ATSAMA5D44A-CUR - 600 MHz ARM Cortex-A5 MPU, 361-TFBGA | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMA5D44A-CUR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $17.8 | $17.80 |
| 10 | $16.2 | $162.00 |
| 100 | $14.5 | $1,450.00 |
| 500 | $13.1 | $6,550.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.67 | $11,670.00 |
ATSAMA5D44A-CUR Overview
An ARM Cortex-A5 MPU is a full applications-class 32-bit processor built around the ARMv7-A architecture with NEON SIMD, hardware floating-point, MMU, and TrustZone. MPUs integrate the entire CPU subsystem on-chip and target richer operating systems (Linux, Android) where microcontrollers running bare-metal or RTOS fall short. The Cortex-A5 family is the power-optimized floor of the ARMv7-A line, balancing integer performance with deterministic interrupt latency and low standby current.
Key features include ARM NEON SIMD engine, 128 KB L2 cache, floating-point unit, integrated video decoder (H.264/MPEG-4 hardware block), 10-bit ADC with resistive touch controller, dual Ethernet MACs (GMII/RGMII), dual CAN-FD, USB 2.0 high-speed host/device with on-chip PHY, and DDR3/LPDDR/LPDDR2 memory controller. Industrial temperature range (–40 °C to +85 °C) and package-on-package (POP) support for stacked DDR+LPDDR memories are also provided.
Architecturally the SAMA5D4 leverages a Cortex-A5 core plus NEON, 32 KB I-cache + 32 KB D-cache, 128 KB unified L2, and an AXI/AHB peripheral matrix. The integrated LCD controller supports 24-bit parallel RGB, the H.264 720p hardware decoder offloads video pipelines, and the Integrity Check Monitor (ICM) with SHA-256 enables secure boot.
Typical applications include industrial human-machine interfaces (HMI), point-of-sale (POS) terminals, healthcare patient monitors, building-automation panels, smart-grid gateways, and ruggedized IoT edge nodes. The video decoder plus LCD controller combination is well-suited to graphical operator panels with H.264 playback.
When designing with the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR, pay close attention to power-rail sequencing, DDR3/LPDDR2 termination, and exposed-pad PCB thermal layout. The high 600 MHz operation requires four-layer PCB with continuous reference planes for the DDR bus.
This page synthesizes distributor stock, same-package drop-in alternatives from the SAMA5D3/SAMA5D4 family, and practical design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet to help engineers shorten time-to-prototype.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMA5D44A-CUR — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with ATSAMA5D44A-CUR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, USB, Ethernet, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMA5D44A-CU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMA5D43B-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D43A-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.83 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D42B-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D42A-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.24 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D41B-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D44A-CUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-A5 (32-bit) |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 600 MHz |
| L2 Cache | 128 KB |
| NEON SIMD Engine | Yes |
| Floating-Point Unit | Yes |
| On-chip ROM | 128 KB (boot ROM) |
| DDR Memory Controller | DDR3/LPDDR/LPDDR2 (16-bit) |
| Ethernet | 2x GMII/RGMII 10/100/1000 Mbps MAC |
| USB | 1x USB 2.0 HS Host + 1x USB 2.0 HS Device (with on-chip PHY) |
| CAN | 2x CAN-FD |
| LCD Controller | 24-bit parallel RGB up to 2048x2048 |
| Video Decoder | Hardware H.264/MPEG-4 720p |
| ADC | 5-channel 10-bit ADC with resistive touch controller |
| Integrity Check Monitor | SHA-256 hardware ICM |
| Package | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMA5D44A-CUR 361-tfbga (16x16 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAMA5D44A-CUR (361-tfbga (16x16 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for ATSAMA5D44A-CUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAMA5D44A-CUR is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI), Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals, Building Automation Gateways, Healthcare Patient Monitoring Displays, Smart-Grid / Energy Infrastructure, IoT Edge Gateways with Local Video Analytics, Industrial Printer / Label-Maker Control Boards.
Industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
The ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's 600 MHz Cortex-A5 with hardware H.264 decode and 24-bit LCD controller supporting up to 2048x2048 makes it ideal for industrial HMI panels. The integrated resistive touch controller on the 5-channel 10-bit ADC eliminates the need for an external touch IC. Pair with 256 MB DDR3 and a 7-10 inch TFT to drive graphical operator interfaces with smooth video help tutorials; same-family BSP from Microchip Linux4SAM accelerates deployment with Qt/EGL support and Weston/wayland compositing out of the box.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals
POS terminals benefit from the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's dual Gigabit Ethernet for LAN/cloud connectivity, USB 2.0 HS host with on-chip PHY for peripherals (barcode scanner, NFC reader, printer), and hardware security via the SHA-256 ICM for secure boot. The hardware H.264 decoder enables smooth promotional video on the cashier display while the CPU handles transaction processing in parallel, and the -40 °C to +85 °C industrial-grade operating range suits deployment in refrigerated and outdoor kiosks.
Recommended
Building Automation Gateways
Building automation gateways leverage the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's dual CAN-FD (modern HVAC and elevator bus), dual GbE (networked building backbone + cloud uplink), and Cortex-A5 Linux for BACnet/Modbus/IO-Link protocol stacks. Running Linux on the 600 MHz A5 core with hardware floating-point allows multi-protocol translation in real-time, while the on-chip SHA-256 ICM enforces signed-firmware boot policy for IP-connected building systems - critical for IEC 62443 cybersecurity compliance.
Recommended
Healthcare Patient Monitoring Displays
Patient monitors require deterministic video rendering of waveforms (handled by the 24-bit LCD controller + 2D GPU) with secure boot (SHA-256 ICM) and reliability through the -40 °C to +85 °C industrial range. The ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's hardware H.264 decode lets clinicians view multiple DICOM endoscopy or ultrasound video streams alongside real-time vitals on the same panel, while the dual GbE enables HL7/IHE PCD networking. Medical-grade EMC compliance is achievable with proper PCB stack-up and the 4-layer reference design in Microchip ATSAMA5D4-XULT.
Recommended
Smart-Grid / Energy Infrastructure
Smart-grid secondary substations and energy-management gateways run the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR for IEC 61850 protocol offload, real-time encryption (hardware SHA-256 ICM), and deterministic LAN/WAN routing. Dual GbE handles redundant PRP/HSR ring networks common in substation automation, while dual CAN-FD connects to local feeders. The Cortex-A5's hardware floating-point unit accelerates FFT-based power-quality analysis. Linux PREEMPT-RT patches on the A5 maintain micro-second interrupt latency for protection-class firmware.
Recommended
IoT Edge Gateways with Local Video Analytics
For AI-edge gateways, the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's hardware H.264 decoder offloads 720p IP-camera streams while the NEON SIMD engine runs OpenCV preprocessing before forwarding to a host AI accelerator. The dual GbE supplies PoE-class camera connectivity with line-rate forwarding, and the Cortex-A5's MMU supports full containerized workloads (Docker on Linux). For harsh-edge environments the industrial temperature range and on-chip SHA-256 secure boot meet IEC 62443 cybersec.
