MCU redefines cost-performance and unleashes new potential

GigaDevice has launched the GD32C231 series of entry-level MCUs, further expanding its Arm Cortex-M23 core product lineup. The company positions the series as a "high-performance entry-level" solution created to offer more competitive options for applications, including small home appliances, BMS, small-screen display devices, handheld consumer products, industrial auxiliary controls, and automotive aftermarket systems.

With over two billion cumulative MCU shipments and a mature supply chain, the company's newly launched series overcomes the performance limitations of conventional entry-level chips through innovative design. The series not only combines a rich set of peripherals but also utilises an industrial-grade, wide-voltage process, offering a comprehensive ecosystem. While maintaining excellent cost-effectiveness, this affordable MCU supports more complex application scenarios, redefining value standards in the entry-level MCU market and ushering in a new era of 'affordable yet high-spec' solutions.

The series MCUs deliver a significant upgrade in computing performance and peripheral features while maintaining excellent price competitiveness, achieving an ultra-high cost-performance balance. Built on Arm's advanced Cortex-M23 core architecture, the series offers up to 10% higher performance than Cortex-M0+, with clock speeds reaching 48MHz. It supports efficient processing capabilities, such as integer division, which greatly enhances software execution efficiency.

In terms of memory configuration, the series features 32KB to 64KB of highly reliable embedded Flash and 12KB of low-power SRAM, with full memory areas equipped with ECC error correction. To fulfil the demands of diverse applications, multiple package options are available, including TSSOP20/LGA20, QFN28, LQFP32/QFN32, and LQFP48/QFN48. Thanks to its highly integrated chip design, the series effectively reduces the number of external components, providing users with a BOM cost-optimised solution.

The series offers excellent power flexibility and energy efficiency, supporting a wide operating voltage range of 1.8V to 5.5V and a broad temperature range of -40C to 105C. This makes it highly adaptable for deployment in harsh and demanding environments. Featuring multiple power management modes, the device consumes as little as 5μA in deep sleep mode and offers an ultra-fast wake-up time of 2.6μs – achieving an optimal balance between low power consumption and real-time performance. These capabilities make it ideal for battery-powered and portable applications.