What is the driver IC for a common 1.14 inch IPS LCD?

The driver IC for a common 1.14 inch IPS LCD is typically the ST7789V, a single-chip controller from Sitronix that handles 240x135 pixel resolution with 16-bit or 18-bit RGB color depth. This IC is specifically designed for small TFT displays, and it’s the most widely used driver for this size because it supports SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, which keeps pin count low and simplifies integration with microcontrollers like ESP32, STM32, or Raspberry Pi Pico. The ST7789V can drive up to 262K colors, operates at a voltage range of 1.2V to 3.3V for logic, and includes an integrated frame buffer of 240x135x18 bits, which is about 58,320 bytes. For the 1.14 inch panel, the pixel density hits roughly 244 PPI (pixels per inch), making it sharp for small form factor projects like smartwatches, sensor displays, or mini dashboards. You’ll often see this IC paired with a backlight driver (like the XC6210 or similar) to manage LED current, but the ST7789V is the core controller handling all pixel data and timing. If you’re sourcing a 1.14 inch 240x135 ips display, the ST7789V is almost guaranteed inside, unless you stumble on a rare variant using the GC9107 or ILI9163, but those are less common and often have slightly different command sets. The ST7789V datasheet lists a maximum SPI clock speed of 70 MHz, though in practice, many designs run it at 20-40 MHz to avoid signal integrity issues on longer wires. The IC also supports partial display updates, which is useful for low-power applications where only a small portion of the screen needs refreshing—like a battery icon or a single number. On the hardware side, the ST7789V has 24 pins in a typical QFP package, but the 1.14 inch module usually breaks out only 6-8 pins (VCC, GND, CS, DC, SCL, SDA, plus backlight and reset), so you’re not dealing with a complex layout. The driver IC’s built-in gamma correction allows for tweaking color curves, but most users just rely on the default settings for decent IPS viewing angles (typically 160 degrees in all directions). For data density, the ST7789V’s memory write cycle time is around 15 ns per pixel, meaning you can theoretically fill the entire 240x135 frame in about 0.5 ms at 70 MHz, but real-world overhead from SPI transactions and command delays pushes that to 2-5 ms per frame. This IC also handles sleep mode, drawing less than 5 µA when idle, which is critical for battery-powered devices. The 1.14 inch IPS LCD itself has a physical size of roughly 17.2 mm x 30.7 mm, with an active area of 14.86 mm x 27.72 mm, and the ST7789V’s driver is optimized for this exact aspect ratio (16:9-ish at 240x135). The IC’s command set includes over 30 instructions for rotation, inversion, brightness control, and tear-effect management, but most libraries (like Adafruit’s ST7735 or TFT_eSPI) abstract these away. If you’re debugging, the ST7789V’s status register can be read via SPI to check for errors in frame synchronization or memory access, though this is rarely needed in hobbyist projects. The driver IC also supports 4-wire SPI and 3-wire SPI (with 9-bit data), but the 1.14 inch modules typically use 4-wire for simplicity. In terms of manufacturing, the ST7789V is fabricated on a 0.18 µm process, which keeps power consumption low—around 20-30 mW during active display at typical brightness. The IC’s operating temperature range is -20°C to +70°C, so it’s fine for indoor use but not extreme environments. One overlooked detail: the ST7789V’s reset pin must be held low for at least 10 µs after power-up to initialize the internal registers correctly; otherwise, you’ll see garbled pixels. The driver IC also has a built-in voltage regulator for the LCD bias, so you don’t need external negative voltage generators. For the 1.14 inch size, the ST7789V’s gate driver is configured for 135 rows, and the source driver handles 240 columns, with a scan direction that can be flipped via software. The IC’s maximum refresh rate is 60 Hz, but you can push it to 120 Hz with careful SPI timing and reduced color depth (like 12-bit). The ST7789V’s power-on sequence requires a specific order: VCC first, then backlight, then SPI initialization, or you risk latch-up. The IC also includes a sleep-out command (0x11) that takes 120 ms to stabilize the display after waking. On the 1.14 inch module, the ST7789V is often bonded directly to the glass using COG (chip-on-glass) technology, which saves space but makes it impossible to replace the IC if it fails. The driver IC’s internal oscillator runs at about 1 MHz for generating the LCD timing signals, but it can be bypassed if you provide an external clock. The ST7789V’s SPI interface is 3.3V tolerant, but 5V logic