LPC4078FET208 - 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4 MCU, 512KB Flash | NXP
MPN: LPC4078FET208 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.85 | $12.85 |
| 10 | $11.78 | $117.80 |
| 100 | $10.46 | $1,046.00 |
| 500 | $9.18 | $4,590.00 |
| 1,000 | $8.05 | $8,050.00 |
LPC4078FET208 Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU core, program and data memory, and a rich set of on-chip peripherals such as timers, communication interfaces, and analog blocks. Arm Cortex-M4 microcontrollers target deterministic real-time control and signal processing, occupying the mid-performance tier between Cortex-M0/M3 microcontrollers and Cortex-M7 high-end parts. The LPC407x family extends the Cortex-M4 lineage with NXP's familiar LPC peripheral set (EMC, Ethernet, USB, CAN, SPIFI) aimed at industrial communication, motor control, and human-machine interface designs.
Key features include 512 KB Flash with in-system programming, 96 KB SRAM plus 4 KB EEPROM emulation, a 10/100 Ethernet MAC, two USB 2.0 controllers (Host/Device/OTG and Device/Host), two CAN 2.0B controllers, four UARTs, three enhanced I2C-bus interfaces (one Fast-mode Plus up to 1 Mbit/s), three SSP/SPI controllers, an I2S audio interface, an external memory controller (EMC) supporting SRAM, NOR Flash, and SDRAM, and a Quad-SPI Flash Interface (SPIFI) for high-speed off-chip code execution. An 8-channel 10-bit ADC and a 10-bit DAC support mixed-signal feedback, while four timers plus a PWM/Motor Control PWM unit handle power-conversion and motor drive tasks. The part supports 1.8 V to 3.6 V single-supply operation with brownout detect and on-chip power profiles.
The architecture combines the Cortex-M4 main core with an Arm Cortex-M0 coprocessor that offloads I/O servicing through shared peripherals, reducing interrupt latency for time-critical peripherals such as Ethernet, USB, and CAN. The 4 KB EEPROM and 96 KB SRAM are large enough to host full TCP/IP stacks, USB device classes, and graphical user interface libraries without external memory; the EMC and SPIFI extend code space if needed. JTAG, SWD, and the on-chip ROM bootloader (UART, USB, SPI) cover in-field firmware updates.
Typical applications include industrial Ethernet gateways, motor control (BLDC and stepper drives), building automation and HVAC controllers, point-of-sale terminals, USB peripherals, and human-machine interface panels with TFT LCD support. The 208-ball TFBGA exposes a wide external bus and the full peripheral set, fitting designs that need Ethernet plus USB plus CAN in one package.
When designing with this part, allocate decoupling capacitors near each VDD/VSS pair and keep the TFBGA break-out on inner layers for signal integrity. Plan the boot mode straps (ISP, USB-CRC for the 4078/4088 parts) carefully if your firmware will boot from external SPIFI rather than internal flash. Use NXP's LPC407x CMSIS-pack and the LPCXpresso / MCUXpresso IDE for driver support and example peripheral initialization.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative candidates, and practical design notes not found in a single manufacturer datasheet, providing an engineer-ready overview of the LPC4078FET208 in seconds.
Drop-in alternatives for LPC4078FET208 — 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 LPC4078FET208 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Ethernet, Package, Supply Voltage, EEPROM, SRAM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
LPC4088FET208
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LPC4076FET208
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LPC4074FET208
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LPC4072FET208
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LPC4078FET208 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | Arm Cortex-M4 (with FPU and DSP) + Arm Cortex-M0 coprocessor |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512 KB |
| SRAM | 96 KB |
| EEPROM | 4 KB (emulated) |
| Package | 208-TFBGA (15x15 mm) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| USB | USB 2.0 Host/Device/OTG + USB 2.0 Device/Host |
| Ethernet | 10/100 MAC (MII/RMII) |
| CAN | 2x CAN 2.0B |
| UART | 4x UART |
| I2C | 3x (1x Fast-mode Plus 1 Mbit/s, 2x standard) |
| SSP/SPI | 3x SSP/SPI |
| I2S | 1x I2S audio interface |
| External Memory Controller (EMC) | Yes (SRAM/NOR/SDRAM) |
| SPIFI (Quad-SPI) | Yes |
| ADC | 8-channel 10-bit |
| DAC | 1x 10-bit |
| Timers / PWM | 4 general-purpose timers + motor-control PWM |
| Debug | JTAG + SWD + ROM bootloader (UART/USB/SPI) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
LPC4078FET208 208-tfbga (15x15 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for LPC4078FET208 (208-tfbga (15x15 mm) 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 LPC4078FET208.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
LPC4078FET208 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Ethernet Gateway, Brushless DC Motor Control (BLDC / PMSM), Building Automation / HVAC Controller, Point-of-Sale Terminal (PoS), Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel, USB Audio / USB Peripherals.
