The Heltec LoRa32 V4 is the natural evolution of the wildly popular V3. It brings USB-C charging, a slightly improved power management circuit, and a cleaner board layout while keeping the price firmly in budget territory. If you are buying your first MeshCore device today and want something inexpensive but not quite as bare-bones as the V3, the V4 is a smart choice.
Like its predecessor, the V4 works best as a Bluetooth companion to your smartphone or as a simple repeater node. The small OLED screen shows basic status information, and the ESP32-S3 chipset gives it enough processing power to handle MeshCore firmware without breaking a sweat. USB-C means you can use the same cable as most modern phones, which is a genuine quality-of-life improvement for everyday use.
The V4 still lacks GPS and a built-in battery holder, so it is not the right pick if you need location tracking or true portability out of the box. For stationary or semi-portable setups — at a desk, in a backpack with a power bank, or mounted as a window repeater — it does everything you need at a price that makes it easy to buy several and spread them around your neighbourhood.