OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) modules are compact display units widely used in embedded systems and consumer electronics due to their high contrast, fast response, and low power consumption.
Common Types
- 0.96" I²C OLED (SSD1306) - 128x64 resolution, common in Arduino & ESP32 projects.
- 1.3" I²C/SPI OLED (SSD1306 or SH1106) - 128x64 or 128x128 resolution.
- 0.5" to 2.42" AMOLEDs - Higher-end modules with RGB support, often using SPI or parallel interfaces.
Key Features
| Voltage |
3.3V or 5V (logic tolerant) |
| Interface |
I²C, SPI, or parallel |
| Driver IC |
SSD1306, SH1106, SSD1327, etc. |
| Color |
Monochrome (white/blue), or RGB (passive matrix) |
| Lifespan |
~10,000 hours (varies by usage) |
Typical Applications
Wearables, handheld devices, status displays, IoT dashboards, and instrumentation.
Design Tips
- Use I²C for minimal pin count (SDA, SCL, VCC, GND).
- SPI offers faster refresh rates for animations.
- Avoid static images for long durations to prevent burn-in.
- Enable charge pump and proper initialization via driver IC commands.
Note: Always check module pinout—some I²C OLEDs require pull-up resistors or address configuration.