ATSAMD11-XPRO - SAM D11 Xplained Pro ARM Cortex-M0+ Eval Kit | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMD11-XPRO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $46.44 | $46.44 |
| 10 | $41.8 | $418.00 |
| 50 | $37.15 | $1,857.50 |
| 100 | $34.83 | $3,483.00 |
| 500 | $30.19 | $15,095.00 |
ATSAMD11-XPRO Overview
What is a microcontroller evaluation board? An evaluation board (EVB) is a populated PCB that exposes all functional pins of a target microcontroller to the engineer, typically including an on-board debugger, voltage regulators, reference crystals, and standardized expansion headers. Evaluation boards like the ATSAMD11-XPRO allow firmware development and peripheral verification without requiring custom hardware design, shortening prototype cycles. They sit in the hierarchy: evaluation board -> development kit -> prototyping platform -> embedded systems tool.
Key features of the ATSAMD11-XPRO include the integrated EDBG debugger that eliminates the need for an external programmer (supporting SWD and providing virtual COM port and DGI GPIO over USB), the ID chip that identifies connected Xplained Pro extension boards to Atmel Studio and MPLAB X IDE, and the standardized dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers that allow plug-and-play use of I/O1, OLED1, and other extension boards. Power can be supplied either from the USB host or from the target itself through the extension headers, simplifying both bus-powered and self-powered test setups.
Technically, the ATSAMD11D14A MCU core is a Cortex-M0+ with single-cycle IO and a 2-stage pipeline, paired with an integrated 12-channel 350 ksps 12-bit ADC, 10-bit DAC, up to six SERCOM channels configurable as I2C/SPI/UART, full-speed USB 2.0 device, and a touch controller. The Xplained Pro platform augments this with the on-board 32.768 kHz crystal for RTC accuracy and the EDBG that performs SWD programming at speeds up to 2 MHz.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor node prototypes, USB device development (HID, CDC, MIDI), wearable fitness and medical prototypes, home automation controllers, and general-purpose Cortex-M0+ firmware evaluation. The combination of full-speed USB, low-power SleepWalking peripherals, and rich SERCOM configurability makes it a strong fit for connected battery-powered designs.
When designing with this evaluation kit, the user should note that the on-board EDBG consumes USB enumeration bandwidth and should be detached for low-power current measurements. The dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers carry both MCU signals and power rails; do not back-feed the board through these headers without removing the VBUS jumper. The SAM D11 series supports both Atmel Studio legacy workflows and current MPLAB X IDE / Harmony 3 frameworks.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, Xplained Pro extension board compatibility, and cross-brand dev kit alternatives not found in the manufacturer datasheet, delivering decision-ready context for prototype kit selection.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMD11-XPRO — 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 ATSAMD11-XPRO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Target MCU, Product Type, Debug Interface, Form Factor, USB Interface.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMD10-XPRO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMC21N-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAML22-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$73.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMB11-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$36.14 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4L-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$71.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD11-XPRO Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation Board (Xplained Pro) |
| Target MCU | ATSAMD11D14A |
| MCU Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ (32-bit) |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB |
| SRAM | 4 KB |
| Maximum Core Clock | 48 MHz |
| Series | SAM D |
| Board Type | Evaluation Platform |
| On-board Debugger | EDBG (SWD, CDC, DGI) |
| On-board Crystal | 32.768 kHz |
| Extension Headers | Dual 20-pin Xplained Pro |
| USB Interface | USB Micro-B (power + data) |
| Packaging (Distributor) | Box |
| Supported IDEs | MPLAB X IDE, Atmel Studio |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMD11-XPRO Interfaces & Connectors
ATSAMD11-XPRO exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: USB. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| USB | USB Micro-B (power + data) |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
ATSAMD11-XPRO is suitable for 7 applications: Low-Power IoT Sensor Node Prototype, USB Device Development (HID/CDC/MIDI), Wearable Fitness Prototype, Home Automation Controller, Industrial Sensor and Metering Prototype, General-Purpose Cortex-M0+ Firmware Evaluation, Educational ARM Cortex-M0+ Teaching Platform.
Low-Power IoT Sensor Node Prototype
The ATSAMD11-XPRO is an ideal prototyping platform for battery-powered IoT sensor nodes that need low active current and rich serial peripheral connectivity. The ATSAMD11D14A MCU's Cortex-M0+ SleepWalking architecture lets the ADC and SERCOM peripherals trigger wake-up events while the CPU remains asleep, dramatically reducing average power consumption. With six SERCOM channels configurable as I2C/SPI/UART, the engineer can directly connect multiple I2C sensors (temperature, humidity, accelerometers) and a UART-attached modem without external multiplexer ICs. The on-board 32.768 kHz crystal enables accurate RTC time-stamping for sensor data and sleep-cycle scheduling. Compared with using a discrete SAM D11 chip, the Xplained Pro board shortens development by integrating the EDBG debugger and standardizing all GPIO to the dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers, which accept plug-in OLED1 and I/O1 extension boards for instant HMI prototyping. Recommended companion parts are the ATSAMD11D14A-UUT MCU for production migration and the ATECC608B for hardware crypto acceleration.
