The ThinkNode M2 by Elecrow is a compact Meshtastic handheld that nails the shape issue however stumbles on energy effectivity. At $43.90 ready-to-use or $21.90 naked board, it is one of many smallest handhelds accessible, sufficiently small to work as a keychain (although a bit cumbersome). With a 1.3″ OLED display, buzzer, and glorious construct high quality, it checks virtually all of the bins. However there is a catch: it makes use of the power-hungry ESP32-S3, which limits battery life to round a day regardless of its tiny 1000mAh battery. Is the lovely kind issue sufficient to miss the MCU alternative? Let’s dive in.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The ThinkNode M2 arrives in easy but very nicely designed packaging with all the things you want to get began:
- ThinkNode M2 gadget (with or with out case, relying on model)
- USB-A to Sort-C cable
- Consumer guide
Construct High quality: Surprisingly Spectacular
The construct high quality is actually great way higher than anticipated for the value. The injection-molded ABS case feels strong and well-finished, not low cost or flimsy in any respect. This is not a 3D-printed enclosure; it is a correctly manufactured product that feels premium in hand.
The shape issue is the place the M2 really shines. It is the smallest ready-to-use Meshtastic handheld we have reviewed even smaller than the T1000-E, although noticeably thicker. It appears like a Tamagotchi, and actually, it may work as a keychain (although it would be a bit cumbersome for that). The compact measurement makes it extremely pocketable and handy to hold round.
Setup Notes
Setup was easy with no main points. Nonetheless, throughout battery testing, we encountered one thing uncommon: when the battery will get very low, you may hear a loud, non-default beeping sound. In response to Elecrow’s engineers, this occurs as a result of the facility system and MCU turn into unstable at extraordinarily low voltage. They’re engaged on a firmware repair that can drive a shutdown at a sure voltage threshold to forestall the uncontrolled beeping.
We additionally seen the gadget typically shuts down at 30% battery as an alternative of draining totally. Elecrow could not reproduce this subject in inner testing, so it could be device-specific or associated to battery calibration. One thing to bear in mind.
Options Overview
The ThinkNode M2 is much more compact than the M1, measuring simply 51.5 by 37 millimeters with out its case. It is primarily credit-card sized all be it bit thicker, but it would not compromise on functionality.
At its coronary heart is the ESP32-S3, a dual-core chip that runs at as much as 240MHz. It is a completely different platform than the M1’s Nordic chip nRF52840, but it surely brings its personal benefits: built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, which opens up extra connectivity choices. For LoRa, it makes use of the identical dependable SX1262 radio discovered within the M1, supporting each 915MHz and 868MHz bands.
The show is a 1.3″ OLED display with 128×64 decision. In contrast to the M1’s e-paper, this one refreshes immediately, which makes navigation really feel snappier. It isn’t fairly as readable in direct daylight, however the trade-off is a brighter, extra responsive interface that works nice indoors and at evening.
Reminiscence-wise, the M2 is well-equipped: 512KB of SRAM, 8MB of PSRAM for dealing with bigger duties, and 4MB of flash storage. That is loads of headroom for Meshtastic and any customized configurations you would possibly wish to run.
The battery is barely smaller at 1000mAh, however the gadget can be extra compact, so runtime stays cheap. Energy consumption sits round 217mA at full tilt, dropping to 136mA if you flip the display off, a easy method to lengthen battery life if you’re not actively utilizing it.
There is a buzzer for alerts, LED indicators for energy and charging standing, and a full set of buttons: energy, perform and the laborious to achieve reset. The whole lot costs and syncs over USB-C. The antenna is inner and makes use of an IPEX connector, although it isn’t user-upgradable.
With its case on, the M2 weighs simply 50 grams. With out it, it is an ultralight 30 grams. The entire package deal feels virtually toy-like in hand, but it surely’s totally purposeful.
Just like the M1, it ships with Meshtastic firmware pre-installed. Pair it with the app in your telephone, and also you’re prepared to hitch the mesh.
Flashing the Firmware
The M2 comes preflashed with Meshtastic, however if you wish to replace it, this is the method:
- Join the Gadget: Use a USB-C cable that helps knowledge switch to attach the M2 to your pc.
- Go to the Flasher Software: Open Meshtastic Web Flasher.
- Choose Your Gadget: Select ThinkNode M2 ESP32-S3 from the gadget listing (there isn’t any particular M2 choice but).
- Select Firmware: Choose the most recent firmware model and click on Flash.