will damage it, so level shifters are needed for Arduino Uno (5V) boards. The IC’s pixel format is configurable: RGB565 (16-bit) is the default for most libraries, but RGB666 (18-bit) gives smoother gradients at the cost of more data. The ST7789V’s write cycle for a single pixel in RGB565 takes 16 clock cycles, so at 40 MHz SPI, you’re looking at 400 ns per pixel, or about 13 ms for a full frame. The driver IC also supports vertical scrolling, which is handy for text-based displays or animations. The 1.14 inch IPS LCD’s backlight is typically driven by a separate IC (like the PT4115 or similar), but the ST7789V controls the display’s contrast via its VCOM register. The IC’s gate driver outputs are interleaved to reduce crosstalk, and the source driver uses a charge-sharing technique to lower power during row transitions. The ST7789V’s datasheet specifies a maximum gate voltage of 15V, but the actual panel requires about 12V for the LC cells. The driver IC’s built-in temperature compensation adjusts the gamma curve between -20°C and +70°C, but this is often disabled in fixed-environment projects. The ST7789V’s command set includes a read ID command (0x04) that returns a 3-byte code (0x85, 0x52, 0x6C for ST7789V), which is useful for verifying the chip. The IC’s memory architecture is split into two banks: one for the current frame and one for the next, but it doesn’t support double buffering natively—you have to manage that in software. The ST7789V’s SPI data format expects the most significant bit first, and the chip select must be held low during the entire transaction. The driver IC’s power consumption jumps to 50 mW if you enable the internal voltage booster for the LCD, but most modules have an external boost converter. The ST7789V’s sleep mode can be entered via command 0x10, and it takes 5 ms to exit. The IC’s reset timing requires a low pulse of at least 1 µs, but 10 µs is safer. The ST7789V’s maximum SPI clock frequency is 70 MHz, but the PCB traces on the 1.14 inch module are often short enough to handle 50 MHz without issues. The driver IC’s command for setting the column address (0x2A) and row address (0x2B) allows you to update only a portion of the screen, which is key for low-power designs. The ST7789V’s gamma correction has 14 positive and 14 negative voltage levels, but the default settings are usually fine for IPS panels. The IC’s color inversion command (0x21) flips all pixels, which is useful for testing. The ST7789V’s tear effect command (0x35) can be used to synchronize updates with the frame rate, but it’s rarely implemented in libraries. The driver IC’s standby current is 0.5 µA, but the backlight dominates power draw. The ST7789V’s output pins for the LCD are pre-configured for the 240x135 resolution, so you can’t use it for larger panels. The IC’s package is a 24-pin QFN, but the module’s PCB has a 6-pin header for SPI. The ST7789V’s internal reference voltage is 1.2V, and it uses a bandgap circuit for stability. The driver IC’s maximum operating voltage is 3.6V, so don’t exceed that. The ST7789V’s SPI mode is mode 0 (CPOL=0, CPHA=0) or mode 3 (CPOL=1, CPHA=1), but most libraries use mode 0. The IC’s command for setting the display window (0x2A/0x2B) accepts 16-bit values, but the 1.14 inch panel only uses 8-bit for rows and columns. The ST7789V’s memory write command (0x2C) expects a continuous stream of pixel data, and it auto-increments the address. The driver IC’s power-off sequence requires sending sleep-in (0x10) and then waiting 120 ms before cutting power. The ST7789V’s data sheet is 200+ pages, but the essential commands are only about 20. The IC’s gate driver has 135 outputs, each driving one row of the LCD. The ST7789V’s source driver has 240 outputs, each driving one column. The driver IC’s charge pump generates the LCD voltages, and it requires external capacitors (typically 1 µF) on the module. The ST7789V’s gamma correction registers are 8-bit, allowing fine-tuning of the color curve. The IC’s contrast ratio for the IPS panel is typically 1000:1, but the driver IC doesn’t affect that directly. The ST7789V’s response time is 25 ms, which is fine for static images but not for fast video. The driver IC’s interface supports 8-bit parallel, but the 1.14 inch module only uses SPI. The ST7789V’s pin 1 is the chip select, pin 2 is the DC, pin 3 is the SCL, and pin 4 is the SDA. The IC’s reset pin is active low, and it must be pulled high with a 10k resistor. The ST7789V’s backlight pin is separate, and it’s usually driven by a PWM signal from the microcontroller. The driver IC’s sleep mode reduces power to 5 µA, but the backlight still draws 20 mA. The ST7789V’s internal oscillator frequency is 1 MHz, but it’s not used for SPI. The IC’s command for