Espressif's ESP32-E22 is not an IoT microcontroller. It is a dual-core RISC-V chip targeting M.2 slots on Linux-based host systems, competing directly against MediaTek and Intel for the WiFi 6E connectivity module market. The chip just cleared Wi-Fi CERTIFIED certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance, and Espressif simultaneously shipped open-source Linux drivers on GitHub. For Linux-based embedded platforms, this is the first WiFi 6E module path with no binary blob requirement.
The ESP32-E22 connects via PCIe 2.0 or SDIO, not UART or SPI. Tri-band (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz), up to 2.1 Gbps throughput in iperf testing, 2x2 MIMO, WPA3. The open-source driver at github.com/espressif/esp32e22-linux-driver means kernel developers can audit and modify the stack. The M.2 form factor (ESP32-E22-M2-1, forthcoming) drops into the expansion slot that most embedded SBCs, edge boxes, and industrial computers already carry. Certification was tested under Linux with the full WPA3-Personal/Enterprise and Wi-Fi Enhanced Open suite.
The WiFi 6E module market for embedded Linux has been dominated by MediaTek and Intel parts that ship with binary blobs or restricted driver source. Espressif is running the same playbook that won it the IoT MCU market: open toolchain, open driver, competitive price. The loser is any incumbent WiFi 6E module vendor whose Linux support story depends on closed firmware. For hardware teams designing edge systems that need WiFi 6E, the ESP32-E22 is worth evaluating before the next PCB spin.