Using the ESP32’s I2S peripheral in parallel mode makes it possible to shift data out in the correct format to drive the LCD without bit-banging IO pins and using up precious CPU time.

It’s a WiFi SoC that despite its ESP32 name contains a RISC-V core in place of the Tensilica core in the ESP32s we know, and uses the ESP8266 pin-out rather than that of its newer sibling.