Recommended
Industrial Printer / Label-Maker Control Boards
Industrial label printers combine the ATSAMA5D44A-CUR's 24-bit LCD touch HMI, hardware H.264 decode for tutorial videos, and dual GbE for shop-floor networking with print engines. The Cortex-A5 runs the Linux4SAM Yocto BSP with CUPS and printer drivers; dual CAN-FD links to cutter and feeder subsystems. Industrial temperature range and the SHA-256 ICM secure boot satisfy factory-floor reliability requirements without additional supervisory microcontrollers.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMA5D44A-CUR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMA5D44A-CU | ATSAMA5D43B-CUR | ATSAMA5D43A-CUR | ATSAMA5D42B-CUR | ATSAMA5D42A-CU | ATSAMA5D41B-CUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same | 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm) - same |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz |
| Hardware H.264 Decoder | Yes (A revision) | Yes (A revision) | No | No | No | No | No |
| Ethernet MACs | 2x GbE GMII/RGMII | 2x GbE | 2x GbE | 2x GbE | 1x GbE | 1x GbE | 1x GbE |
| CAN-FD Interfaces | 2x CAN-FD | 2x CAN-FD | 2x CAN-FD | 2x CAN-FD | 0x | 0x | 0x |
| LCD Controller | Yes, 24-bit up to 2048x2048 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| L2 Cache | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C |
| Tape & Reel vs Tray Packaging | Tape & Reel (-CUR) | Tray (-CU) | Tape & Reel (-CUR) | Tape & Reel (-CUR) | Tape & Reel (-CUR) | Tray (-CU) | Tape & Reel (-CUR) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated H.264 hardware decoder (A revision) (vs ATSAMA5D43B-CUR)
- Dual CAN-FD + dual GbE + LCD in a single 361-TFBGA package (vs ATSAMA5D42B-CUR)
- Industry-leading 600 MHz Cortex-A5 with NEON + FPU in fanless industrial temp (vs ATSAMA5D41B-CUR)
- L2 cache 128 KB - largest in SAMA5D4 family (vs ATSAMA5D3 series (e.g. ATSAMA5D36A-CUR))
Design Notes
The SAMA5D4 power architecture requires four rails: VDDCORE (~1.0-1.2 V for Cortex-A5), VDDBU (~1.2 V backup), VDDPLL (~1.2 V), and VDDIOP/VDDANA (3.3 V I/O + ADC). Use a sequencer (or Microchip reference PMIC) to enforce SAMA5D4 power-up order; failure to sequence results in latch-up. Place a 10 µF + 100 nF decoupling pair within 5 mm of every power ball of the 361-TFBGA and a bulk cap per voltage domain.
The 361-TFBGA (16x16 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) demands a 6-layer stack-up with continuous GND and VDD planes to meet DDR3-1600 (800 MHz) signal integrity. Use Microchip's free SAMA5D4 Allegro/Altium footprint; always route DDR3 byte lanes length-matched within ±25 mil. Expose the BGA central thermal balls (matrix of GND balls) to a stitched ground plane plus 4 thermal vias per ball to chassis.
Place the 25 MHz system crystal within 5 mm of the XIN/XOUT balls; route in a guard ring tied to GND. The DDR3 address/command traces must be referenced to GND (not VDD), and Vref must be derived from a ½-VDD resistive divider with a 10 µF/0.1 µF cap pair. Follow Microchip's ATSAMA5D4-PCB checklist in the platform design package when laying out the DDR area - the most common first-prototype failure is DDR3 training errors from length mismatch.
With GbE and USB 2.0 HS signals on-board, the 361-TFBGA design is a strong EMI emitter. Spread-spectrum the 25 MHz oscillator (±100 ppm), place common-mode chokes on GbE MDI pairs, and use a USB 2.0 common-mode choke on D+/D-. Reference the SAMA5D4 EMI considerations app note from Microchip for CE/FCC Class B compliance - this typically requires a shielded enclosure.
Common pitfalls: (1) forgetting to pull up SHDN_CONF to configure boot mode (NAND vs SD vs SPI); (2) DDR3 reference voltage (VREF) tolerance ±2%, use precision divider; (3) the SAIC/SDMMC controllers share pins - mis-configuring consumes both buses; (4) the H.264 720p decoder needs at least 64 MB contiguous DMA buffer in kernel memory to operate. Test with the ATSAMA5D4-XULT reference design first if you are new to SAMA5D4.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH compliant per Microchip product page and Heisener distributor listing; SAMA5D4 family is industrial-grade, not AEC-Q100 automotive qualified - other variants handle automotive.
