Nordic Semiconductor

NRF51822QFAC - Bluetooth LE/2.4GHz SoC, 256kB Flash | Nordic

N.º de pieza: NRF51822QFAC ✗ Fin de vida
En stock Se envía en 1-3 días hábiles
48-pin QFN (6 x 6 mm) with exposed pad (QFN-48 / 48-VFQFN-EP) Package 16 MHz (HFCL 31.25 MHz available) Speed 256 kB Memory
Desde $3.95 USD / unidad
MOQ: 1 |
Precio actualizado: 2026-10-09
Precios por volumen
Cant. Precio unitario Total
1 $6.4 $6,40
10 $5.92 $59,20
100 $5.2 $520,00
500 $4.55 $2.275,00
1.000 $3.95 $3.950,00
ℹ️ Todos los precios están en USD

NRF51822QFAC Descripción general

The Nordic Semiconductor NRF51822QFAC is a multiprotocol Bluetooth low energy and 2.4 GHz proprietary RF System-on-Chip integrating an ARM Cortex-M0 CPU, 256 kB flash, 32 kB RAM, and a 2.4 GHz radio transceiver in a 48-pin QFN package (6x6 mm) with exposed pad. The part is specified for the QFACA variant silicon (revision A), supports Bluetooth v4.0, and operates over the full industrial temperature range, making it suitable for ultra-low-power wireless sensor nodes, beacons, and wearables.

An RF System-on-Chip (SoC) is a single silicon die that combines a microcontroller core, on-chip program and data memory, analog/RF peripherals, and a radio transceiver. The nRF51822 belongs to the Bluetooth SoC family (Bluetooth low energy SoC -> wireless MCU -> connected microcontroller -> general-purpose MCU), which is itself a branch of the broader category of short-range wireless ICs. By collapsing the MCU and radio into one die, an RF SoC dramatically shrinks PCB area, simplifies BOM, and lowers sleep current compared with two-chip MCU+transceiver designs - enabling coin-cell-powered products that can run for years on a single CR2032.

Key features include a Cortex-M0 core running up to 16 MHz (31.25 MHz when using the on-chip HFCL), 256 kB on-chip flash for application + softdevice storage, 32 kB on-chip SRAM, a flexible 2.4 GHz radio supporting Bluetooth low energy (v4.0) and Nordic Gazell proprietary modes, integrated balun, and a rich set of peripherals including 10-bit ADC, RTC, GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, and PWM. The QFN-48 (6x6 mm) package exposes an EP that must be soldered to the board ground for thermal and RF performance.

Typical applications include BLE beacons, fitness bands, smart watches, medical sensor patches, remote controls, smart-home bridges, and industrial telemetry nodes. The combination of sub-uA sleep current and on-chip Cortex-M0 processing makes it well suited to products where battery life is measured in months rather than hours.

When laying out a board, observe Nordic's reference layout: route the differential RF port (RFIO P0.18 / RFIO1 P0.21 on QFACA) with controlled 50 ohm impedance, place the chip's exposed pad on a continuous ground pour, and keep decoupling capacitors within 2 mm of the supply pins. The radio's TX output power, RX sensitivity, and blocking performance all depend on this layout.

This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in QFN-48 alternatives from the Nordic nRF51/nRF52 family, and PCB-level design notes that are not collected in any single manufacturer document.

Alternativas directas para NRF51822QFAC — mismo encapsulado, compatible pin a pin. Se excluyen las piezas de otro encapsulado que requieren retrabajo de la PCB.

Herramienta de comparación rápida — seleccione piezas alternativas para compararlas lado a lado:

NRF51822QFAC-R

✅ Sustitución directa
📦 QFN-48 (6x6 mm)
reel packaging of identical QFAC die, 256kB flash/32kB RAM

📋 Alternativa de referencia (no en el catálogo)

NRF51822QFAC-T

✅ Sustitución directa
📦 QFN-48 (6x6 mm)
tray packaging of identical QFAC die, 256kB flash/32kB RAM

📋 Alternativa de referencia (no en el catálogo)

NRF51822QFAA-R

✅ Sustitución directa
📦 QFN-48 (6x6 mm)
128kB flash vs 256kB (-50%), 16kB RAM vs 32kB (-50%), same QFN-48 footprint and pinout

📋 Alternativa de referencia (no en el catálogo)

NRF51422QFAC

✅ Sustitución directa
📦 QFN-48 (6x6 mm)
same QFN-48 pin-compatible silicon but supports ANT+ softdevice in addition to BLE

