E-paper E-Ink Display 2.66" 296×152 SPI black-white-red for Raspberry Pi Pico — Waveshare

The 2.66" Waveshare E-paper (E-Ink) display provides a 296×152 pixel reflective screen with three-color capability: black, white and red. Designed for compatibility with Raspberry Pi Pico via an SPI interface, the module delivers low-power operation and retains the displayed image without continuous power. This makes it suitable for battery-powered projects, information panels and e‑readers where persistent, high-contrast text and simple graphics are required.

Advantages

This E-Ink display combines low energy consumption with good readability in ambient light, since the reflective panel does not require a backlight. The three-color (black/white/red) output allows simple color highlighting of status or notifications while keeping hardware complexity minimal. SPI interface support and Pico compatibility simplify software integration and reduce wiring, and the bistable nature of the display preserves the image when power is removed, extending battery life for portable applications.

Suitable for

• Battery-powered IoT devices and sensors that need persistent readouts
• Status panels and signage with occasional updates
• Simple e‑reader or note display projects
• Low-power wearable or handheld devices with basic color indicators
• Prototyping and educational projects using Raspberry Pi Pico

Key specifications

• Active area: 2.66-inch diagonal reflective E-Ink panel
• Resolution: 296 × 152 pixels
• Colors: black, white and red
• Interface: SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) compatible with Raspberry Pi Pico
• Display type: bistable (image retained without power)
• Typical viewing: good contrast in ambient light without backlight

How to use

Connect the display to a Raspberry Pi Pico using the SPI pins and supply appropriate power and logic-level signals according to the manufacturer’s wiring guidance. Install or include the provided driver or library for the Waveshare E-paper module in your Pico development environment, then initialize the display and send frame buffer data in the required format for black/white/red output. Update the screen only when content changes to benefit from the low-power, bistable behavior; complete refreshes may take longer than conventional LCDs due to the electrophoretic update process.

Usage recommendations

To maximize battery life and display longevity, minimize the frequency of full-screen updates, use partial updates where supported by the driver, and run the display at the recommended supply voltages and environmental conditions. For optimal legibility, design content with high-contrast elements and reserve red for highlighting important information.