Recommended
USB Device Development (HID/CDC/MIDI)
The ATSAMD11-XPRO's full-speed USB 2.0 device interface makes it a strong choice for prototyping USB Human Interface Devices, Communication Class devices, and USB-MIDI controllers. The integrated ATSAMD11D14A USB peripheral supports up to 8 endpoints and bus-powered operation, eliminating the need for an external PHY or regulator on a custom PCB. Using the Atmel START code configurator or MPLAB Harmony 3, the developer can generate a USB stack with a USB descriptors and class drivers in under an hour. The on-board EDBG debugger provides a virtual COM port over the same USB cable, allowing printf-style debugging without extra serial hardware. Compared to discrete prototyping with a breadboard and external debug probe, the Xplained Pro board removes USB connector pinout uncertainty and supplies a tested 48 MHz clock for USB-compliant signaling. The board also supports USB suspend/resume current profiling via the EDBG's DGI interface, which is essential for USB 2.0 compliance testing.
Recommended
Wearable Fitness Prototype
Wearable fitness and medical prototyping benefits from the ATSAMD11-XPRO combination of low-power Cortex-M0+ core, 12-bit 350 ksps ADC for biosignal acquisition, and small-footprint headers that mimic a wearable form factor. The ATSAMD11D14A's SleepWalking ADC peripheral can sample heart-rate or motion sensors autonomously and wake the CPU only on threshold events, extending battery life for always-on wearables. The 4 KB SRAM and 16 KB flash are sufficient for BLE-beacon firmware or step-counter algorithms using the on-board MEMS-grade acceleration interfaces via extension boards. Compared to a discrete SAM D11 prototype, the Xplained Pro's standardized headers let the engineer attach an OLED1 extension for heart-rate visualization without custom wiring. The platform also supports Microchip's Melody audio library for piezo-based haptic feedback, useful for fitness band user notifications. Production migration to a smaller package such as ATSAMD11D14A-MNT keeps firmware portable across boards.
Recommended
Home Automation Controller
The ATSAMD11-XPRO supports rapid prototyping of home automation controllers that aggregate multiple wireless protocols via UART-attached radios and drive relays or triacs over GPIO. The ATSAMD11D14A's six SERCOM channels let the designer connect a Wi-Fi module over UART, a Sub-GHz transceiver over SPI, and an I2C sensor cluster simultaneously, all without bus multiplexing. The 12-bit ADC reads analog sensor outputs (light, gas, temperature) for environmental automation, while the 10-bit DAC generates reference voltages for analog control loops. Compared to using a Raspberry Pi or higher-power SBC, the Xplained Pro board operates at sub-mA sleep currents suitable for always-on smart-home hubs and is firmware-updatable over USB without removing the device from the wall. Production migration to ATSAMC21N18A-ANT scales flash/RAM while keeping the Cortex-M0+ toolchain. The EDBG virtual COM port supports remote firmware update logging, a key feature for deployed automation devices.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor and Metering Prototype
Industrial metering prototypes for electricity, water, or gas benefit from the ATSAMD11-XPRO's precision ADC, RTC crystal, and robust Xplained Pro mechanical format that can survive bench instrumentation environments. The ATSAMD11D14A's 12-bit 350 ksps ADC with internal 1.0 V reference provides accurate measurement of current shunts or thermistor bridges typical in metering applications. The on-board 32.768 kHz crystal keeps time-of-use calculations accurate to seconds per day, supporting time-of-day tariff metering. Compared to using a low-end PIC16 platform, the Cortex-M0+ core delivers 48 MHz of processing headroom for digital filtering (RMS, FFT-based harmonic analysis) on a single chip. The dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers accept plug-in current-sensor or OLED extension boards, accelerating field-deployed prototype iterations. Production migration to ATSAMC20J18A-MUT preserves the Cortex-M0+ toolchain while scaling flash for advanced metering firmware.
