ATSAME70Q21A-AN - 300MHz Cortex-M7 MCU 2MB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAME70Q21A-AN ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.92 | $18.92 |
| 10 | $17.05 | $170.50 |
| 100 | $14.83 | $1,483.00 |
| 500 | $13.21 | $6,605.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.78 | $11,780.00 |
ATSAME70Q21A-AN Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a processor core, program memory (Flash), data memory (SRAM), and integrated peripherals. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, an MCU belongs to the category of microcontrollers -> embedded processors -> integrated circuits -> semiconductors. The Cortex-M7 core specifically targets digital signal control applications by combining deterministic interrupt response with DSP extensions and a double-precision FPU, enabling complex control loops and signal processing without external DSP chips.
Key differentiating features of the ATSAME70Q21A-AN include 2 MB dual-bank Flash allowing live firmware updates, 384 KB tightly-coupled SRAM for low-latency code/data access, hardware cryptography accelerators (AES, TRNG), 16-bit SDRAM controller, and a 12-bit 2 MSPS ADC with up to 24 channels. The device operates from 1.62 V to 3.6 V supply and supports industrial temperature range -40C to +85C.
The architecture integrates a 16 KB I-cache and 16 KB D-cache connected via a 64-bit AXI bus to the multi-layer bus matrix, isolating CPU traffic from DMA channels. This bandwidth headroom is critical for sustaining 300 MHz operation with simultaneous Ethernet, USB, and display refresh activity. The Peripheral Event System and PDC/DMA channels enable autonomous data movement without CPU intervention, ideal for motor control and audio streaming.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers, automotive infotainment and instrument clusters, building automation gateways, smart energy metering, audio amplifiers and PA systems, drone flight controllers, and HMI terminals with TFT displays. The combination of Ethernet and CAN-FD makes the part particularly suited to Industry 4.0 edge nodes.
When designing with this MCU, allocate PCB space for the 20x20 mm LQFP footprint and provide adequate decoupling (100 nF + 4.7 uF per VDD pin pair) near the exposed pad. Use MPLAB X IDE with MPLAB XC32 compiler; SAM E70 BSP and ASF3 drivers accelerate peripheral bring-up. For safety-critical firmware, enable the dual-bank Flash and use the hardware CRC32 module.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAME70Q21A-AN — 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 ATSAME70Q21A-AN (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Ethernet, Package, External Bus Interface, USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAME70Q21B-AN
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAME70Q20B-AN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMS70Q21A-AN
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAME70N21B-CN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME70N21A-AN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$15.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME70J21A-ANT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME70Q21A-AN Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M7 with FPU |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 300 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 2 MB (2048 KB) dual-bank |
| SRAM | 384 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Package | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C |
| CoreMark Performance | 1500 CoreMark / 300 DMIPS |
| Instruction Cache (I-cache) | 16 KB |
| Data Cache (D-cache) | 16 KB |
| USB Interface | HS USB Host/Device with on-chip PHY |
| Ethernet | 10/100 Mbps MAC (MII/RMII) |
| CAN Interface | 2x CAN-FD |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 2 MSPS, 24 channels |
| Image Sensor Interface | Yes (ISI, up to 12-bit) |
| External Bus Interface | 16-bit EBI with SDRAM controller |
| Hardware Cryptography | AES-256, True Random Number Generator (TRNG) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
ATSAME70Q21A-AN Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PD0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 2 | PD1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 3 | PD2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 4 | PD3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 5 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage (1.62V to 3.6V) |
| Pin 6 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 7 | PD4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 8 | PD5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 9 | PD6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 10 | PD7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 11 | PD8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 12 | PD9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 13 | PD10 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 14 | PD11 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 15 | PD12 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 16 | PD13 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 17 | PD14 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 18 | PD15 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 19 | VDDCORE — Core voltage (internal LDO output, decouple) |
| Pin 20 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 21 | PA0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 22 | PA1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 23 | PA2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 24 | PA3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 25 | PA4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 26 | PA5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 27 | PA6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 28 | PA7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 29 | PA8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 30 | PA9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 31 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 32 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 33 | PA10 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 34 | PA11 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO / USB D- |
| Pin 35 | PA12 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO / USB D+ |
| Pin 36 | PA13 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 37 | PA14 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 38 | PA15 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 39 | PA16 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 40 | PA17 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 41 | PA18 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 42 | PA19 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 43 | PA20 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 44 | PA21 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 45 | PB0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 46 | PB1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 47 | PB2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 48 | PB3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 49 | PB4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 50 | PB5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 51 | PB6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 52 | PB7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 53 | PB8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 54 | PB9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 55 | PB10 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 56 | PB11 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 57 | PB12 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 58 | PB13 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 59 | PB14 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 60 | PB15 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 61 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 62 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 