WisMesh Board ONE Review: Compact, Expandable, Solar-Powered | 10% Discount!

If you've been following our Meshtastic hardware reviews, you've likely seen our recent coverage of the WisMesh Board ONE Pocket - RAK's handheld Meshtastic device. Today, we're examining the heart of that system: the WisMesh Board ONE bare board itself.

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

The WisMesh Board ONE arrives in simple but secure packaging. Inside, you'll find:

• The main WisMesh Board ONE baseboard
• 1 LoRa antenna (FPC base antenna)
• 1 high-quality USB cable

Depending on your configuration, you might also receive:

• Optional OLED 1.3" display (pre-mounted or separately)
• Optional RAK12500 GNSS module

The board itself makes an immediate impression with its thoughtful layout and compact form factor. At just 60.8 x 22.9 x 9.85 mm, it packs impressive functionality into a small footprint. The PCB quality is excellent, with clean traces and robust component mounting.

Features Overview

The WisMesh Board ONE comes with several notable features:

• RAK4631 Core: Based on Nordic nRF52840 (ARM Cortex-M4F CPU, 1MB Flash, 256KB RAM)
• Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver
• 1 WisBlock sensor slot for expandability (occupied if GPS module installed)
• Optional 1.3" OLED display - noticeably larger than common 0.96" screens
• Improved BMS (Battery Management System) with NTC for safer charging and discharge
• Solar & Battery connector - strategically positioned for optimal enclosure design
• Three mounting holes for secure installation
• External iPEX connector - for antenna upgrades
• USB-C for power and programming

What makes this board particularly interesting is how it improves upon RAK's previous RAK19007 design with specific optimizations for solar-powered and fixed deployments.

Configuration Options & Pricing

The WisMesh Board ONE is available in several configurations:

• Base Board Only: $29.97
• With RAK12500 GNSS Module: $50.97
• With GNSS Module & OLED Display: $52.97

This tiered pricing lets you select only the components needed for your specific project.

Flashing the Firmware

The device comes preflashed with Meshtastic version 2.5.20, but if you want to update it, here's the process:

Erase the Existing Firmware:

1. Navigate to the Meshtastic Web Flasher.
2. Select RAK WisBlock 4631 from the device options.
3. Click on the trash symbol next to the flash button to erase the existing firmware.
4. You'll need to enter DFU mode (Device Firmware Update mode) to proceed.

Entering DFU Mode:

• Option one: Double press the button on the right (the one used for reset) and a USB drive should show up on your computer
• Option two: Click on Enter DFU Mode (After Clicking on Flash and Continue), select the correct COM Port, then click Connect.

Erase the Flash in DFU Mode:

1. Once in DFU mode, the WisMesh Board ONE Pocket will appear as a drive on your computer.
2. Download the Flash Erase UF2 file and copy it to the DFU drive. After transferring, the drive will disappear.
3. Once the device is done rebooting, go back to the web flasher and click on Open Serial Monitor, select the correct COM Port, then click Connect.
4. Give it a couple seconds and it should say done once it is done formatting.

Flashing the New Firmware:

1. After erasing the existing firmware, return to the Web Flasher and choose the latest firmware version available.
2. Select Flash, and you will need to enter DFU mode again (repeat the previous step).
3. Once in DFU mode, download or copy the UF2 file for the new firmware onto the DFU drive.
4. The device will automatically reboot once the transfer is complete and will start running the new firmware.

Detailed Comparison: WisMesh Board ONE vs. RAK19007

For Meshtastic enthusiasts and solar node builders, the RAK19007 has been a popular choice since its release. I was eager to see how the WisMesh Board ONE improved upon this foundation. Here's a comprehensive comparison of these two solar-optimized boards:

Core Specifications Comparison

While the core specifications remain similar, the WisMesh Board ONE introduces three significant design improvements that address specific pain points experienced with the RAK19007:

1. Reimagined OLED Display Placement

On the RAK19007, the OLED display connector was positioned 90 degrees to the board. This created one main problem:

• The screen was at an angle that made reading information difficult

The WisMesh Board ONE completely reimagines this arrangement, mounting the OLED display 180/0 degree/s to the board. This redesign:

• Improves screen readability when mounted in a case

2. Strategic Battery and Solar Connector Orientation

The RAK19007's battery and solar connectors were positioned on the top face of the board. While functional, this arrangement created consistent headaches for enclosure design:

• Cables had to bend awkwardly, adding unnecessary height
• Strain on connectors increased with compact enclosures

The WisMesh Board ONE addresses this directly by repositioning these connectors to the side edge of the board, which:

• Enables much flatter enclosure designs (potentially reducing case thickness by 5-10mm)
• Creates a natural cable path that reduces connector strain

3. Enhanced Battery Management System

The RAK19007's battery management was functional but basic. The WisMesh Board ONE significantly upgrades this with:

• NTC thermistor on the board for simplified builds
• Support for external NTC connection for batteries with built-in temperature sensors
• Better protection against overcharging in variable solar conditions

Performance

Battery Life: Real-World Considerations

The board's power consumption is in line with what you'd expect from nRF52840-based devices. It's important to note that adding the optional OLED display does increase power consumption significantly, making it less ideal for pure power efficiency.

