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[dennis2oo4]

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[shabaz]

Hi,

I know you have four renders, but is that a two-layer PCB? (Pairs of renders look similar). If so, personally I would modify it, the ground plane looks too broken up. I would have gone for 4-layer or try to move more traces to the top side.

The via holes should also run around the outside of the entire PCB, for good performance.

Personally I would have used the ESP32 _module_, since that will more likely ensure good performance since they will have spent more than individuals can do, to ensure their design works and meets legislation needs. I think if you're open to that idea, it is well worth moving to that, and will reduce your BoM too.

Besides, it is also possible that chip antenna is not supposed to be wired and positioned as it is currently. I don't know what antenna that is, but probably the datasheet for it will have layout recommendations (and again, they will have spent money figuring that out, so it's good to benefit from that if that part is being used). If it means having to compromise elsewhere (such as moving the microcontroller/crystal/tag-connect pads down and not being able to have the push-buttons center-aligned along the board if you're in control of the enclosure, then personally I would suggest so be it, better to have a well performing product than not (and even with the best of intentions, it is easy to get RF antennas wrong and suffer from poor quality).

[shabaz]

With the module with antenna, there are some PCB requirements too, but they will be detailed in the ESP32 module PDF document (from memory, most likely, for the most optimal performance, they may expect the module to have virtually nothing to the left and right of the antenna portion, and lots of ground plane south of that, for the kind of antenna they have on the module).