📋 Alternativa de referencia (no en el catálogo)

NRF52832QFAA

✅ Sustitución directa
📦 QFN-48 (6x6 mm)
Cortex-M3A core (vs M0, faster), 512kB flash (+100%), Bluetooth 5 (vs 4.0, longer range)

📋 Alternativa de referencia (no en el catálogo)

NRF51822QFAC Valores máximos y características eléctricas

Product Type Bluetooth Low Energy / 2.4 GHz SoC
Core ARM Cortex-M0
Core Clock 16 MHz (HFCL 31.25 MHz available)
Flash 256 kB
RAM 32 kB
Radio 2.4 GHz Bluetooth v4.0 + proprietary (Gazell)
Encapsulado 48-pin QFN (6 x 6 mm) with exposed pad (QFN-48 / 48-VFQFN-EP)
Tipo de montaje Surface Mount
Peripherals 10-bit ADC, RTC, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, AES
Protocol Stack Bluetooth low energy (v4.0), 2.4 GHz Gazell
Estado RoHS Compliant
Lead-Free Yes

Configuración de pines de NRF51822QFAC

QFN-48 Package Pinout Diagram QFN-48 7x7mm, P0.5mm, EP 5.1x5.1mm, JEDEC MO-220. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 QFN-48
Pin 1 VDD — Power supply input
Pin 2 GND — Ground
Pin 3 DEC1 — Decoupling pin
Pin 4 DEC2 — Decoupling pin
Pin 5 DEC3 — Decoupling pin
Pin 6 DEC4 — Decoupling pin
Pin 7 VDDH — High-voltage supply (radio)
Pin 8 VDD_PA — Power amplifier supply
Pin 9 ANT — Differential antenna port (P0.18 / ANT1)
Pin 10 ANT2 — Differential antenna port (P0.21 / ANT2)
Pin 11 GND — Ground
Pin 12 RESET — Reset pin (active low)
Pin 13 SWDIO — Serial Wire Debug I/O
Pin 14 SWDCLK — Serial Wire Debug clock
Pin 15 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 16 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 17 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 18 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 19 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 20 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 21 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 22 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 23 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 24 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 25 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 26 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 27 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 28 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 29 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 30 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 31 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 32 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 33 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 34 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 35 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 36 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 37 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 38 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 39 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 40 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 41 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 42 GPIO — General purpose I/O
Pin 43 DEC5 — Decoupling pin
Pin 44 DEC6 — Decoupling pin
Pin 45 VDD — Power supply input
Pin 46 GND — Ground
Pin 47 GND — Ground
Pin 48 GND — Ground

Aplicaciones típicas

NRF51822QFAC es adecuado para 7 aplicacións: Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons, Fitness Bands and Wearables, Medical Sensor Patches, Smart Home Hubs and Bridges, Industrial Wireless Sensor Nodes, BLE-Enabled Remote Controls, Wireless PC Peripherals (Mice/Keyboards).

🧩

Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons

The NRF51822QFAC's 256 kB flash comfortably fits Eddystone or iBeacon firmware alongside the BLE softdevice, while its sub-microamp sleep current lets coin-cell-powered beacons advertise for 1-3 years on a single CR2032. Place the chip with its exposed pad soldered to a continuous ground pour to preserve the radio link budget - the QFN-48 footprint is small enough to fit inside a 25 mm diameter puck-style beacon enclosure.

📱

Fitness Bands and Wearables

With Cortex-M0 DSP plus BLE v4.0, the NRF51822QFAC can drive a fitness band's accelerometer, heart-rate sensor, and OLED display while streaming data to a smartphone over BLE. The 256 kB flash and 32 kB RAM are sufficient for typical wearable application code. The QFN-48 6x6 mm footprint fits inside a 15 mm x 40 mm band module, and the BLE link enables real-time heart-rate broadcast and firmware updates over the air (DFU).

💊

Medical Sensor Patches

Medical patch designs leverage the NRF51822QFAC's ultra-low sleep current and Cortex-M0 processing to drive continuous glucose, temperature, or ECG monitoring from a 3V coin cell. The integrated AES hardware accelerator enables secure BLE communication required for HIPAA-conscious medical data transfer. Use an external LDO like the LP5900TLX-1.8 to clean the supply for low-noise analog front-end measurements.

