100 mA avg current consumption with BLE gatt client example. How to minimize?

[julienD]

Hello,

I'm having a try with ESP32s3 and the bluedroid gatt client example.

This device connects to a custom board which is composed of a single button and an nRF chip.

My goal is to have the esp32s3 react "instantly" (from a human point of view, 200ms should be ok).
ESP32s3 does not transmit any "user data", only needed protocol frames.

I'm using an aliexpress board. The current consumption after the connection is done is about 100mA avg.
To be sure which current is only about BLE, I did the same measurement without ble, only a infinite loop in main.
Current in this case is 25mA which is close to the datasheet.

It means that current consumption for BLE only is 75mA which is far more than what I was expected for a low power
technology.
The datasheet states that peak current for BLE is 91mA but does not say anything about receiving only mode.

So here are my questions:
- Is 75mA a regular current consumption for a BLE device, connected, and listening only?
- Is there something I can do to lower it without using sleep modes (which will be my next investigation)?

Thanks
Julien