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technical articles
Saturday, 22 August 2020 16:07
My opinion about Nordic bluetooth chip technology
The nRF52 Series of System-on-Chip (SoC) devices embed a powerful yet low-power Arm® Cortex®-M4 processor with our industry leading 2.4 GHz RF transceivers. In combination with the very flexible orthogonal power management system, and a programmable peripheral interconnect (PPI) event system, the nRF52 Series enables you to make ultra-low power wireless solutions.
The nRF52 Series offers pin-compatible device options for Bluetooth® Low Energy, proprietary 2.4 GHz, and ANT™ solutions giving you the freedom to develop your wireless system using the technology that suits your application the best. Our unique memory and hardware resource protection system allows you to develop applications on devices with embedded protocol stacks running on the same processor without any need to link in the stack or strenuous testing to avoid application and stack from interfering with each other.
nRF52 Series IC comparison
| Features | nRF52805 | nRF52810 | nRF52811 | nRF52820 | nRF52832 | nRF52833 | nRF52840 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Cortex-M4 | Cortex-M4 | Cortex-M4 | Cortex-M4 | Cortex-M4 with FPU | Cortex-M4 with FPU | Cortex-M4 with FPU | |
| 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | ||
| Memory | 192 kB flash | 192 kB flash | 192 kB flash | 256 kB flash | 512/256 kB flash | 512 kB flash | 1 MB flash | |
| - | - | - | - | Cache | Cache | Cache | ||
| 24 kB RAM | 24 kB RAM | 24 kB RAM | 32 kB RAM | 64/32 kB RAM | 128 kB RAM | 256 kB RAM | ||
| EasyDMA MAXCNT bit length | I2S | - | - | - | - | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| PDM | - | 15 | 15 | - | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
| PWM | - | 15 | 15 | - | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
| RADIO | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| SAADC | - | 15 | 15 | - | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
| SPIM | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 16 | |
| SPIS | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 16 | |
| TWIM | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 16 | |
| TWIS | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 16 | |
| UARTE | 10 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 16 | |
| NFCT | - | - | - | - | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
| USBD | - | - | - | 7 | - | 7 | 7 | |
| QSPI | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | |
| Crypto | AES engine | AES engine | AES engine | AES engine | AES engine | AES engine | AES engine | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | CryptoCell™310 | ||
| Radio | Protocols | Bluetooth Low Energy/ANT/2.4 GHz | Bluetooth Low Energy/ANT/2.4 GHz | Bluetooth Low Energy/ANT/2.4 GHz/IEEE 802.15.4 | Bluetooth Low Energy/Bluetooth mesh/Thread/ Zigbee/ANT/2.4 GHz/IEEE 802.15.4 | Bluetooth Low Energy/Bluetooth mesh/ANT/2.4 GHz | Bluetooth Low Energy/Bluetooth mesh/Thread/ Zigbee/ANT/2.4 GHz/IEEE 802.15.4 | Bluetooth Low Energy/Bluetooth mesh/Thread/ Zigbee/ANT/2.4 GHz/IEEE 802.15.4 |
| Bluetooth 5 PHYs | 2 Mbps | 2 Mbps | 2 Mbps/Long range | 2 Mbps/Long range | 2 Mbps | 2 Mbps/Long range | 2 Mbps/Long range | |
| Bluetooth 5.1 support | - | - | Yes | Yes | - | Yes | - | |
| Output power | +4 dBm | +4 dBm | +4 dBm | +8 dBm | +4 dBm | +8 dBm | +8 dBm | |
| Sensitivity | -97 dBm (Bluetooth 1 Mbps) | -96 dBm (Bluetooth 1 Mbps) | -97 dBm (Bluetooth 1 Mbps) | -95 dBm (Bluetooth Low Energy 1 Mbps) | -96 dBm (Bluetooth Low Energy 1 Mbps) | -95 dBm (Bluetooth Low Energy 1 Mbps) | -95 dBm (Bluetooth Low Energy 1 Mbps) | |
| Clock | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | 32 MHz crystal | |
| 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | 64 MHz on chip (PLL) | ||
| 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | 32.768 kHz crystal (optional) | ||
| 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | 32.768 kHz on-chip RC | ||
| External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | External 32.768 kHz clock | ||
| Power management | 1.7 V to 3.6 V supply voltage | 1.7 V to 3.6 V supply voltage | 1.7 V to 3.6 V supply voltage | 1.7 V to 5.5 V supply voltage
|
1.7 V to 3.6 V supply voltage | 1.7 V to 5.5 V supply voltage
|
1.7 V to 5.5 V supply voltage
|
|