63 | PC0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 64 | PC1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 65 | PC2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 66 | PC3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 67 | PC4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 68 | PC5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 69 | PC6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 70 | PC7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 71 | PC8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 72 | PC9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 73 | PC10 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 74 | PC11 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 75 | PC12 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 76 | PC13 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 77 | PC14 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 78 | PC15 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 79 | PC16 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 80 | PC17 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 81 | PC18 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 82 | PC19 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 83 | PC20 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 84 | PC21 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 85 | PC22 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 86 | PC23 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 87 | PC24 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 88 | PC25 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 89 | PC26 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 90 | PC27 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 91 | PC28 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 92 | PC29 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 93 | PC30 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 94 | PC31 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 95 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 96 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 97 | PE0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 98 | PE1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 99 | PE2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 100 | PE3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 101 | PE4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 102 | PE5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 103 | NRST — Reset input (active low) |
| Pin 104 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin 105 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin 106 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 107 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 108 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 109 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 110 | XIN — Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 111 | XOUT — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 112 | VDDPLL — PLL supply voltage |
| Pin 113 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 114 | VDDUTMI — USB UTMI transceiver supply |
| Pin 115 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 116 | DDM — USB HS data minus |
| Pin 117 | DDP — USB HS data plus |
| Pin 118 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 119 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 120 | PE6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 121 | PE7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 122 | PE8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 123 | PE9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 124 | PE10 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 125 | PE11 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 126 | PE12 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 127 | PE13 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 128 | PE14 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 129 | PE15 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 130 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 131 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 132 | PF0 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 133 | PF1 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 134 | PF2 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 135 | PF3 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 136 | PF4 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 137 | PF5 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 138 | PF6 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 139 | PF7 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 140 | PF8 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 141 | PF9 — General-purpose I/O / GPIO |
| Pin 142 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 143 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 144 | VDDCORE — Core voltage (internal LDO output, decouple) |
Typical Applications
ATSAME70Q21A-AN is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Automation Controllers, Automotive Infotainment and Instrument Clusters, Connected HMI Terminals with TFT Displays, Audio Amplifiers and PA Systems, Drone Flight Controllers, Smart Energy Meters and Grid Edge Devices, Building Automation Gateways.
Industrial Automation Controllers
The ATSAME70Q21A-AN suits industrial PLCs and machine controllers because its 300 MHz Cortex-M7 plus 384 KB SRAM executes deterministic control loops with sub-microsecond interrupt latency. The integrated 10/100 Ethernet MAC plus dual CAN-FD lets one chip act as a Modbus-TCP gateway and CANopen master simultaneously, eliminating an external communication coprocessor. The 2 MB dual-bank Flash enables safe remote firmware updates required by IEC 62443 industrial security frameworks. Designers typically pair it with an external 16 MB SDRAM via the EBI to log process data, and use the 12-bit 2 MSPS ADC to sample analog sensor feedback for PID loops.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Instrument Clusters
The ATSAME70Q21A-AN powers automotive infotainment HMIs and instrument clusters by leveraging its image sensor interface (ISI) for camera input and TFT LCD controller for dashboard displays. The HS USB OTG with on-chip PHY supports smartphone projection protocols such as CarPlay/Android Auto bridges. Dual CAN-FD interfaces connect to the vehicle CAN bus at 5 Mbps for real-time body and powertrain data. The 1500 CoreMark performance renders full-HD gauge clusters at 60 fps while leaving CPU headroom for voice prompts. Although the ATSAME70Q21A-AN is not AEC-Q100 qualified, the ATSAME70Q21A-ANT variant meets automotive temperature grade -40C to +105C.
Recommended
Connected HMI Terminals with TFT Displays
For factory-floor HMI panels and building automation touchscreens, the ATSAME70Q21A-AN drives QVGA/WQVGA TFTs directly via its integrated LCD controller and 16-bit EBI for SDRAM-backed framebuffers. The Cortex-M7 with FPU accelerates vector graphics rendering and on-screen keyboard input handling. The Ethernet MAC plus USB Host enables barcode scanner and RFID reader support alongside Modbus connectivity. The 2 MB dual-bank Flash allows secure OTA updates of the HMI application across the building network. Designers typically route the on-chip HS USB PHY to a USB Type-C connector for installer firmware loading.
Recommended
Audio Amplifiers and PA Systems
The ATSAME70Q21A-AN targets professional and prosumer audio amplifiers because its Cortex-M7 with single-precision FPU implements real-time DSP algorithms (limiters, EQ, FIR filters) at audio sample rates up to 192 kHz. The I2S interfaces connect directly to audio DACs/ADCs from manufacturers like Texas Instruments or AKM, while the 384 KB SRAM buffers multiple channels of uncompressed audio. The HS USB OTG accepts digital audio streams from a host PC, and Ethernet enables networked audio distribution over Dante or AES67 protocols. The 12-bit ADC handles auxiliary analog inputs such as VU-meter sensing.