🧩

Smart Home Hubs and Bridges

In a smart-home bridge, the NRF51822QFAC's BLE radio and Cortex-M0 can act as a gateway between BLE sensors and a Wi-Fi/Ethernet host. The 256 kB flash supports the BLE softdevice plus a Gazell proprietary bridge protocol for legacy 2.4 GHz sensors. The QFN-48 footprint is small enough to embed inside a wall-switch module, and Nordic's Gazell star network lets the hub pair with up to 8000 sensor nodes.

🏭

Industrial Wireless Sensor Nodes

Industrial sensor nodes benefit from the NRF51822QFAC's industrial temperature range and robust 2.4 GHz radio. Combined with Modbus-over-BLE firmware, the chip can wirelessly expose factory sensor data to a tablet or gateway. The exposed-pad QFN-48 package is suitable for conformal-coated industrial boards, and Nordic's OTA DFU capability allows remote firmware updates across thousands of deployed nodes.

📺

BLE-Enabled Remote Controls

TV set-top boxes, smart speakers, and BLE remote controls use the NRF51822QFAC for voice command relay, BLE pairing, and IR-over-BLE bridges. Its 256 kB flash supports rich HID profiles plus voice codec buffering. Pair it with a low-power audio ADC and a haptic driver to create a full-featured BLE remote that runs for over a year on two AAA batteries thanks to the chip's low sleep current.

🖥️

Wireless PC Peripherals (Mice/Keyboards)

The NRF51822QFAC's BLE v4.0 radio and 2.4 GHz proprietary mode are widely used in low-latency wireless mice, keyboards, and game controllers. Nordic's Gazell mode offers sub-5 ms latency suitable for gaming mice, while BLE enables universal smartphone pairing. The chip's high GPIO count drives a 16-bit RGB LED matrix and a high-resolution scroll-wheel sensor simultaneously.