| 1 stage LDO and DC/DC | 1 stage LDO and DC/DC | 1 stage LDO and DC/DC | 2 stage regulator LDO for high voltage and DC/DC or LDO for low voltage | 1 stage LDO and DC/DC | 2 stage regulator LDO for high voltage and DC/DC or LDO for low voltage | 2 stage LDO and DC/DC | ||
| - | - | - | On-chip VBUS 3.3 V reg | - | On-chip VBUS 3.3 V reg | On-chip VBUS 3.3 V reg | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | Regulated supply for external components | ||
| Digital interfaces | 1 × SPI master and slave | 1 × SPI master and slave | 2 × SPI master and slave | 2 × SPI master and slave | 3 × SPI master and slave | 4 × SPI master and 3 × SPI slave | 4 × SPI master and 3 × SPI slave | |
| 1 × TWI master and slave | 1 × TWI master and slave | 1 × TWI master and slave | 2 × TWI master and slave | 2 × TWI master and slave | 2 × TWI master and slave | 2 × TWI master and slave | ||
| 1 × UARTE | 1 × UARTE | 1 × UARTE | 1 × UARTE | 1 × UARTE or UART | 2 × UARTE | 2 × UARTE | ||
| - | 1 × PWM | 1 × PWM | - | 3 × PWM | 4 × PWM | 4 × PWM | ||
| - | QDEC | QDEC | QDEC | QDEC | QDEC | QDEC | ||
| - | PDM | PDM | - | PDM | PDM | PDM | ||
| - | - | - | - | I2S | I2S | I2S | ||
| - | - | - | 1 × USB Full-speed device | - | 1 × USB Full-speed device | 1 × USB Full-speed device | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | 1 × high-speed SPI master | 1 × high-speed SPI master | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 × Quad SPI (w.XIP) | ||
| Analog interfaces | - | 64-level analog comp | 64-level analog comp | 64-level analog comp | 64-level analog comp | 64-level analog comp | 64-level analog comp | |
| - | - | - | - | 15-level low-power comp | 15-level low-power comp | 15-level low-power comp | ||
| 2-channel 12-bit ADC | 8-channel 12-bit ADC | 8-channel 12-bit ADC | - | 8-channel 12-bit ADC | 8-channel 12-bit ADC | 8-channel 12-bit ADC | ||
| - | - | - | - | NFC Tag | NFC Tag | NFC Tag | ||
| True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | True Random Number Generator | ||
| Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | Temperature sensor | ||
| Timers | 3 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 3 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 3 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 4 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 5 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 5 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | 5 × 32-bit 16 MHz timers | |
| 2 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 2 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 2 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 2 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 3 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 3 × 32.768 kHz RTC | 3 × 32.768 kHz RTC | ||
| Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | Watchdog timer (32.768 kHz) | ||
| Other interfaces | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | SWI debug interface | |
| PPI | 10 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | 20 programmable channels | |
| 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | 12 fixed channels | ||
| 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | 6 channel groups | ||
| Other features | BPROT | BPROT | BPROT | BPROT | BPROT | ACL | ACL | |
| 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | 6 × SWI | ||
| 2 × EGU | 2 × EGU | 2 × EGU | 6 × EGU | 6 × EGU | 6 × EGU | 6 × EGU | ||
| - | - | - | - | MWU | MWU | MWU | ||
| Power fail | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | Power fail comparator and brownout | |
| GPIO | Up to 10 pins | Up to 32 pins | Up to 32 pins | Up to 18 pins | Up to 32 pins | Up to 42 pins | Up to 48 pins | |
| 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | 8 × GPIOTEs channels | ||
| Packages | - | 6 × 6 QFN48 w/32 GPIOs | 6 × 6 QFN48 w/32 GPIOs | - | 6 × 6 QFN48 w/32 GPIOs | 7 × 7 AQFN73 w/42 GPIOs | 7 × 7 AQFN73 w/48 GPIOs | |
| - | 5 × 5 QFN32 w/17 GPIOs | 5 × 5 QFN32 w/17 GPIOs | 5 × 5 QFN40 w/18 GPIOs and USB | - | 5 × 5 QFN40 w/18 GPIOs & USB | - | ||
| 2.5 × 2.5 WLCSP w/10 GPIOs | 2.5 × 2.5 WLCSP w/15 GPIOs | 2.5 × 2.5 WLCSP w/15 GPIOs | - | 3.0 × 3.2 WLCSP w/32 GPIOs & USB | 3.2 × 3.2 WLCSP w/42 GPIOs & USB | 3.5 × 3.5 WLCSP w/48 GPIOs | ||
| Temperature | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 105°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 105°C | -40 to 85°C | |