The “Biggest” uC I’m aware of are NXP’s i.MX RT devices. Basically: NXP is making i.MX Crossover Microprocessors (aka: the smallest microprocessor), and i.MX RT crossover microcontrollers (aka: the largest microcontrollers). So yeah, that “RT” means they’re still microcontrollers, but way bigger than normal.
I dunno, I think the i.MX RT500 are completely absurd.
0.40mm pitch BGA, okay so we’re looking at an expensive PCB anyway. Like, what the hell? You need like 3mil trace / 2.5mil space to even breakout.
You can get an MPU with full scale Linux in the $5 / chip + $2 Power-management IC + $4 DDR2 128MB + $4 NAND 1GB Flash at roughly the same price, with easier to solder 0.80mm pitch BGAs.
The i.MX RT500 is expensive at $30 Qty1 and $20 in larger-scale bulk quantities.
So I’m not entirely sure what the hell the point of i.MX RT500 is. The NXP Microprocessors are literally cheaper… even after buying RAM and Flash. I mean, someone wanted it, so I recognize that its been created for someone. But… its difficult for me to imagine how or why.
The “Biggest” uC I’m aware of are NXP’s i.MX RT devices. Basically: NXP is making i.MX Crossover Microprocessors (aka: the smallest microprocessor), and i.MX RT crossover microcontrollers (aka: the largest microcontrollers). So yeah, that “RT” means they’re still microcontrollers, but way bigger than normal.
https://www.nxp.com/products/processors-and-microcontrollers/arm-microcontrollers/i-mx-rt-crossover-mcus:IMX-RT-SERIES
Today, it looks like the biggest i.MX RT is a 5MB SRAM microcontroller. Which is… bigger than I expected.
Oh wow. I hadn’t heard of those. Thanks. Really curious now.
I dunno, I think the i.MX RT500 are completely absurd.
0.40mm pitch BGA, okay so we’re looking at an expensive PCB anyway. Like, what the hell? You need like 3mil trace / 2.5mil space to even breakout.
You can get an MPU with full scale Linux in the $5 / chip + $2 Power-management IC + $4 DDR2 128MB + $4 NAND 1GB Flash at roughly the same price, with easier to solder 0.80mm pitch BGAs.
The i.MX RT500 is expensive at $30 Qty1 and $20 in larger-scale bulk quantities.
So I’m not entirely sure what the hell the point of i.MX RT500 is. The NXP Microprocessors are literally cheaper… even after buying RAM and Flash. I mean, someone wanted it, so I recognize that its been created for someone. But… its difficult for me to imagine how or why.