This year’s MCU market is focusing on the development of AI computing, Bluetooth 5.4, and Wi-Fi 6/6E technologies. The competition among MCUs is intense, especially in the low-power segment. Low-power MCUs are not just about 8-bit or 16-bit options but involve specific designs and processes to minimize power consumption and leakage currents while performing basic functions, typically using Cortex-M0/0+ or Cortex-M23/33 cores. With the increasing demand for portable devices, competition in the low-power MCU market has intensified, prompting manufacturers to release new products.
Infineon: 4.5µA Bluetooth 5.4 MCU
Infineon recently launched the Bluetooth 5.4 MCU AIROC CYW20829, featuring a dual-core Arm Cortex-M33. This MCU comes in 8 models and is suitable for industrial, consumer, and automotive applications. It includes 96 MHz and 48 MHz Cortex-M33 cores, supports Bluetooth 5.4, low power consumption, 10 dBm output power, and 256 KB application SRAM. The smallest package is a 64 Ball BGA (5x4.5 mm). Operating within 1.7V to 3.6V, it offers six power modes, with deep sleep mode current as low as 4.5µA.
Renesas: 0.2μA M23 MCU
Renesas introduced the ultra-low power, cost-effective RA0 series MCU in April, featuring an Arm Cortex-M23 core. The RA0E1 model supports a wide voltage range of 1.6V to 5.5V without a level shifter. It integrates timers, serial communication, analog, and security functions, with various package options, including a 16-pin QFN (3mm x 3mm). Power consumption is 84.3μA/MHz in active mode, 0.82mA in sleep mode, and as low as 0.2μA in software standby mode. Ideal for battery-powered devices, small appliances, and industrial systems.
STMicroelectronics: 230nA New Generation MCU
ST has been offering low-power MCUs based on ARM Cortex-M cores since 2009, including M0+, M4, and M33 products. In March, ST launched the STM32U0 series with a Cortex-M0+ core, available in 10 package forms and 2 memory configurations, running at 56 MHz.
The STM32U0 series achieves low power consumption through ultra-low leakage technology and various ULP modes, with standby current of 230nA and shutdown mode at 16nA. New features include the ART Accelerator™ and 3 ULP timers, suitable for applications like water meters. It also has an LCD segment driver and enhanced TSC touch controller, optimizing BOM costs.
TI: MSPM0 MCU Starting at $1
TI's MSP series is still relevant, but traditional 8-bit/16-bit MCUs with 180nm processes struggle to meet growing performance demands. TI has introduced the MSPM0 MCU with a Cortex-M0+ core, releasing the ultra-small MSPM0C110x in March.
This MCU features an 8-pin WSON package (2mm x 2mm), 7.35 times smaller than a common 8-pin SOIC package, and includes a high-precision oscillator with no need for an external crystal. It has a 24MHz Cortex-M0+ core, 16KB flash, 1KB SRAM, and a 12-bit 1.5Msps ADC. Power consumption is 87µA/MHz in operation, 5µA in standby, and 200nA in shutdown.
HOLTEK: 2.5µA Bluetooth 5.3 MCU
HOLTEK released the dual-core, low-power Bluetooth BLE 5.3 MCU HT32F67575 in January. It features an Arm Cortex-M33 main core and a Cortex-M0+ coprocessor. This MCU operates from -40°C to +85°C and from 1.8V to 3.6V, with a maximum M33 core frequency of 64MHz, 512KB Flash ROM, 256KB SRAM, two 14-bit ADCs, and an integrated DC-DC converter. It supports various interfaces (USB, QSPI, etc.) and comes in a 40-pin QFN package (5x5mm²) with 22 wake-up GPIOs.
The MCU meets Bluetooth SIG’s BLE 5.3 standard, with a low-power receiver consuming 4.0mA at 1Mbps and a sensitivity of -96dBm. It supports +10dBm transmission power with a current of 3.8mA. Power modes include active, sleep, deep sleep, and standby, with deep sleep current at 2.5µA (LDO) / 2.65µA (DC/DC) and standby current at 1.9µA (LDO) / 1.85µA (DC/DC).
GigaDevice: 1.8μA M23 MCU
GigaDevice launched the GD32L235 series low-power MCU on April 18, featuring an Arm Cortex-M23 core, with 16 models available in seven package types, including LQFP64/48/32, QFN64/48/32, and WLCSP25. This series is suitable for industrial meters, smart locks, portable devices, IoT, and BMS applications. The WLCSP25 package is ideal for space-constrained wearable devices.
The GD32L235 series includes a 64MHz Cortex-M23 core, 64KB to 128KB Flash ROM, and 12KB to 24KB SRAM. It features two 16-bit low-power timers, six 16-bit general-purpose timers, one advanced timer, two basic timers, two LPUARTs, two USARTs, two UARTs, three I2Cs, two SPIs, one CAN2.0, and one USB 2.0 FS controller. Analog peripherals include a 12-bit ADC, a 12-bit DAC, and two comparators.
Power consumption includes 1.8μA in deep sleep mode and 0.26μA in standby mode, with a maximum frequency power consumption of 66μA/MHz.
Autotronics: 1.2μA M0+ MCU
Autotronics introduced the AT32L021 low-power MCU on February 28, based on the Cortex-M0+ core. This series offers 7 package types and 21 models, with the smallest package area being 3x3mm. It is suitable for portable devices, wireless sensors, OBD, BMS, RF industrial control, wireless communication modules, and IoT devices.
The AT32L021 features an 80MHz Cortex-M0+ core, up to 64KB Flash and 9KB SRAM, a 2 Msps 12-bit ADC, a 16-bit advanced timer, five 16-bit general-purpose timers, a 16-bit basic timer, and 39 GPIOs. Communication interfaces include 2 I2Cs, 2 SPI/I2S, 4 USARTs, 1 CAN, and 1 infrared transmitter, with all USART interfaces supporting DMA. It operates within a temperature range of -40~105℃.
Power consumption is about 9μA in deep sleep mode and 1.2μA in standby mode. The MCU supports various clock sources (HEXT, HICK, LEXT, PLL, LICK) that can be independently switched to reduce energy consumption.
Increased Competition in Low-Power Segment
The MCU market is highly competitive, with differences in power requirements based on operational modes—some require full-speed operation, others low-speed, and some intermittent operation.
According to the EEMBC ULPMark benchmark list, ST's products, including the new U0 series, consistently rank high. The low-power MCU market is bustling, requiring not only low power consumption but also strong performance, compact size, and extensive functionality. With major manufacturers advancing low-power design technologies and launching new products, this market remains dynamic and promising.
