Genki Instruments’ Wave uses Nordic’s nRF52832 SoC to turn hand gestures into low latency wireless instrument control
The nRF52805 SoC offers Bluetooth LE high-throughput 2 Mbps and enhanced Channel Selection Algorithm #2, and 2.4 GHz proprietary protocols for cost-constrained applications such as disposable medical products, styluses, sensors, and beacons.

SoftDevice S132 is a high-performance Bluetooth® Low Energy protocol stack for the nRF52810 and nRF52832 System-on-Chips (SoCs). It supports up to 20 concurrent links in all roles (Broadcaster, Central, Observer, Peripheral). It is Bluetooth 5.1 qualified and supports the following Bluetooth features: high-throughput 2 Mbps, Advertising Extensions and channel selection algorithm #2 (CSA #2). The number of connections and bandwidth per connection are configurable, offering memory and performance optimization.

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My opinion about Nordic bluetooth chip technology
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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

FeaturesnRF52805nRF52810nRF52811nRF52820nRF52832nRF52833nRF52840
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 (VDD)
  • 2.5 V to 5.5 V (VDDH)
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 (VDD)
  • 2.5 V to 5.5 V (VDDH)
1.7 V to 5.5 V supply voltage
  • 1.7 V to 3.6 V (VDD)
  • 2.5 V to 5.5 V (VDDH)
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