- Carry out Full Erase: Choose Full Erase and Set up, then click on Replace.
- Reboot: As soon as flashing completes, the gadget will reboot and be able to pair.
Efficiency
Battery Life: The ESP32 Commerce-off
Battery life lasted round at some point or much less with typical use, minimal display interplay. For a 1000mAh battery, this is not horrible, but it surely’s nowhere close to the multi-day efficiency we have seen from nRF52-based units just like the Thinknode M1 (virtually 5 days!).
The perpetrator? The ESP32-S3. It is a highly effective, feature-rich MCU with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but it surely’s notoriously power-hungry. On a tool this small with such a tiny battery, the ESP32 appears like a mismatch. Positive, you get Wi-Fi connectivity and extra flexibility, however at what price? A day of battery life on a handheld means you are charging it nightly not supreme for a tool meant for outside or emergency use.
We additionally encountered the low-battery beeping subject talked about earlier, and the gadget sometimes shut down at 30% as an alternative of totally draining. Elecrow is engaged on firmware fixes for these quirks.
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After extra weeks of testing the battery and the battery administration system precipitated lots of downside, sudden shutdown, flawed battery stage reporting, manner much less battery life. It may very well be that our evaluate unit is flawed as Elecrow was not capable of reproduce the issue
Vary & Connectivity: Surprisingly Robust
Regardless of its small measurement and non-upgradable PCB antenna, the M2 delivered spectacular vary: round 1.71 km in city testing. That is very near the T1000-E’s glorious 1.8 km vary.
What stood out much more was the sign stability. The M2 maintained a a lot steadier reference to far more ACK (acknowledgment) messages in comparison with the ThinkNode M1. In the event you’re acquainted with the M1, you may discover a transparent enchancment in reliability right here.
The PCB antenna is not upgradable, there isn’t any exterior SMA connector, however actually, it performs nicely sufficient that almost all customers will not really feel the necessity to improve. If vary is your absolute precedence, units just like the Wio Tracker L1 Professional or WisMesh Pocket V2 with exterior antenna choices could be higher, however for a compact handheld, the M2 holds its personal.
Display screen & Construct High quality: Glorious
The 1.3″ OLED display is very nice, shiny, crisp, and really readable outside. It is a noticeable step up from the frequent 0.96″ shows discovered on cheaper DIY boards. Textual content is evident, menus are simple to navigate particularly with how they make the most of the perform and energy button as energy button used for navigation not like the ThinkNode M1 the place they wasted a button for display mild toggle, and the bigger measurement makes an actual distinction in usability.
Construct high quality is top-notch. The injection-molded case feels strong, the buttons (besides reset) are simple to press and responsive, and the general match and end are glorious. The LED indicators (energy and charging) are well-placed and helpful for at-a-glance standing checks.
The one minor grievance: the reset button is difficult to achieve, more likely to stop unintentional presses. Not a dealbreaker, however price noting.
Usability & Expertise
What Works Nicely
- Buzzer: Sure, it really works! The buzzer gives audible suggestions for notifications, which is a must have for any handheld with a display. No extra continually checking your gadget, you may know when a message arrives.
- Display screen: The 1.3″ OLED is shiny, readable, and responsive. Top-of-the-line screens on this value vary.
- Buttons: Energy and performance buttons are all simple to make use of and really feel strong. Reset is more durable to achieve, however that is intentional. Actually cherished that they utilized the facility button in navigation not like the ThinkNode M1 the place they wasted a button for display mild toggle.
- LEDs: Energy and charging indicators are well-placed and helpful.
- Kind Issue: Tamagotchi-sized, tremendous moveable, and feels nice in hand. That is the M2’s killer characteristic, it is simply cute and compact in a manner that almost all Meshtastic units aren’t.
The ESP32 Elephant within the Room
This is the factor: the M2 has one of many smallest, most tasty kind elements we have seen in a ready-to-use Meshtastic handheld. It is lovely, pocketable, and well-made. However then… they selected the ESP32-S3.
Do not get me flawed, the ESP32-S3 is a good MCU. It is highly effective, has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and is extraordinarily versatile. However on a tool this small with a 1000mAh battery meant to be a transportable handheld? It feels just like the flawed alternative.
The nRF52840 would have been good right here. Decrease energy consumption, longer battery life, and it nonetheless handles Meshtastic fantastically. Pair it with an e-ink show as an alternative of OLED, and also you’d have a multi-day handheld on this tiny kind issue. As an alternative, you are caught charging it each evening.
