ATSAMB11-XPRO - BLE 4.1 SmartConnect Xplained Pro Kit | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMB11-XPRO β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $60.24 | $60.24 |
| 10 | $54.21 | $542.10 |
| 100 | $48.19 | $4,819.00 |
| 500 | $42.17 | $21,085.00 |
| 1,000 | $36.14 | $36,140.00 |
ATSAMB11-XPRO Overview
A Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Xplained Pro kit is a hardware prototyping platform that combines the Atmel/Microchip Xplained Pro extension header ecosystem with a fully certified BLE radio module. The Xplained Pro family follows a standardized 2x5 100-mil extension header and a 1x2 current-measurement header, so the ATSAMB11-XPRO can share daughter cards (XPRO extensions) with the SAM D/SAM4/SAMA5 development boards from Microchip, accelerating sensor, display, and connectivity prototyping.
Key features of this kit include the ATSAMB11G18A MCU evaluation board, on-board 32.768 kHz and 12 MHz clock sources, the standard Xplained Pro extension header for XPRO-compatible click-board and MikroElektronika shields, an integrated MCU current-measurement header for power profiling, full Bluetooth SIG 4.1 BLE certification inherited from the on-module SoC, and USB/power input for Atmel Studio / Microchip Studio debugging via the on-board EDBG interface. The kit supports Windows 7 / 8 / Vista / XP IDE toolchains.
The SAM B11 family integrates the radio, baseband, and application processor on a single die, eliminating external balun/matching components and reducing BOM. The PMU supports direct connection to a single 1.8-4.3V supply (typical coin-cell operation), and the ARM Cortex-M0 core delivers deterministic interrupt latency required for BLE link-layer timing, making the SoC well suited for beacon, health-device, and remote-control firmware.
Typical applications include BLE peripheral prototyping (heart-rate, proximity, environmental sensors), iBeacon / Eddystone beaconing, smart-home and lighting-control gateways, and low-power wireless sensor nodes. The Xplained Pro form factor also makes it a useful reference design for FCC/CE modular certification reuse.
When designing with this kit, place the included 2.4 GHz antenna in free space and avoid ground copper directly beneath the trace antenna; the on-board MCU current-measurement header allows accurate SoC power profiling across BLE advertising, scan, and connected states using a source-measure unit or shunt resistor.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMB11-XPRO β 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 ATSAMB11-XPRO (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Debug Interface, Product Type.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATBTLC1000-XPRO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMW25-XPRO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMB11ZR-XPRO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$45 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMB11-XPRO Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Bluetooth Smart Xplained Pro Evaluation Kit |
| Target MCU / Module | ATSAMB11-MR510CA (ATSAMB11G18A SoC) |
| MCU Core | ARM Cortex-M0 32-bit |
| Bluetooth Version | BLE 4.1 (Bluetooth Smart) |
| Operating Frequency | 2.4 GHz ISM band |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB |
| Low-Frequency Clock | 32.768 kHz |
| Primary CPU Clock | 12 MHz |
| Form Factor | Xplained Pro (Atmel/Microchip standard) |
| Extension Header | 2x5 100-mil Xplained Pro header |
| Current Measurement | 1x2 100-mil pin-header for MCU current shunt |
| Debug Interface | On-board EDBG (USB to SWD/UART) |
| Supported OS | Windows 7 / 8 / Vista / XP |
| Integrated Radio | Transceiver, modem, MAC, PA, TR switch |
| Integrated Power Management | Yes (on-module PMU) |
| Bluetooth Certification | Bluetooth SIG 4.1 (module pre-certified) |
| Typical Use Case | BLE peripheral / beacon prototyping |
ATSAMB11-XPRO Pin Configuration
| Pin J1-1 | VCC β Xplained Pro extension header VCC (3.3 V) |
| Pin J1-2 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-3 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-4 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-5 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-6 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-7 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-8 | GND β Xplained Pro extension header ground |
| Pin J1-9 | GPIO β Xplained Pro extension header GPIO / signal pin |
| Pin J1-10 | GND β Xplained Pro extension header ground |
Typical Applications
ATSAMB11-XPRO is suitable for 6 applications: BLE Heart-Rate / Proximity Peripheral Prototype, iBeacon / Eddystone Beaconing Firmware Development, Smart Home Lighting / HVAC Wireless Node, Low-Power Wireless Sensor Node Reference Design, BLE Remote Control / HID Prototype, BLE Audio Streaming / Voice Remote Reference.
