T114 and T3-S3: New Hardware for 2025-2026

LILYGO's 2024-2025 product refresh introduced two boards that are quickly becoming community favourites: the T114 and the T3-S3. Both pair an SX1262 LoRa radio with a modern microcontroller, but they target distinctly different use cases and operator needs.

T114 -- Compact Infrastructure Node

The T114 combines Nordic Semiconductor's nRF52840 with the SX1262 in a compact, screen-free form factor. It is clearly designed for infrastructure deployments rather than handheld use:

MCU: nRF52840 (ARM Cortex-M4F at 64 MHz)
Radio: SX1262 -- MeshCore and Meshtastic compatible
Display: None (no screen)
Connectivity: USB-C for power and programming; BLE for phone pairing
Power: Leverages the nRF52840's exceptional sleep current -- suitable for solar deployments on very small panels
Form factor: Smaller than a T-Beam; easy to fit in weatherproof enclosures

The T114's lack of display is a feature, not an omission, for infrastructure roles. Removing the screen eliminates a significant power draw and a mechanical failure point. For a repeater node on a rooftop or inside a pelican case, there is nothing to see anyway. Community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive: operators report clean BLE pairing, reliable SX1262 performance, and excellent battery life. The one common complaint is that the small PCB can be finicky to solder antenna connectors to, so purchasing the version with a pre-soldered U.FL connector is recommended.

Firmware support: Meshtastic ships official T114 firmware. MeshCore also supports the T114 with its nRF52840 build.

T3-S3 -- The WiFi-Capable LoRa Node

The T3-S3 pairs Espressif's ESP32-S3 with an SX1262 and is positioned as a direct competitor to the T-Beam Supreme in the WiFi-capable segment:

MCU: ESP32-S3 dual-core at 240 MHz, 16 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM
Radio: SX1262
GPS: Optional GPS module header (u-blox-compatible footprint, same as T-Beam)
WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n via ESP32-S3 -- enables MQTT bridging and web config
USB-C: Yes, with native USB on ESP32-S3 (faster flashing, serial CDC without external chip)
Form factor: Slightly more compact than T-Beam Supreme; no integrated keyboard

The T3-S3 is particularly compelling as a WiFi MQTT gateway replacement for existing T-Beam deployments. Where the original T-Beam uses an older ESP32 with less RAM, the T3-S3's ESP32-S3 handles concurrent WiFi and LoRa tasks more reliably and has enough headroom for Meshtastic's full feature set -- including MQTT and web server simultaneously -- without the memory pressure that can cause instability on older ESP32 boards.

Availability and Pricing (early 2026)

Both boards are available directly from lilygo.cc, typically with 2-3 week shipping from Shenzhen
Amazon listings exist for both boards (US warehouse stock, faster shipping, approximately 15-20% price premium)
AliExpress offers the lowest prices but longest lead times
T114: approximately $18-22 USD without GPS module; $25-30 with GPS add-on
T3-S3: approximately $25-32 USD without GPS module

Community Verdict

Both boards have earned strong reputations in the mesh community since their wider availability in mid-2024. The T114 is now the default recommendation for solar repeater builds in the RAK4631's price range, particularly where MeshCore compatibility is required. The T3-S3 is the recommended ESP32 platform for new WiFi gateway deployments, preferred over the ageing T-Beam for its updated silicon, improved RAM headroom, and USB-C convenience. Operators upgrading from T-Beam v1.1 hardware should strongly consider the T3-S3 as the direct modern replacement.