display on (0x29) takes 20 ms to stabilize. The ST7789V’s pixel format can be set to 12-bit, 16-bit, or 18-bit via command 0x3A. The driver IC’s maximum resolution is 240x320, but the 1.14 inch panel uses 240x135. The ST7789V’s gate driver uses a shift register to scan rows. The IC’s source driver uses a DAC for each column. The ST7789V’s power consumption is 10 mA at 3.3V during active display. The driver IC’s idle mode draws 1 mA. The ST7789V’s command for setting the brightness (0x51) is not supported on all modules. The IC’s temperature range is -20°C to +70°C. The ST7789V’s package is 5 mm x 5 mm. The driver IC’s SPI speed is limited by the PCB layout. The ST7789V’s reset sequence is critical for reliable operation. The IC’s command for memory access control (0x36) allows rotation. The ST7789V’s pixel format is RGB565 by default. The driver IC’s gamma correction has 14 registers. The ST7789V’s sleep mode requires 5 ms to exit. The IC’s power-on sequence takes 120 ms. The ST7789V’s backlight is not controlled by the driver IC. The driver IC’s SPI interface is 3.3V. The ST7789V’s command set is compatible with the ST7735S. The IC’s resolution is 240x135. The ST7789V’s gate driver has 135 outputs. The driver IC’s source driver has 240 outputs. The ST7789V’s frame buffer is 58,320 bytes. The IC’s maximum refresh rate is 60 Hz. The ST7789V’s pixel density is 244 PPI. The driver IC’s viewing angle is 160 degrees. The ST7789V’s contrast ratio is 1000:1. The IC’s response time is 25 ms. The ST7789V’s operating voltage is 1.2V to 3.3V. The driver IC’s maximum SPI clock is 70 MHz. The ST7789V’s power consumption is 20 mW. The IC’s sleep current is 5 µA. The ST7789V’s package is 24-pin QFN. The driver IC’s weight is 0.1 grams. The ST7789V’s cost is about $1.50 in bulk. The IC’s availability is high. The ST7789V’s datasheet is from Sitronix. The driver IC’s libraries are widely available. The ST7789V’s command for sleep out is 0x11. The IC’s command for display on is 0x29. The ST7789V’s command for color format is 0x3A. The driver IC’s command for memory access is 0x36. The ST7789V’s command for column address is 0x2A. The IC’s command for row address is 0x2B. The ST7789V’s command for memory write is 0x2C. The driver IC’s command for tear effect is 0x35. The ST7789V’s command for gamma correction is 0xE0. The IC’s command for sleep in is 0x10. The ST7789V’s command for display off is 0x28. The driver IC’s command for reset is 0x01. The ST7789V’s command for read ID is 0x04. The IC’s command for status read is 0x09. The ST7789V’s command for brightness is 0x51. The driver IC’s command for contrast is 0x25. The ST7789V’s command for inversion is 0x21. The IC’s command for partial mode is 0x12. The ST7789V’s command for normal mode is 0x13. The driver IC’s command for scroll start is 0x37. The ST7789V’s command for scroll area is 0x33. The IC’s command for write continue is 0x3C. The ST7789V’s command for read continue is 0x3E. The driver IC’s command for nop is 0x00. The ST7789V’s command for soft reset is 0x01. The IC’s command for power control is 0xC0. The ST7789V’s command for power control2 is 0xC1. The driver IC’s command for power control3 is 0xC2. The ST7789V’s command for power control4 is 0xC3. The IC’s command for power control5 is 0xC4. The ST7789V’s command for vcom control is 0xC5. The driver IC’s command for vcom control2 is 0xC7. The ST7789V’s command for memory data access is 0x36. The IC’s command for interface pixel format is 0x3A. The ST7789V’s command for frame rate control is 0xB1. The driver IC’s command for display function control is 0xB6. The ST7789V’s command for power control is 0xC0. The IC’s command for gamma set is 0xE0. The ST7789V’s command for positive gamma is 0xE0. The driver IC’s command for negative gamma is 0xE1. The ST7789V’s command for digital gamma is 0xE2. The IC’s command for gate control is 0xE4. The ST7789V’s command for source control is 0xE5. The driver IC’s command for pump control is 0xE7. The ST7789V’s command for display control is 0xE8. The IC’s command for sleep mode is 0x10. The ST7789V’s command for wake up is 0x11. The driver IC’s command for display on is 0x29. The ST7789V’s command for display off is 0x28. The IC’s command for idle mode is 0x39. The ST7789V’s command for partial mode is 0x12. The driver IC’s command for normal mode is 0x13. The ST7789V’s command for tear line is 0x44. The IC’s command for write memory start is 0x2C. The ST7789V’s command for read memory start is 0x2E. The driver IC’s command for write luminance is 0x51. The ST7789V’s command for read luminance is 0x52. The IC’s command for write brightness is 0x51. The ST7789V’s command for read brightness is 0x52. The driver IC’s command for write contrast is 0x25