BLE Heart-Rate / Proximity Peripheral Prototype
The ATSAMB11-XPRO is well suited for prototyping Bluetooth Low Energy peripherals such as heart-rate, proximity, and environmental sensors because the integrated ATSAMB11G18A SoC combines a Cortex-M0 application processor with a fully certified BLE 4.1 radio. Its 256 KB Flash is enough to host the Microchip ASF/Wireless Framework BLE stack plus a custom GATT profile, and the integrated PMU allows direct connection of a CR2032 coin cell. The on-board 1x2 current-measurement header lets you quantify average SoC draw across advertising, scan, and connected intervals, which is essential when targeting sub-100 uA average current budgets for wearable medical peripherals.
Recommended
iBeacon / Eddystone Beaconing Firmware Development
For iBeacon and Eddystone beacon designs, the ATSAMB11-XPRO exposes the SAM B11's low-power BLE advertising engine with deterministic Cortex-M0 timing required for precise advertising intervals. The integrated PA and TR switch deliver +4 dBm typical TX output and good RX sensitivity without external matching components, and the on-module PMU enables multi-year coin-cell battery life when the beacon advertises every 100-1000 ms. Engineers can use the Xplained Pro extension header to attach an external accelerometer and only wake the radio on motion, using the on-board 32.768 kHz crystal as the low-power timebase.
Recommended
Smart Home Lighting / HVAC Wireless Node
Smart-home lighting controllers, BLE thermostats, and HVAC wireless wall-modules benefit from the ATSAMB11-XPRO's integrated 2.4 GHz radio chain, Cortex-M0 MCU, and on-module PMU which together cut BOM cost and PCB area. The Xplained Pro 2x5 extension header accepts MikroElektronika click boards for adding relays, Triac drivers, or temperature/humidity sensors, allowing rapid iteration on ZigBee/BLE bridge prototypes. The kit's pre-certified BLE 4.1 radio also simplifies FCC/CE modular compliance for the end product, since the integrated antenna path is reused verbatim in the ATSAMB11-MR510CA module deployed in production.
Recommended
Low-Power Wireless Sensor Node Reference Design
Industrial and agricultural wireless sensor nodes use the ATSAMB11-XPRO as a reference platform to validate sub-1 mA average BLE sensor nodes before committing to a custom PCB. The on-board EDBG debugger accelerates firmware iteration, while the 1x2 current-measurement header plus an external source-measure unit enables accurate SoC power profiling across duty-cycled BLE connections. Combined with the standard Xplained Pro extension header, designers can stack an environmental sensor click-board and reuse the same code on the production ATSAMB11-MR510CA SiP without re-certifying the radio.
Recommended
BLE Remote Control / HID Prototype
The ATSAMB11-XPRO is useful for prototyping Bluetooth Low Energy remote controls, presentation clickers, and HID peripherals because the SAM B11 SoC's BLE link layer can sustain low-latency connection intervals down to 7.5 ms while still running on coin-cell power. The Cortex-M0 core can scan a button matrix connected to the XPRO extension header and emit HID-over-GATT notifications with deterministic timing. The on-board 12 MHz primary crystal and 32.768 kHz RTC crystal together support both active-mode radio operation and low-power sleep modes typical of remote-control duty cycles.
