8 Bit and 32 Bit Microcontrollers
MCU SELECTOR GUIDE FOR IOT
8-bit and 32-bit Microcontrollers
Experience Easy Migration to Wireless Connectivity with the Lowest Power, Highest Performance MCUs
Microcontrollers (MCUs) are the backbone of IoT devices, providing the processing power and functionality required for everything from smart home devices to wearables and complex industrial machines. They are often thought of as the brains of many devices and systems, clearly making them one of the most vital components.
When selecting processors, device makers are often looking for small size, affordability, and low power consumption — making MCUs the clear contender. What’s more, they can make the digital control of devices and processes practical by reducing size and cost
compared to designs that call for separate microprocessors and memories.
The selection of the right processor platform is crucial. Whether looking to build connected or non-connected devices, you have come to the right place. All Silicon Labs’ products are MCU-based, so we can promise device makers reliability and performance in every application given our decades of experience.
Silicon Labs’ MCU Portfolio comprises of two MCU families, each serving a specific purpose:
Silicon Labs 32-bit MCUs
Power sensors, advanced features
Silicon Labs 8-bit MCUs
All the essentials, light on price
The Silicon Labs’ MCU Portfolio
Our MCU portfolio is built on a foundation of radio design and a history of technological innovation. Silicon Labs offers both 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs, designed to meet the varying demands of modern IoT applications as a one-stop solution for wired and wireless application development.
With fast access to already-known developer resources, our platform offers a full complement of low-power, high-speed microcontrollers, development kits, specialized example code, and advanced debugging capabilities, as well as easier migration to wireless functionality across protocols.
Both 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs address distinct challenges and have a place in modern IoT development.
8-bit MCUs
Do more in less time with:
- Lower power
- Lower latency
- Optimized analog and digital peripherals
- Flexible pin mapping
- High system clock speeds
32-bit MCUs
The world’s most energy-friendly MCUs, ideal for:
- Ultra-low power applications
- Energy-sensitive applications
- Scaling power consumption
- Real-time embedded tasks
- AI/ML
What Sets Silicon Labs’ MCU Portfolio Apart
8-bit MCUs: Small Size, Great Power
Silicon Labs’ 8-bit MCU portfolio was designed to deliver the fastest speeds and lowest power, while solving mixed-signal and low-latency embedded challenges.
The newest addition to the 8-bit portfolio, EFM8BB5 MCUs empowers developers with a versatile, highly integrated platform, ideal for transitioning from older 8-bit offerings.
Industry Leading Security
When you want your products to withstand the most challenging cybersecurity attacks, you can trust Silicon Labs’ technology to safeguard your customers’ privacy.
Best-in-Class Tools
Industry-leading RTOS with a free kernel, IDE support for Keil, IAR, and GCC Tools to optimize the development journey.
Scalable Platform
Our MCUs offer device makers a one-stop solution for wired and wireless application development and migration to wireless functionality across protocols.
Unified Development Environment
Simplicity Studio is designed to make the development process easier, faster, and more efficient by providing designers with everything needed from start to finish.
Feature-Density
Our highly integrated MCUs feature a full complement of high-performance, peripherals and powermanagement functions.
Low-Power Architecture
For applications with low power requirements, our portfolio of 32-bit and 8-bit MCUs are the most energy-friendly devices available.
Spotlight on EFM8BB5 MCUs: Because Simplicity Matters
With compact package options as small as 2 mm x 2 mm and competitive pricing to cater to even the most budget-conscious designers, the BB5 family excels both as a means to augment existing products with simple functionality and as the primary MCU.
Their smart, small design makes them the most advanced general-purpose 8-bit MCU, offering advanced analog and communication peripherals and making them ideal for space-constrained applications.
Optimize board
Minimize MCU package size
Reduce product costs
| BB52 | BB51 | BB50 | |
| Description | General purpose | General purpose | General purpose |
| Core | Pipelined C8051 (50 MHz) | Pipelined C8051 (50 MHz) | Pipelined C8051(50 MHz) |
| Max Flash | 32 kB | 16 kB | 16 kB |
| Max RAM | 2304 B | 1280 B | 512 B |
| Max GPIO | 29 | 16 | 12 |
8-bit Applications:
The Demand for 8-BitMCUs is Here to Stay Many industries still call for MCUs that perform
a task reliably and with as little complexity as possible. With Silicon Labs’ 8-bit MCUs, manufacturers can focus on the problems that require higher maintenance. We got the rest.
