LoRa Radio Chips Explained: SX1262 vs SX1276 vs LR1110

When buying LoRa hardware, listings frequently mention specific radio chip models. Understanding what these chips are and how they differ prevents costly purchasing mistakes.

Why the chip matters

The LoRa transceiver chip is the core radio hardware. It determines the radio’s maximum transmit power, receiver sensitivity, supported frequency bands, and power consumption. The board that surrounds it (the MCU, display, GPS, etc.) matters too — but two boards using the same LoRa chip will have nearly identical radio performance.

The three chip families you’ll encounter

SX1262 (current standard)

The most common LoRa chip in new hardware as of 2024–2026. An evolution of the SX1276 with significant improvements.

Spec	Value
Max TX power	+22 dBm (158 mW) typical; some boards use PA to reach +30 dBm
Frequency range	150 MHz – 960 MHz (covers both 868 MHz EU and 915 MHz US)
Receiver sensitivity	−148 dBm (SF12, 125 kHz BW) — class-leading
RX current	4.6 mA
Sleep current	0.6 µA
Interface	SPI

Used in: Heltec V3, V4, T096 (with PA), RAK4630/4631, T-Echo, T-Deck, T-Deck Plus, Station G2, most recent LilyGo boards, Nano G2 Ultra.

Buy this if: You’re buying any new hardware. The SX1262 is the current generation chip and has no meaningful disadvantages compared to older alternatives.

SX1276 (older generation, still common)

The predecessor to the SX1262. Widely used in older boards (T-Beam v0.7–v1.1, early Heltec boards) and still found in some current products. Fully compatible with SX1262-based nodes — they use the same LoRa protocol.

Spec	Value
Max TX power	+17 dBm (50 mW) typical; some boards up to +20 dBm
Frequency range	137 MHz – 1020 MHz
Receiver sensitivity	−148 dBm (SF12, 125 kHz BW)
RX current	9.9 mA — significantly higher than SX1262
Sleep current	0.2 µA
Interface	SPI

Used in: Original T-Beam (before Supreme), some budget LoRa modules, SX1278/SX1279 are frequency variants of the same family.

Key limitation: Lower max TX power (17 dBm vs 22 dBm stock) and higher RX current. For battery-powered use, the SX1262 is clearly preferable.

Buy this if: You have existing SX1276 hardware that still works. Don’t specifically seek it out for new purchases.

LR1110 / LR1120 (multi-band, advanced)

Semtech’s newest transceiver family, adding multi-band capability and additional features beyond standard LoRa.

Spec	Value
Max TX power	+22 dBm LoRa; +15 dBm LoRa 2.4 GHz
Frequency range	150 MHz – 2.4 GHz (supports LoRa on 2.4 GHz)
Additional features	Wi-Fi passive scanning, GNSS scanning (geolocation without GPS chip), Bluetooth Low Energy
RX current	5.3 mA

Used in: Seeed Wio Tracker 1110, some newer development boards.

Key advantage: GNSS scanning for geolocation without a GPS module; 2.4 GHz LoRa for short-range high-throughput applications.

For mesh use: Meshtastic supports LR1110 on the Wio Tracker 1110 for standard 915 MHz operation. MeshCore support is limited. The 2.4 GHz LoRa band is not used by standard mesh protocols.

What about SX1278 and SX1268?

You may see these variants in search results:

• SX1278: Frequency variant of SX1276 optimized for 433/470 MHz. Not suitable for 915 MHz mesh. If a product description mentions SX1278, it’s a 433 MHz device.
• SX1268: High-power variant of the SX1262 family, supporting up to +22 dBm in a slightly different package. Functionally equivalent for LoRa mesh purposes.
• LLCC68: Budget SX1262-compatible chip used in some low-cost boards. Supports SF5–SF11 only (not SF12). Fine for community mesh presets but lacks maximum sensitivity of SF12.

Power amplifiers: getting to 1W and beyond

The stock SX1262 outputs 22 dBm (158 mW). Some boards add an external RF power amplifier (PA) to reach higher power levels:

TX power	In mW	How achieved	Example hardware
22 dBm	158 mW	SX1262 native	Most standard boards
27 dBm	500 mW	SX1262 + small PA	Some Heltec V4 variants
28 dBm	630 mW	SX1262 + PA (T096)	Heltec T096
30 dBm	1000 mW	SX1262 + 1W PA (Ikoka)	Ikoka Stick 1W variant
33 dBm	2000 mW	SX1262 + 2W PA (Ikoka)	Ikoka Stick 2W variant

Important: FCC EIRP limits apply regardless of TX power. At 30 dBm TX with a 6 dBi antenna, EIRP = 36 dBm — exactly at the legal limit. Going to 33 dBm with any external antenna would exceed FCC limits and require power reduction. See the FCC Regulations page in the Antennas & RF section.

Summary: what to buy

Use case	Chip recommendation	Example board
Portable companion node (low power priority)	SX1262, nRF52840 board	T-Echo, T1000-E
Fixed repeater (solar/mains)	SX1262 on nRF52 or ESP32	RAK4631, Heltec V4
High-power infrastructure repeater	SX1262 + PA (Ikoka 1W)	Ikoka Stick 1W
GPS-tracking node (ultra-long battery)	SX1262, nRF52840, T096	Heltec T096
Budget/experimental	LLCC68 or SX1276	Various eBay modules