Perhaps it is a price factor, the ESP32 is cheaper and extra available. Or perhaps Elecrow wished the Wi-Fi options. Both manner, it is a trade-off that hurts the M2’s total enchantment.
That mentioned, a day of battery life is not unhealthy, it is simply not nice for a handheld meant for outside or emergency use.
design“>Expandability: Restricted by design
The M2 technically has GPIO entry, however let’s be actual: at this measurement, expandability is extra of a theoretical characteristic than a sensible one.
There are no Grove connectors or simply accessible headers. In the event you purchase the naked board ($21.90) and design your personal case, you may theoretically add sensors or modules. However with the ready-to-use model ($43.90), the compact case leaves no room for growth.
The “modular design” advertising feels a bit overstated. It is a handheld designed to work as-is, not a DIY tinkering platform. If you need true expandability, have a look at the WisMesh Pocket V2 or WisMesh Board ONE Pocket.
Pricing: A Powerful Promote in a Aggressive Market
This is the place issues get difficult:
- Naked Board: $21.90
- Prepared-to-Use (with Case): $43.90
That is $22 for the case alone, which feels a bit steep, however the injection-molded case is genuinely top quality, so perhaps it is justified.
The Competitors:
At $43.90, you are competing with:
- Wio Tracker L1 Professional ($42.90): GPS, joystick, photo voltaic help, buzzer, 2000mAh battery, ~2.5 days battery life, BaseUI help. Larger, however far more options and higher battery life.
- T1000-E (~$40): Smaller kind issue, related vary, built-in GPS, temperature sensor, water resistant, molded plastic. No display, however longer battery life.
- WisMesh Board ONE Pocket ($46.97 with out GPS): 1.3″ display, modular growth, higher construct high quality. Dearer, however extra versatile.
At $21.90 naked board:
- XIAO ESP32S3 + Wio-SX1262 ($9.90): Approach cheaper, extremely customizable with growth boards, however requires DIY meeting and has much less vary out of the field.
- Heltec V3 (~$21): Features a display, related ESP32 efficiency, however bigger and fewer polished.
The Verdict on Pricing:
The naked board at $21.90 in all fairness priced ,particularly that it comes with battery, for what you get, strong {hardware}, good vary, and a compact design.
The ready-to-use model at $43.90 is more durable to justify. Sure, the shape issue is lovely and distinctive. Sure, the construct high quality is great. However you are paying a premium for aesthetics and compactness whereas getting:
- A smaller battery (1000mAh vs 2000mAh on the Wio L1 Professional)
- Shorter battery life (~1 day vs 2.5+ days)
- The facility-hungry ESP32 as an alternative of the extra environment friendly nRF52
- No expandability
- No photo voltaic help
- No GPS
If the M2 used the nRF52 and supplied 2-3 days of battery life, it would be a slam dunk at this value. Because it stands, it is a powerful promote except you actually worth the compact kind issue above all else.
Remaining Ideas: Who Ought to Purchase the ThinkNode M2?
The ThinkNode M2 is a fascinating gadget that just about nails it. It has one of the best kind issue we have seen in a ready-to-use Meshtastic handheld, compact, lovely, and genuinely well-made. The 1.3″ OLED display is great, the buzzer works nice, and the vary is surprisingly robust for a non-upgradable PCB antenna.
However the ESP32-S3, whereas feature-rich, appears like a mismatch for this manner issue. With a 1000mAh battery, you are getting round a day of use, not horrible, however not aggressive with nRF52-based handhelds that final 2-3+ days.
Our Take:
The M2 is a good gadget that might have been nice. If Elecrow had gone with the nRF52840 and an e-ink show, this might be the final word compact handheld. Because it stands, it is a strong choice for customers who worth aesthetics and portability over uncooked battery efficiency. Like they’ve the ThinkNode M5 which is principally a ThinkNode M1 with ESP32-S3. This might have been simply a killer gadget if it was nRF52840.
At $43.90, it is barely overpriced in comparison with the competitors, however in case you’re not discovering every other handhelds with this manner issue that you simply like, the M2 remains to be a good alternative. The marketplace for ready-to-go handhelds begins at round $40, and the M2 sits proper in that vary. Simply know what you are getting: a lovely, tiny handheld with okay battery life and nice vary.
If Elecrow releases an M2 v2 with an nRF52 and higher battery optimization, it would be an prompt suggestion. Till then, the M2 is a area of interest gadget for customers who worth kind issue above all else.
