A budget ESP32 development board with a 1.14-inch color LCD is finding unexpected popularity as a miniature secondary monitor for PCs. The TENSTAR T-Display ESP32-D0WD pairs a dual-core Xtensa LX6 processor running at 240 MHz with 16MB of flash storage, WiFi 4, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 135x240 IPS display driven by an ST7789V controller. At roughly 5.15 x 2.5 x 0.85 cm (2 x 1 x 0.3 inches), it packs USB-C for power and programming, a battery charging circuit with JST connector, and expansion headers exposing GPIO, SPI, I2C, and other interfaces.
The board's runaway success appears tied to the ESP32-Desktop-Monitor project on GitHub, which transforms it into a functional, albeit tiny, screen mirror. A Python script on the host PC captures the desktop in real time, compresses frames, and streams only changed pixels over WiFi to the ESP32. The result is a low-latency status display that can show anything from system stats to, yes, technically even Crysis if you squint hard enough.
Pricing starts as low as $2 (€2) from various sellers, with promotional deals occasionally dropping it below that. The package includes the board, male headers, and a JST cable for battery connection. For makers interested in NerdMiner builds, home automation dashboards, or just the novelty of a palm-sized monitor, the TENSTAR T-Display offers remarkable value for its price point.
