Crowd Supply presents the ESP32 Rainbow project for retro enthusiasts. It’s a single-board computer built to be compatible with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and powered by an ESP32-S3 chip with a proprietary keyboard for a realistic emulation feel, including a 16-bit color TFT display with a resolution of 320×280 pixels and a built-in speaker (2W). In addition, this solution has a USB Type-C port and the ability to connect a microSD memory card.

The ESP32 Rainbow project comes with a ZX Spectrum emulator. The device allows you to play retro games on the go, as it has a connector for an external battery (compatible with Picoblade) and a charging circuit, as well as several available GPIO pins to expand its capabilities. Additionally, the ESP32 Rainbow has a headphone jack.

The 40-key ESP32 Rainbow keyboard mimics the appearance of the original ZX Spectrum, color, key markings and everything you need for retro programming. The keys are capacitive touch sensors and the typing process is likely to be the same as when using the original ZX Spectrum membrane keys.

ESP32 Rainbow device components are open source. The hardware schematics and firmware of the project are published on GitHub under the GNU General Public License.

It is not yet known when this project will be officially put into production and how much such a retro device based on ESP32-S3 will cost.

Earlier this year, Retro Games developed a full-scale remake of the ZX Spectrum 48K 8-bit computer called The Spectrum for $100. The device offers 48 integrated games and allows you to download your own via USB.