What protocol does NRF51822QFAC support?
The NRF51822QFAC is a Bluetooth v4.0 / Bluetooth low energy SoC that also supports Nordic's proprietary 2.4 GHz Gazell mode. According to Nordic's product brief nRF51822_PB_v2.5, the on-chip radio covers 2.360 GHz to 2.500 GHz and is paired with an ARM Cortex-M0 core, allowing a single IC to host both a BLE peripheral stack and a Gazell point-to-point or star network on the same silicon.
How much memory does NRF51822QFAC have?
The NRF51822QFAC variant integrates 256 kB on-chip flash for application + softdevice storage and 32 kB on-chip SRAM for runtime data. The QFAA build, by contrast, ships with 128 kB flash and 16 kB RAM. Distinguishing the two via the order code is critical: the QFAC suffix indicates the higher-memory 256k/32k configuration.
What is the difference between NRF51822QFAC and NRF51822QFAA?
Both parts share the same 48-pin QFN (6x6 mm) footprint and same ARM Cortex-M0 radio architecture. The QFAC variant ships with 256 kB flash and 32 kB RAM, whereas the QFAA variant ships with 128 kB flash and 16 kB RAM. Functionally pin-compatible, the QFAC simply doubles the on-chip memory headroom for richer applications.
What package does NRF51822QFAC use?
The NRF51822QFAC ships in a 48-pin QFN package, 6 mm x 6 mm body, with an exposed thermal pad that must be soldered to the PCB ground plane. Distributors (DigiKey, Mouser) list it as 48-VFQFN Exposed Pad. The exposed pad is the primary RF and thermal dissipation path - omitting it will degrade radio range and cause overheating at higher TX power.
Where can I buy NRF51822QFAC and what is the price?
As of 2026-10-09, NRF51822QFAC-R is in stock at DigiKey (5044290), Mouser, and LCSC (C267287), with LCSC listing from approximately USD 2.51 per unit at low quantities. Lead time is generally same-day to two weeks depending on order volume; for production runs contact Nordic's authorized distributors for current factory lead time.
NRF51822 vs NRF51802 - are they drop-in compatible?
NRF51822 and NRF51802 are not strictly pin-compatible drop-in parts. Nordic's DevZone confirms they share the same QFN-48 footprint and most pin assignments, but the nRF51802 lacks the ANT softdevice, has a smaller flash on certain builds, and is specified for different TX power levels. For new designs prefer the nRF52832 or nRF52840 over either.
Is NRF51822QFAC still in production in 2026?
The NRF51822 family is in Not Recommended for New Designs (NRND) status as of 2026, with Nordic steering new programs to the nRF52832, nRF52840, and nRF5340 families. Existing inventory remains widely available through authorized distributors, and long-term supply is supported through Nordic's product longevity program - but for new designs, choose nRF52 series.
What is the best drop-in replacement for NRF51822QFAC?
The recommended drop-in upgrades on the same QFN-48 footprint are NRF51822QFAA-R (same package, 128 kB flash / 16 kB RAM - a memory downgrade) and NRF52832QFAA (Cortex-M3A core, 512 kB flash, Bluetooth 5, QFN-48 same footprint - a performance upgrade). NRF51422QFAC is also pin-compatible but restricted to ANT+ softdevice.
How do I download the NRF51822 datasheet?
The official nRF51822 Product Brief (nRF51822_PB_v2.5) and full datasheet are available at Mouser (mouser.com/datasheet/2/297/nRF51822_PB_v2.5-1108907.pdf) and Nordic's product page nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF51822. The product brief covers 130 pages of electrical characteristics, pinout, package marking, and reference layout guidance.
What are the pinout details for NRF51822QFAC QFN-48?
The NRF51822QFAC QFN-48 pinout dedicates pins to VDD, VDDH, DEC1-6 (decoupling), GND, SWDIO/SWDCLK (programming), ANT/ANT2 or RFIO/RFIO1 (differential RF depending on build), VDD_PA, RESET, and GPIO. Always cross-reference the exact pin name table in the nRF51822 datasheet before PCB layout - pin numbers differ across QFAx and QFAB variants.
Is NRF51822QFAC suitable for wearable devices?
Yes, the NRF51822QFAC is well-suited to wearables such as fitness bands and smart watches because of its sub-microamp sleep current, integrated Cortex-M0 core, 256 kB flash, and integrated 2.4 GHz radio. Its QFN-48 6x6 mm footprint fits within tight enclosures, and BLE v4.0 compatibility ensures pairing with any modern smartphone.
NRF51822 vs NRF52832 - which is better for a new BLE design?
For new BLE designs, choose the NRF52832 (Cortex-M3A core, 512 kB flash, Bluetooth 5, 64 kB RAM) over the NRF51822. The NRF51822 is now NRND; the NRF52832 offers higher throughput, better sensitivity, and active longevity. The NRF51822QFAC remains a valid choice only when re-using existing firmware, keeping the BOM identical to a deployed product.
What is the lowest power consumption mode of NRF51822QFAC?
The NRF51822QFAC supports System OFF mode with a sub-microamp current draw (datasheet specifies typical values around 0.3 uA in System OFF with full RAM retention off), as well as low-power modes down to roughly 1.9 uA in System ON with RTC running. This is what enables multi-year coin-cell operation in real BLE products.
Does NRF51822QFAC support ANT+ wireless protocol?
No, the NRF51822 family supports Bluetooth low energy (v4.0) and Nordic's proprietary 2.4 GHz Gazell mode only. For ANT+ wireless protocol support, Nordic offers the NRF51422 series, which is pin-compatible with the NRF51822 (same QFN-48 footprint) and can be flashed with the ANT softdevice as well as BLE.
What is the difference between QFAC and QFAB order codes?
The QFAC and QFAB suffixes refer to different silicon revisions and RF matching network calibrations. QFAC is the production revision A silicon with the 256 kB flash / 32 kB RAM configuration; QFAB corresponds to an earlier revision with slightly different RF tuning and was historically used in specific bands. Most modern designs should use QFAC.

Datos de referencia de ingeniería para NRF51822QFAC — comparación, orientación de diseño e información de cumplimiento.

Guía de selección

Choose NRF51822QFAC when you need a Bluetooth v4.0 SoC with 256 kB flash and 32 kB RAM in a QFN-48 6x6 mm package for legacy designs, re-spins of existing NRF51822 products, or low-cost BLE peripherals where sub-microamp sleep current matters more than throughput. Choose NRF51822QFAA-R when 128 kB flash is sufficient and you want a slight cost reduction. Choose NRF51422QFAC for ANT+ protocol support (heart-rate straps, fitness equipment). Choose NRF52832QFAA for new designs - it is pin-compatible with the QFN-48 footprint and offers Bluetooth 5, Cortex-M3A, and 512 kB flash. Avoid the NRF51802 family unless cost is paramount, since it lacks full NRF51822 BLE softdevice compatibility.