Recommended
Drone Flight Controllers
Drone flight controllers benefit from the ATSAME70Q21A-AN's 300 MHz processing headroom running Betaflight or Cleanflight derivatives with sub-millisecond control loops. The 12-bit 2 MSPS ADC samples gyroscope and accelerometer data from SPI-attached IMUs at the full 8 kHz update rate, while dual CAN-FD interfaces drive modern ESC stacks and smart batteries. The HS USB OTG simplifies firmware updates on the bench, and the image sensor interface supports a low-resolution optical-flow sensor for indoor position hold. The 20x20 mm 144-LQFP package gives hobbyist-grade PCB assemblers enough pad pitch for hand-soldered prototypes.
Recommended
Smart Energy Meters and Grid Edge Devices
Smart electricity meters use the ATSAME70Q21A-AN to perform real-time power-quality analysis on voltage and current waveforms sampled by its 12-bit ADC at 2 MSPS. The hardware AES-256 and TRNG secure DLMS/COSEM and TLS 1.3 communication over Ethernet or PLC links, satisfying IEC 62056 and IEC 62351-3 utility cybersecurity requirements. The dual-bank 2 MB Flash stores signed firmware for regulatory metering certification. The CAN-FD ports interface with neighbor-meter mesh networks. Designers typically use the SAM E70 BSP with FreeRTOS and lwIP to build the metering stack.
Recommended
Building Automation Gateways
Building automation gateways leverage the ATSAME70Q21A-AN's trio of Ethernet, HS USB, and CAN-FD to bridge BACnet/IP, Modbus-TCP, and KNX networks into a single supervisor. The Cortex-M7 with 384 KB SRAM runs lwIP plus an embedded TLS stack for cloud telemetry without external memory. The 2 MB Flash holds BACnet objects and configuration web pages served over HTTP. Designers connect the USB Host to a 4G/LTE dongle for cellular failover and use the image sensor interface for an optional IP-camera input. Industrial temperature grade ensures reliable operation in mechanical rooms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAME70Q21A-AN — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAME70Q21B-AN | ATSAME70Q20B-AN | ATSAMS70Q21A-AN | ATSAME70N21A-AN | ATSAME70J21A-ANT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz | ARM Cortex-M7 @ 300 MHz |
| Flash | 2 MB | 2 MB | 1 MB | 2 MB | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| SRAM | 384 KB | 384 KB | 384 KB | 384 KB | 384 KB | 384 KB |
| Ethernet | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | Not present | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC |
| Crypto (AES/TRNG) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not present (N-series) | Yes |
| Silicon Revision | A | B (errata fixes) | B | A | A | A |
Key Differentiators
- Highest Flash density in the SAM E70 144-LQFP family (vs ATSAME70Q20B-AN)
- Revision-A silicon with mature firmware ecosystem (vs ATSAME70Q21B-AN)
- Combined Ethernet MAC + HS USB + dual CAN-FD (vs ATSAMS70Q21A-AN)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 300 MHz with all peripherals active, the ATSAME70Q21A-AN draws approximately 100-150 mA from VDDCORE (internal LDO output). Provide a 4.7 uF X5R + 100 nF ceramic decoupling pair on each VDDIO pin and a bulk 10 uF on VDDCORE. For noise-sensitive analog peripherals, place a ferrite bead between the digital and analog VDDIO rails and add a dedicated AVSS connection.
The 144-LQFP has a 0.5 mm pitch and 20x20 mm body - layout requires 4-layer PCB with continuous ground plane beneath the package. Route the 16-bit EBI to external SDRAM with matched trace lengths (±150 mil) and a 33 ohm series damping resistor on each data/address line. Keep the 12 MHz main crystal traces shorter than 5 mm and surround them with a ground guard ring to avoid radiated interference into the USB differential pair (DDM/DDP).
Do not leave the NRST pin floating - add a 10 kohm pull-up to VDDIO and a 100 nF capacitor to ground for a clean power-on-reset. The HS USB DP/DM traces must be 90 ohm differential with no stubs; do not place any test points in the USB path. When using the dual-bank Flash, ensure your bootloader disables interrupts during the bank-swap sequence to avoid fetch glitches.
Estimated: at maximum core activity the die dissipates approximately 0.5-0.8 W, raising junction temperature by 15-25C above ambient in the 144-LQFP package (theta_JA approximately 30 C/W with proper 4-layer PCB ground plane). For continuous industrial-temperature operation, place thermal vias under the exposed pad and connect them to a 2 oz copper pour on the bottom layer for additional heat spreading.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Standard -AN grade is not AEC-Q100 qualified; choose ATSAME70Q21A-ANT for automotive temperature grade (-40C to +105C).
