LILYGO T-Echo

nRF52840 and SX1262 handheld with GPS, a 1.54 inch e-ink screen and a battery. Runs Meshtastic, MeshCore and RNode; max TX power not stated.

Specifications
Maker	LILYGO
MCU	nRF52840 (Bluetooth 5.0, NFC)
LoRa radio	SX1262
GPS	Quectel L76K (GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, QZSS)
Screen	1.54 inch e-ink
Battery	Included; the T-Echo Plus lists 2400 mAh
Sensors	Optional BME280; Plus adds a BHI260AP IMU
Max TX power	Not stated on any page we read

What it is

The LILYGO T-Echo is a handheld LoRa node built around an nRF52840 (Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC), an SX1262 radio, a Quectel L76K GNSS receiver and a 1.54 inch e-ink display. A battery is included and a BME280 environment sensor is optional. Meshtastic lists 433, 868 and 915 MHz versions, and says the T-Echo Plus adds 920 MHz.

The T-Echo Plus, per Meshtastic's page, has a 2400 mAh battery, a vibration motor, a buzzer, a BHI260AP IMU, a tripod thread and support for InkHUD.

Who it suits

Best for: a pocketable, all-day handheld with GPS and a screen, paired with a phone over Bluetooth. An e-ink screen keeps its image without power, which helps for a glanceable display.

Not for: anyone who wants a fast interface (e-ink redraws more slowly than LCD or OLED), or the cheapest possible build. For a handheld with a keyboard, see the T-Deck.

UK 868 MHz notes

Buy the 868 MHz version, never 915 MHz. We did not confirm LILYGO's exact SKU code for the 868 version. See Buy the right frequency.

No page we read states a maximum transmit power for the T-Echo, and we do not assume one. The arithmetic (ours):

e.r.p. (dBm) = conducted TX (dBm) + antenna gain (dBi) - 2.15 - cable loss (dB)

To stay within 500 mW e.r.p. at 869.40-869.65 MHz, conducted power must be at most about 29.1 dBm minus antenna gain in dBi. Above roughly 16 dBm conducted at 0 dBi, you exceed the 25 mW sub-bands, so the radio must sit in the 869.40-869.65 MHz slot. Meshtastic's EU_868 region does (869.4-869.65 MHz, 10% duty cycle).

Limits are from Ofcom IR 2030 v1.16 (published 7 April 2026).

Firmware

Meshtastic: supported.
MeshCore: supported ("LilyGo T-Echo" in the flasher catalog; lilygo_techo, lilygo_techo_lite and lilygo_techo_card variant folders in the repository).
RNode / Reticulum: supported. The Reticulum manual lists the T-Echo, and RNode_Firmware defines a 868/915 MHz model for it.

Flashing: Flash Meshtastic, Flash MeshCore, RNode and Reticulum setup.

Known quirks

Meshtastic's T-Echo page documents no specific quirks. E-ink screens redraw slowly by nature; expect a visible refresh. Attach the antenna before power.

Power

No reliable current figure is published for this board that we could find. Measure your own node. See Power.

Guides: Flash Meshtastic, Flash MeshCore, RNode and Reticulum setup, Power, Antenna placement
Tools: Link budget calculator, Solar node sizing
Other devices: LILYGO T-Deck, LILYGO T-Beam Supreme, Seeed SenseCAP T1000-E
Comparison: Meshtastic vs MeshCore