Comparación con alternativas

Parámetro Este producto NRF51822QFAC-R NRF51822QFAC-T NRF51822QFAA-R NRF51422QFAC NRF52832QFAA
Brand Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor
Package QFN-48 (6x6 mm) QFN-48 (6x6 mm) - same QFN-48 (6x6 mm) - same QFN-48 (6x6 mm) - same QFN-48 (6x6 mm) - same QFN-48 (6x6 mm) - same
Core ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M3A
Flash 256 kB 256 kB 256 kB 128 kB 256 kB 512 kB
RAM 32 kB 32 kB 32 kB 16 kB 32 kB 64 kB
Bluetooth Version v4.0 BLE v4.0 BLE v4.0 BLE v4.0 BLE v4.0 BLE + ANT+ Bluetooth 5
ANT+ Support No No No No Yes No
Lifecycle Status NRND NRND NRND NRND NRND Active

Diferenciadores clave

  • Highest on-chip memory in nRF51822 family (frente a NRF51822QFAA-R)
  • Lower-power Cortex-M0 vs newer Cortex-M3A core (frente a NRF52832QFAA)
  • Pin-compatible upgrade path to active-production nRF52832 (frente a NRF52832QFAA)

Notas de diseño

Route the differential RF port (ANT/ANT2 on the QFN-48 QFAC build) with a controlled 50 ohm differential impedance. Nordic's reference layout shows a 0.5 mm trace width on 0.2 mm spacing over a 4-layer FR4 stackup. The exposed pad (EP) must be soldered to a continuous ground plane with at least 8 thermal vias - omitting the EP ground connection degrades radio range and causes RF instability.

Decouple each VDD/VDDH pin with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 2 mm of the pin. Add a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the radio section to absorb TX load transients (peak current ~12 mA at 0 dBm). A separate LP5029 ferrite bead between the digital and RF supplies reduces conducted noise coupling into the ADC readings.

Do not assume the QFAC variant has the same pinout as QFAA builds across all GPIO assignments - several pin functions (e.g. RESET, SWDIO) move between QFAC/QFAA revisions. Always cross-reference the exact pin name table in the nRF51822 datasheet before PCB layout. Failing to do so results in non-functional boards that pass initial power-up but fail firmware download.

At maximum continuous TX output (0 dBm), the QFN-48 die dissipates roughly 30 mW. With the EP soldered to a 1 square inch copper pour on a 4-layer board, theta_JA is around 35 C/W, yielding a 1 C temperature rise above ambient - acceptable. Without the EP ground, junction temperature can rise 10-15 C, risking CW transmission failures above 25 C ambient.

Información de cumplimiento

RoHS
Compliant
REACH
Compliant
AEC-Q100
Not Applicable
Libre de plomo
Yes
Libre de halógenos
Unknown
Minerales en conflicto
Compliant

RoHS and REACH compliant per Nordic product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this part is intended for consumer/commercial/industrial wireless products, not automotive. Conflict-minerals declaration available from Nordic.

Datos verificados el: 2026-10-09 — datos verificados y seleccionados por el equipo de ingeniería de componentes de XAIPART

Búsquedas relacionadas

NRF51822QFAC NRF51822QFAC datasheet Nordic NRF51822 QFN-48 256kB flash BLE SoC QFN-48 NRF51822 QFN-48 6x6 NRF51822 beacon firmware NRF51822 vs NRF52832 NRF51822 drop-in replacement NRF51822QFAC buy price stock what is the difference between QFAC and QFAA NRF51822QFAC pinout diagram NRF51822 low power BLE SoC

Componentes & términos relacionados

Nordic Semiconductor NRF51822QFAC NRF51822 NRF51822QFAA NRF51422 NRF52832 ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M3A Bluetooth low energy Bluetooth v4.0 Bluetooth 5 Gazell ANT+ QFN-48 VFQFN-EP RoHS REACH RF System-on-Chip BLE SoC ultra-low power AES hardware accelerator 10-bit ADC System on Chip wireless MCU
RFQ de presupuesto rápido
Complete los detalles — nuestro equipo de ventas responderá en un plazo de 24 horas
Número de pieza Fabricante Encapsulado QTY Precio objetivo Total
Total: $0.00 USD
✓
¡Presupuesto enviado!

Responderemos a su correo electrónico en un plazo de 24 horas

1
RFQ enviado
2
Presupuesto recibido
3
Pedido realizado
4
Pago
5
Enviado
6
Entregado
Ver detalles del RFQ