Nextion Display Complete Guide: Models Comparison, Setup & Arduino Projects 2026

Introduction to Nextion Displays

If you're building an Arduino or ESP32 project that needs a professional-looking touchscreen interface, Nextion displays are the perfect solution. These HMI (Human-Machine Interface) displays eliminate the complexity of traditional LCD programming, allowing you to create stunning graphical interfaces with drag-and-drop simplicity.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore all Nextion display models, compare their features, and show you how to integrate them into your projects.

What is a Nextion Display?

A Nextion display is a smart touchscreen module with an integrated processor that handles all the graphics rendering independently. Instead of your Arduino or ESP32 struggling to draw pixels, the Nextion does all the heavy lifting.

Key advantages of Nextion:

• Simple serial communication - Just send text commands via UART
• Standalone graphics processor - Frees up your microcontroller's resources
• Drag-and-drop GUI design - No complex coding required
• Built-in touchscreen - Resistive touch, works with any object
• Rich UI components - Buttons, sliders, gauges, graphs, and more
• Low cost - Starting from €15-20 for small displays

Nextion Models: Basic vs Enhanced vs Intelligent

Nextion offers three main product lines, each with different capabilities and price points:

Screen Size Options: 2.4" to 7" Displays

Nextion displays are available in multiple sizes, each suited for different applications:

• 2.4" (320x240) - Compact projects, wearables, portable devices - €15-25
• 3.2" (400x240) - Small control panels, sensor displays - €20-30
• 3.5" (480x320) - Most popular size, great balance - €25-35
• 5.0" (800x480) - Dashboard interfaces, home automation - €35-50
• 7.0" (800x480) - Large control panels, industrial use - €50-70

Hardware Setup and Wiring

Connecting a Nextion display is remarkably simple - just 4 wires:

Wiring to Arduino Uno/Mega:

Programming with Nextion Editor

The Nextion Editor is a free Windows application for designing your display interface. It uses a drag-and-drop approach similar to Visual Studio or App Builder.

Basic workflow:

1. Create a new project - Select your display model
2. Design pages - Add buttons, text fields, images, gauges
3. Add events - Define what happens when buttons are pressed
4. Compile - Generate .TFT file
5. Upload to display - Via serial or SD card

Example: Creating a simple button

// Button "Touch Press Event" code
// Send "btn1" to Arduino when pressed
printh 62 74 6E 31 FF FF FF

This sends the text "btn1" followed by three 0xFF bytes (Nextion protocol terminator) to your Arduino.

Connecting Nextion to Arduino

Reading data from Nextion on Arduino is straightforward using the EasyNextionLibrary:

#include <EasyNextionLibrary.h>

EasyNex myNex(Serial);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  myNex.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  myNex.NextionListen();  // Check for incoming data

  // Update display text
  myNex.writeStr("t0.txt", "Temperature: 25C");

  // Update number variable
  myNex.writeNum("n0.val", 42);
}

Handling button events:

void trigger1() {
  // Called when button "b0" is pressed
  digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
}

void setup() {
  myNex.attachPop(trigger1, "b0");
}

ESP32 and Nextion Projects

The ESP32 is an excellent companion for Nextion displays, offering WiFi connectivity for IoT projects:

Design Best Practices

Optimize for performance:

• Use efficient image formats - BMP or JPG, optimize file sizes
• Limit animations - Complex animations can cause lag
• Reduce screen updates - Only update changed elements
• Use global variables wisely - Limited RAM on Basic series
• Test on actual hardware - Simulator doesn't match real performance

UI/UX guidelines:

• Large touch targets - Minimum 40x40 pixels for buttons
• High contrast - Ensure text is readable in all lighting
• Consistent navigation - Place back/home buttons in same location
• Visual feedback - Change button color or show "pressed" state
• Error messages - Provide clear user feedback

Common Issues and Solutions

FAQ