M5Stack’s Newest PoE-Enabled ESP32-P4 Module Is Available
M5Stack’s new Unit PoE-P4 packs a dual-core RISC-V punch with MIPI display/camera support and 1080p video, all powered via Ethernet.
M5Stack has just introduced a compact development board to their lineup that is perfect for anyone who needs to add some intelligence or interactivity to their wired network. Called Unit PoE‑P4, this new PoE-enabled development kit is built around Espressif’s high-performance RISC-V ESP32-P4 microcontroller. It comes packaged as a fully enclosed, Ethernet-ready module aimed at industrial HMIs, smart terminals, vision nodes, and edge computing deployments.
The device is designed around a dual-core 32-bit RISC-V high-performance processor clocked at up to 360 MHz, paired with a 40 MHz low-power RISC-V core for always-on or background tasks. The SoC includes AI instruction extensions and a single-precision FPU, giving it considerably more headroom than earlier ESP-class parts when handling graphics pipelines, signal processing, or lightweight machine vision workloads.
The Unit PoE‑P4 is equipped with 16MB of onboard flash and 32MB of PSRAM, backed by 768KB of HP L2 memory and dedicated low-power SRAM. A 2D Pixel Processing Accelerator and hardware video support for H.264 and JPEG support advanced multimedia applications.
An integrated IP101GRI 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port provides wired connectivity, while IEEE 802.3at Power over Ethernet support enables both power and data delivery over a single RJ45 cable. The onboard DC-DC converter can deliver up to 6W, significantly simplifying installation in ceilings, kiosks, control panels, or distributed sensor nodes where separate power wiring would be cumbersome.
On the I/O side, the board is unusually display- and camera-friendly for its size. A 24-pin FPC connector exposes a 2-lane MIPI DSI interface supporting displays up to 1920×1080, complete with touch and backlight control. A second 24-pin FPC connector provides a 2-lane MIPI CSI interface for camera modules, making the unit well-suited for embedded vision or smart intercom-style systems.
Two USB Type-C ports round out the core connectivity: one USB 2.0 host for storage or HID peripherals, and one USB 2.0 OTG port for firmware flashing and debugging. Expansion options include a Grove (HY2.0-4P) port, a 16-pin Hat2-Bus header, plus SDIO and ISP headers for deeper hardware integration.
Power consumption ranges from roughly 74 mA at 5V during normal operation to 277 mA under full load with display, camera, IR, and RGB active. Deep sleep drops that to under 20 mA.
Measuring just 64 × 24 × 20.2 mm and weighing 28.2 grams, the Unit PoE-P4 is small enough to disappear inside an enclosure yet powerful enough to anchor a networked HMI or vision endpoint. Support for ESP-IDF, Arduino, and M5Stack’s UIFlow environments ensures it’s accessible to both veterans and rapid-prototyping newcomers alike.
The Unit PoE‑P4 is available at the M5Stack store for $21.50.
R&D, creativity, and building the next big thing you never knew you wanted are my specialties.