Adafruit
Adafruit SHARP Memory Display Breakout - 2.7" 400x240 Monochrome
Best high-contrast display for power-conscious, advanced microcontroller projects.
Discover the Adafruit 2.7" SHARP Memory Display Breakout, a unique monochrome display that merges e-Ink's power efficiency with LCD's speed. Its 400x240 resolution offers crisp black-on-gray visuals, perfect for daylight readability without a backlight. Designed for ease of use, the breakout board includes voltage regulation and level shifting, supporting 3V or 5V systems. While its 'write-only' nature simplifies wiring, it requires a microcontroller with ample RAM for buffering display data, making it ideal for advanced projects.
$44.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
28
/ 1544
#28 in Development Boards
Price vs Category Average
-49%
Below average
Display Size
2.7
/ inches
Who it's for
- Makers seeking quick integration with standard microcontrollers
- Engineers building long-term battery-powered portable devices
- Outdoor enthusiasts needing clear visibility in bright sunlight
Who should skip it
- Users requiring nighttime visibility or full-color graphics
- Developers avoiding complex software routines for display maintenance
- Budget-conscious hobbyists prioritizing low-cost display components
Performance breakdown
Power efficiency
Consumes negligible power, making it perfect for long-term battery-operated projects.
Daylight visibility
High-contrast monochrome visuals remain perfectly legible under direct sunlight.
Refresh speed
Updates significantly faster than traditional e-Ink, enabling smooth UI transitions.
Integration ease
Integrated level shifting and voltage regulation simplify wiring for most microcontrollers.
Memory requirements
Requires significant RAM buffering, limiting compatibility with smaller, entry-level microcontrollers.
Build quality
Robust breakout board design ensures reliable connections for prototyping and permanent builds.
Key Specs
Display Size
2.7 inches
Resolution
400x240 pixels
Display Type
Monochrome Memory Display
Logic Voltage
3V/5V
Power Input
3V or 5V
Interface
SPI
Mounting Holes
4
Manufacturer
Adafruit
Features
- Ultra-low power consumption
- Fast refresh rates
- Daylight readable display
- Integrated voltage regulation
- Level shifting circuitry included
- Minimal pins for data
- Compact breakout board
- Suitable for e-reader applications
What customers say
Customer enthusiasm centers on the Adafruit SHARP Memory Display's exceptional power efficiency and superb readability. Users celebrate the always-on nature, noting its negligible current draw makes it ideal for battery powered projects where longevity is paramount. The monochrome 400x240 resolution delivers crisp, high contrast visuals that perform excellently even in bright light. While the initial cost is higher, customers find the specialized power saving capabilities fully justify the investment, viewing it as a high value component. Integration is simplified by robust library support. Overall, this display is highly regarded as a reliable, high quality solution that perfectly meets the needs of portable applications.
Know before you buy
No, this is a reflective display, meaning it uses ambient light to be visible. It is highly readable in bright daylight and does not feature or require an internal backlight.
Because the display is 'write-only' and does not have its own internal frame buffer, your microcontroller must store the entire 400x240 image in its RAM. You will need a microcontroller with at least 12KB of available RAM to handle the display buffer.
Yes. The breakout board includes integrated voltage regulation and level-shifting circuitry, allowing it to interface seamlessly with both 3V and 5V logic systems.
While it shares the low power consumption of e-Ink, this SHARP Memory Display offers significantly faster refresh rates. This makes it much better suited for applications that require fluid animations or frequent screen updates.
Yes, it is fully compatible with the Arduino IDE. Adafruit provides libraries that make it straightforward to integrate the display into your existing Arduino or ESP32 projects.
The display uses a standard SPI interface. This keeps the wiring simple, requiring only a minimal number of pins to communicate with your microcontroller.
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