Embedded Hardware Platforms
Microcontroller and processor families you'll meet in embedded projects.
This is an overview — pick a sub-topic below.
Sub-topics (18)
8051 Microcontroller
The classic 8-bit Intel MCU architecture (1980) still made by many vendors.
AVR Microcontrollers
8-bit RISC MCUs from Microchip (formerly Atmel) — the chips in classic Arduinos (ATmega328P).
PIC Microcontrollers
Microchip's long-running 8/16/32-bit families, programmed with MPLAB X and XC compilers.
ARM Cortex-M
The dominant 32-bit MCU core family: M0/M0+ (low cost), M3/M4 (DSP, FPU), M7 (high performance), M23/M33 (TrustZone security), M55/M85 (AI).
ARM Cortex-A
Application processors with MMUs that run Linux and Android.
RISC-V
An open, royalty-free instruction set architecture with modular extensions.
ESP8266
A low-cost Wi-Fi microcontroller that started the DIY IoT boom.
ESP32
Espressif's popular Wi-Fi + Bluetooth MCU family (ESP32, S3, C3, C6, H2).
STM32
ST's huge ARM Cortex-M family, from tiny STM32C0 to high-end STM32H7.
RP2040 and RP2350
Raspberry Pi's microcontrollers (in the Pico boards): dual-core, lots of RAM, programmable I/O (PIO) state machines.
Raspberry Pi for Embedded
Linux single-board computers used as embedded controllers and gateways.
BeagleBone
TI Sitara-based Linux boards with PRU real-time co-processors.
NXP Microcontrollers
NXP's LPC, Kinetis, i.MX RT (crossover MCUs) and automotive S32 families.
TI MSP430
Texas Instruments' ultra-low-power 16-bit MCUs.
Renesas Microcontrollers
RA (ARM), RX and RL78 families, strong in automotive and industrial markets.
Nordic nRF52 and nRF53
Bluetooth Low Energy SoCs with ARM cores; nRF53 is dual-core; nRF54 is the newest generation.
Infineon AURIX
Multicore TriCore MCUs for automotive safety systems (ASIL-D) — engine, braking, steering.
FPGA SoCs
Chips combining processor cores with FPGA fabric: AMD Zynq, Intel Agilex/Cyclone SoC, Microchip PolarFire SoC.
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