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Toys |
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Medical devices |
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Security |
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Home Appliances |
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Power tools |
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Smoke alarms |
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Personal Care |
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Automobile electronics |
32-bit MCUs: Low Power Architecture
Silicon Labs’ EFM32 32-bit MCU families are the world’s most energy friendly microcontrollers, especially suited for use in low-power and energy sensitive applications, including energy, water, and gas metering, building automation, alarm and security, and portable medical/fitness equipment.
Since battery replacement is often not possible for reasons of access and cost, such applications need to operate for as long as possible without external power or operator intervention.
Based on ARM® Cortex® -M0+, Cortex-M3, Cortex-M4 and Cortex-M33 cores, our 32-bit MCUs extend battery life for those “hard-to-reach”, power-sensitive consumer and industrial applications.
| PG22 | PG23 | PG28 | PG26 | TG11 | GG11 | GG12 | |
| Description | General purpose | Low Power, Metrology | General purpose | General purpose | Energy Friendly | High Performance Low energy |
High Performance Low energy |
| Core | Cortex-M33 (76.8 MHz) |
Cortex-M33 (80 MHz) |
Cortex-M33 (80 MHz) |
Cortex-M33 (80 MHz) |
ARM Cortex- M0+ (48 MHz) |
ARM CortexM4 (72 MHz) |
ARM CortexM4 (72 MHZ) |
| Max Flash (kB) | 512 | 512 | 1024 | 3200 | 128 | 2048 | 1024 |
| Max RAM (kB) | 32 | 64 | 256 | 512 | 32 | 512 | 192 |
| Max GPIO | 26 | 34 | 51 | 64 + 4 Dedicated Analog IO |
67 | 144 | 95 |
What Sets our 32-bitPortfolio Apart
Low Power Architecture
EFM32 MCUs feature the ARM Cortex® cores with floatingpoint unit and Flash memory and are architected for low power using only as little as 21 µA/MHz in active mode. The devices are designed to scale power consumption with capabilities in four energy modes, including a deep sleep mode as low as 1.03 µA, with 16 kB RAM retention and operating real-time clock, as well as a 400 nA hibernation mode with 128 bytes of RAM retention and cryo-timer.
Best-in-Class Tools
Embedded OS, connectivity software stacks, IDE’s and tools to optimize design — it’s all in one place.Industry-leading RTOS with a free kernel IDE support for Keil, IAR and GCC Tools to optimize designs with features that enable actions like the profiling of energy usage and easy visualization of the internals of any embedded system.
Security to Withstand the Most Challenging Attacks
Encryption is only as strong as the security offered by the physical device itself. The easiest device attack is a remote attack on software to inject malware which is why a hardware root of trust secure boot is critical.
Many IoT devices are easily acquired in the supply chain and allow “Hands-On” or “Local” attacks, which allow attacking the debug port or using physical attacks like side-channel analysis to recover keys during communication encryption.
Trust Silicon Labs’ technology will safeguard your customers’ privacy regardless of the type of attack.
Functional Density to Reduce Costs
Highly integrated microprocessors boast a rich selection of available high-performance and lowpower peripherals on-chip non-volatile memory, scalable memory footprints, crystal-less 500 ppm sleep timer, and integrated power-management functions.
About Silicon Labs
Silicon Labs is the leading provider of silicon, software, and solutions for a smarter, more connected world. Our industry-leading wireless solutions feature a high level of functional integration. Multiple complex mixed-signal functions are integrated into a single IC or system-on-chip (SoC) device, saving valued space, minimizing overall power consumption requirements, and improving products’ reliability. We are the trusted partner for the leading consumer and industrial brands. Our customers develop solutions for a wide range of applications, from medical devices to smart lighting to building automation, and much more.
Documents / Resources
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SILICON LABS 8 Bit and 32 Bit Microcontrollers [pdf] User Guide 8 Bit and 32 Bit Microcontrollers, 8 Bit and 32 Bit Microcontrollers, Bit and 32 Bit Microcontrollers, Bit Microcontrollers, Microcontrollers |