Recommended
General-Purpose Cortex-M0+ Firmware Evaluation
For general Cortex-M0+ firmware evaluation, the ATSAMD11-XPRO provides a balanced reference design with all ATSAMD11D14A peripherals broken out to standardized headers, ideal for code bring-up before committing to a custom PCB layout. The board exposes GPIO ports, ADC inputs, DAC outputs, SERCOM buses, USB, and SWD via the dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers, allowing engineers to validate register configurations with scope probes and logic analyzers. Compared to spinning a discrete ATSAMD11D14A board, the Xplained Pro eliminates decoupling capacitor, crystal load, and USB termination errors that often delay prototypes by days. The on-board EDBG supports SWD at up to 2 MHz and DGI GPIO tracing for real-time peripheral debug. The ID chip on the extension headers auto-configures MPLAB X IDE and Atmel Studio for connected extension boards, reducing onboarding friction. For Cortex-M0+ projects that later migrate to higher pin-count SAM C21 or SAM D20/21 families, the ATSAMD11-XPRO serves as a software-only stepping stone.
Recommended
Educational ARM Cortex-M0+ Teaching Platform
Universities and training programs benefit from the ATSAMD11-XPRO's accessible price point, free MPLAB X IDE toolchain, and rich SAM D11 example code base from Microchip. The Cortex-M0+ core teaches fundamental ARM concepts (thumb-2 instruction set, NVIC interrupts, peripheral memory-mapped registers) without overwhelming students with DSP extensions. The dual 20-pin Xplained Pro headers are robust against repeated insertion cycles in classroom lab settings, and the on-board EDBG removes the need for costly external debug probes. Compared to using an Arduino Uno for ARM teaching, the SAM D11 introduces students to SERCOM-configurable peripherals, USB stacks, and SleepWalking power management - skills directly applicable to modern IoT careers. The kit's compatibility with Atmel Studio and Microchip Studio lets instructors choose between legacy and current toolchains. Production migration to ATSAMD10D14A-SSNT or ATSAMD10D13A-MUT mirrors the educational content at lower-cost production packages.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMD11-XPRO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMD10-XPRO | ATSAMC21N-XPRO | ATSAML22-XPRO | ATSAMB11-XPRO | ATSAM4L-XPRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package / Form Factor | Xplained Pro PCB (dual 20-pin headers) | Xplained Pro PCB - same | Xplained Pro PCB - same | Xplained Pro PCB - same | Xplained Pro PCB - same | Xplained Pro PCB - same |
| Target MCU | ATSAMD11D14A | ATSAMD10D14A | ATSAMC21N18A | ATSAML22N18A | ATSAMB11ZR | ATSAM4LC4C |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0 (BLE SoC) | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Maximum Clock | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz |
| Flash | 16 KB | 16 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | No native USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | No native USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed + ULPI |
| On-board Debugger | EDBG (SWD, CDC, DGI) | EDBG - same | EDBG - same | EDBG - same | EDBG - same | EDBG - same |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost USB-enabled Xplained Pro kit (vs ATSAMC21N-XPRO)
- Smaller MCU pin count but same form factor (vs ATSAMD10-XPRO)
- General-purpose Cortex-M0+ vs specialized BLE SoC (vs ATSAMB11-XPRO)
Design Notes
Estimated: When measuring low-power consumption on the ATSAMD11-XPRO, disconnect the on-board EDBG by removing jumper J101 (or lifting VBUS) to eliminate the 30-50 mA debugger current draw from USB. With the EDBG powered, total board current at 3.3V in SAM D11 Sleep mode will appear near 30 mA instead of the expected single-digit microampere range, masking the true MCU sleep current. For accurate energy profiling, supply the board through the target-headers 3V3 pin and power the EDBG separately via USB only when programming or debugging.
Estimated: The dual 20-pin Xplained Pro extension headers route MCU signals to standardized pins, but the SAM D11's 24-pin QFN has more GPIO than any single header can carry. Only the GPIO mapped to the Xplained Pro extension pinout is accessible without flying wires; refer to the kit user guide's header map before designing custom firmware that depends on specific peripheral pins. Adding a custom breakout board that plugs into both headers in parallel preserves both extension compatibility and exposes unused GPIO without PCB rework.
Estimated: A common pitfall when migrating firmware from the ATSAMD11-XPRO to a custom PCB is forgetting the 32.768 kHz crystal load capacitor values. The on-board crystal on the Xplained Pro is designed for 7 pF loading, while the ATSAMD11D14A datasheet recommends matching the load capacitor to the chosen crystal. Mismatched loading can cause RTC drift of several seconds per day, which propagates into Time-of-Use metering or sleep-scheduling errors. Always re-validate crystal behavior on the custom PCB before declaring the prototype production-ready.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Microchip product page and DigiKey product listing. AEC-Q100 not applicable for evaluation boards. Kit ships lead-free and RoHS-compliant from authorized distributors.