Range & Connectivity: Upgradable and Adaptable

The included FPC antenna provides pretty solid range from 800-1000 meters if you angle towards your receiving node. it’s was really competitive with something like Sensecap T1000E. If you plan to build a small sleek node, it would definitely perform well, but the real strength lies in the upgrade path:

• The iPEX connector allows for connecting any LoRa antenna via an adapter cable
• With a quality external antenna, range extends dramatically

This flexibility makes it suitable for both urban and rural deployments. This upgradability gives the WisMesh Board ONE a significant advantage over fixed-antenna designs like the T1000-E.

WisBlock Sensor Slot: Limited But Valuable

One key difference from the RAK19007 is that the WisMesh Board ONE includes just a single WisBlock sensor slot (compared to four on the RAK19007). This modular expansion system allows you to:

• Add environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, pressure)
• Monitor air quality
• Add many other capabilities through the extensive WisBlock ecosystem

The plug-and-screw design makes sensor swapping incredibly easy – just one screw secures the module in place.

Market Positioning: The nRF52 Board Landscape

Looking at the market for bare boards based on nRF52, we can see several options, each with their own tradeoffs:

• Heltec T114: After their recent quality control issues, user trust has eroded significantly
• Wio Tracker 1110 Dev Kit for Meshtastic: Huge size with no solar support
• XIAO nRF52840 & Wio SX1262 Kit: Fairly new and without a full BMS; however, with time it might start supporting the expansion boards used for XIAO ESP32S3 & Wio-SX1262 Kit that adds BMS, screen, and groove connectors for sensors

In this landscape, the WisMesh Board ONE hits a very sweet spot within the RAK ecosystem. Both the RAK19007 and WisMesh ONE are priced the same, but they serve different needs:

RAK19007 Strengths

For solar nodes that need multiple sensors (like weather stations), the RAK19007 offers more expansion slots. While you don't get the NTC feature, it is field-tested with good reliability overall despite occasional issues.

WisMesh Board ONE Strengths

The WisMesh Board ONE shines as a versatile board for:

• Ultra-compact solar nodes with really good BMS, NTC capabilities
• Small handheld devices with properly integrated displays - something RAK was missing with the 19007 due to screen orientation issues

Product Positioning: Where It Fits

At $29.97 for the base board, the WisMesh Board ONE is priced identically to the RAK19007, yet offers fewer expansion slots. So what's the value proposition?

The WisMesh Board ONE appears to be targeting a specific niche: optimized form factor and improved power management for standalone solar-powered deployments or very small and sleek handheld builds, especially where a low-profile enclosure is desired. It trades expansion slots for:

• A more thoughtful physical layout optimized for enclosure design
• Better battery management for solar applications
• Dedicated screen connector with improved positioning
• Overall slimmer profile for compact enclosures

This makes it particularly well-suited for fixed installations/builds where a clean, reliable deployment is more important than having multiple sensors. For deployments that need multiple sensors, the RAK19007 remains the better choice despite its design limitations.

Final Thoughts: Market Positioning and Value Proposition

The WisMesh Board ONE represents an interesting evolution in RAK's Meshtastic board lineup, with some clear improvements over the RAK19007 but also some significant tradeoffs.

Improvements Worth Noting

• Better BMS with NTC support: Enhanced battery management makes solar deployments safer and more reliable
• Optimized connector positioning: Better angled solar and battery connectors reduce enclosure thickness
• Properly oriented display: The 180/0-degree screen mounting significantly improves usability
• Compact, low-profile PCB: At just 60.8 x 22.9 x 9.85 mm, it's ideal for space-constrained deployments

The Major Tradeoff

Despite these improvements, the WisMesh Board ONE reduces expansion capability from four WisBlock sensor slots to just one - yet maintains the same $29.97 price point as the RAK19007. This creates a curious situation where you're paying the same amount for less expandability, albeit with better design.

The Strategy Behind the Design

This product's positioning becomes clearer when considering RAK's market observations. The RAK19007 unexpectedly became popular for handheld builds despite its solar connections and awkwardly angled screen - many builders simply avoided using the display altogether. RAKwireless appears to have recognized this pattern and created a board specifically optimized for two use cases:

• Ultra-compact solar nodes with minimal sensor requirements
• Small handheld devices with properly integrated displays

Recommendation

For users with very specific requirements matching these use cases, the WisMesh Board ONE is an excellent fit. However, for general-purpose deployments, we can't broadly recommend it over the RAK19007:

• For solar nodes: The RAK19007 offers more expansion slots if you need multiple sensors
• For handhelds with screens: The WisMesh Board ONE stands alone as the only reliable NRF52-based option with proper screen support and quality BMS (especially since Heltec's reputation suffered after recent quality issues with T114)

Ultimately, the WisMesh Board ONE fills a niche but important gap in the market. Rather than seeing it as a replacement for the RAK19007, it's better viewed as a specialized alternative for specific deployment scenarios where its design improvements outweigh the reduction in expansion capability.

If someone were to design an enclosure that is wider rather than taller, where we can use the RAK19007 with the screen oriented the correct way, would the WisMesh Board ONE still be a point of interest? Are the smaller footprint of the PCB design, NTC capabilities, and better oriented plugs alone enough to sacrifice the expansion slots? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.