures, mounting plates and, where the pins line up, existing shields. SparkFun has already built a family around this format, so anyone using the earlier RP2350 or ESP32 RedBoards has a familiar upgrade path to the P4.
The PoE board is the more interesting of the two for fixed installs. One Ethernet cable carrying both power and data removes the wall adapter and the WiFi reliability question in one move. Think sensor nodes in a garage, a controller on a ceiling, a camera-adjacent project at the end of a long cable run, or anything in a workshop where WiFi is patchy. The trade-off is clear from SparkFun’s own description: no wireless at all. If your design needs Bluetooth provisioning or a Zigbee mesh, this is the wrong board.
The WiFi/BLE board is the flexible pick and, at $49.95, the cheaper one by exactly $6. The ESP32-C5 companion brings dual-band WiFi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5 (including Bluetooth LE) and 802.15.4, which covers most home automation and wireless sensor work. You still need a separate power source, but you get three radio options from one module.
The software situation deserves a plan before you buy. If you already work in ESP-IDF, you are covered today. If you live in the Arduino IDE, budget time for SparkFun’s patch script and expect things to shift as the upstream merges arrive.
The short version: choose DEV-30910 if a cable is already running to the install site and you want power plus wired networking from it. Choose DEV-30909 if you need radios. Both give you the same 400 MHz RISC-V ESP32-P4 brain in a footprint your existing UNO-sized hardware is likely to fit.
Follow every development in one place on our board release tracker.
Notes on this article
- Fact-checked by Hugo Lindgren before publication.
- Published
Fact-checking
- Every claim is checked by Hugo Lindgren; anything we cannot confirm is corrected, labelled or removed.