Recommended
BLE Audio Streaming / Voice Remote Reference
Audio-over-BLE prototypes, voice-remote controls, and hearing-aid accessory designs can use the ATSAMB11-XPRO as a software development platform for evaluating the SAM B11's BLE throughput, latency, and PDU scheduling. The kit's 256 KB Flash holds the ASF/Wireless Framework stack plus optional LC3/ADPCM codecs, and the Xplained Pro extension header accepts audio codec DAC click-boards for hardware-in-the-loop evaluation. Designers iterate using Microchip Studio on Windows and once the audio pipeline is validated, port the binary to the ATSAMB11-MR510CA SiP for the end-product PCB.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMB11-XPRO β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATBTLC1000-XPRO | ATSAMW25-XPRO | ATSAMB11ZR-XPRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package / Form Factor | Xplained Pro Kit (2x5 100-mil extension header) | Xplained Pro Kit (same) | Xplained Pro Kit (same) | Xplained Pro Kit (same) |
| Bluetooth Version | BLE 4.1 | BLE 5.0 | BLE + Wi-Fi combo (WILC3000) | BLE 4.1 |
| Target SoC | ATSAMB11G18A (Cortex-M0 + 2.4 GHz radio) | ATBTLC1000 (Cortex-M0 + BLE 5.0) | ATSAMW25 (SAMD21 host + WILC3000 combo) | ATSAMB11ZR SiP module |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB (SAMD21 host) | 256 KB |
| Integrated PMU | Yes (on-module) | Yes (on-module) | External LDO recommended | Yes (on-module) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | Yes (WILC3000) | No |
| Debug Interface | On-board EDBG (USB-SWD/UART) | On-board EDBG | On-board EDBG | On-board EDBG |
| MCU Current-Measurement Header | 1x2 100-mil (included) | 1x2 100-mil (included) | 1x2 100-mil (included) | 1x2 100-mil (included) |
Key Differentiators
- Fully integrated BLE 4.1 radio + Cortex-M0 SoC + PMU in a single pre-certified module (vs ATBTLC1000-XPRO)
- BLE-only design (no Wi-Fi cost/overhead) vs Wi-Fi+BT combo (vs ATSAMW25-XPRO)
- Same Xplained Pro form factor, EDBG debugger, and Microchip Studio tooling as the rest of the SAM XPRO family (vs Generic BLE dongle / Nordic nRF51-DK)
Design Notes
The ATSAMB11-XPRO hosts the ATSAMB11-MR510CA SiP whose integrated 2.4 GHz trace antenna requires a keep-out area beneath and around the antenna in any production PCB derived from the kit. Reuse the ATSAMB11-MR510CA reference layout from the SAM B11 family datasheet (70005271C) verbatim, including antenna dimensions, GND plane clearance, and via stitching pattern, to preserve the Bluetooth SIG pre-certification. Estimated: ground keep-out minimum 5 mm beyond antenna trace on all layers.
For coin-cell designs (CR2032, CR2477), drive the ATSAMB11-MR510CA module from a single 1.8-4.3 V rail through its integrated PMU; do not add a separate LDO in front of it. Place a 10 uF X5R/X7R ceramic bulk capacitor as close as possible to the module's VDD pin to suppress BLE TX inrush current (estimated peak ~25 mA per TX burst at 0 dBm). Add a 100 nF decoupling cap in parallel for high-frequency noise bypass, and verify peak burst current is within the coin cell's pulse rating.
Do not assume BLE 5.0 features (LE Coded PHY, 2 Mbps PHY, periodic advertising, advertising sets) are available on the SAM B11 SoC; this kit supports BLE 4.1 only, and the Microchip BLE stack on this SoC does not expose the BLE 5.x feature set. For BLE 5.0 designs, migrate to ATBTLC1000-XPRO or to a Nordic nRF52/TI CC26xx platform. Also verify the XPRO extension header pinout against the SAM B11 datasheet before connecting third-party shields - the SAM B11 SoC does not expose every XPRO standard signal (no analog comparator pins, no DAC pins).
Use the on-board MCU current-measurement header (1x2 100-mil pin-header) on the ATSAMB11-XPRO with a source-measure unit or a 10-100 ohm shunt resistor to capture SoC current across BLE advertising, scanning, connection, and sleep states. This is the only reliable way to estimate battery life for coin-cell designs, and the kit's dedicated shunt point is preferred over measuring at the USB input (which adds EDBG/regulator quiescent current). Recommended: sample at >= 1 kSa/s with a 1 ms moving average to capture TX burst peaks.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH compliance per Microchip Technology product page. The on-module ATSAMB11-MR510CA SiP carries Bluetooth SIG 4.1 modular certification inherited by the XPRO kit.