Industrial Ethernet Gateway
The LPC4078FET208's 10/100 Ethernet MAC with MII/RMII plus the Cortex-M0 I/O coprocessor makes it ideal for industrial protocol gateways that translate Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, or PROFINET to fieldbus. The M4 main core runs the application and TCP/IP stack, while the M0 offloads DMA-driven Ethernet frame handling, reducing jitter on real-time cycles. Integrated dual USB and dual CAN are useful for diagnostic and fieldbus back-channels in the same gateway.
Recommended
Brushless DC Motor Control (BLDC / PMSM)
The LPC4078FET208's Cortex-M4 with FPU and DSP extensions runs field-oriented control (FOC) loops for BLDC and PMSM motors at PWM frequencies above 20 kHz. The on-chip motor-control PWM block drives three-phase half-bridges directly, while the 8-channel 10-bit ADC samples phase currents synchronously to the PWM reload. The M0 coprocessor can host housekeeping tasks such as CANopen comms without disturbing the motor control loop timing.
Recommended
Building Automation / HVAC Controller
With dual CAN 2.0B for BACnet or CAN-SL fieldbuses, dual USB Host ports for touch panels or Wi-Fi dongles, Ethernet for BACnet/IP, and a 208-TFBGA exposing all peripherals, the LPC4078FET208 fits centralized building controllers that must speak multiple protocols at once. The 96 KB SRAM is sufficient for an embedded BACnet stack plus LCD UI; the EMC allows external SDRAM for a richer graphical user interface.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminal (PoS)
PoS terminals need a secure host CPU, USB device for PC link, USB host for printers/scanners, Ethernet for payment processors, and a TFT LCD. The LPC4078FET208 integrates all of these on a single 208-TFBGA die with 512 KB Flash for the application, 96 KB SRAM for transaction buffers, and the SPIFI for fast external Flash storage of fonts and graphics.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel
HMI panels pair an MCU with a TFT LCD, capacitive touch controller, and fieldbus. The LPC4078FET208's EMC can address enough SDRAM to hold frame buffers for 480x272 or 800x480 displays, while the I2S outputs audio prompts, and the SPIFI loads fonts and graphics. The dual USB Host ports accept Wi-Fi/Bluetooth dongles for wireless commissioning.
Recommended
USB Audio / USB Peripherals
USB audio interfaces, USB mass storage, and USB HID devices benefit from the LPC4078FET208's two independent USB 2.0 controllers (Host/Device/OTG + Device/Host). The I2S peripheral streams audio to an external DAC such as the PCM5102A, while the M0 coprocessor handles USB isochronous endpoints with low jitter. The 208-TFBGA exposes both USB D+/D- pairs and all I2S data/clock signals without external muxing.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for LPC4078FET208 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | LPC4088FET208 | LPC4076FET208 | LPC4074FET208 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 208-TFBGA (15x15) | 208-TFBGA (15x15) - same | 208-TFBGA (15x15) - same | 208-TFBGA (15x15) - same |
| Core | Cortex-M4 + M0 | Cortex-M4 + M0 | Cortex-M4 + M0 | Cortex-M4 + M0 |
| Max CPU Frequency | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz |
| Flash | 512 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB |
| SRAM | 96 KB | 96 KB | 96 KB | 96 KB |
| USB | 2x USB 2.0 (Host/Device/OTG + Device/Host) | 2x USB 2.0 (with USB-CRC boot) | 2x USB 2.0 | 2x USB 2.0 |
| Ethernet / CAN / I2C | 10/100 MAC + 2x CAN + 3x I2C | 10/100 MAC + 2x CAN + 3x I2C | 10/100 MAC + 2x CAN + 3x I2C | 10/100 MAC + 2x CAN + 3x I2C |
Key Differentiators
- Dual-core Cortex-M4 + Cortex-M0 design (vs LPC1778FET208)
- 512 KB Flash + 96 KB SRAM + 4 KB EEPROM (vs LPC4076FET208)
- Two independent USB 2.0 controllers (vs STM32F407IGH6)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 120 MHz with both USB controllers active and Ethernet in RMII mode, the LPC4078FET208 typically draws around 80-110 mA from a 3.3 V supply. Place a 10 uF bulk + 100 nF decoupling pair on each of the VDD/VSS pin clusters per the datasheet decoupling diagram, and isolate the analog VDD/AVDD rail with a ferrite bead and 10 uF + 100 nF filter for the 10-bit ADC accuracy. Brownout reset should be enabled in the LPC4078 power profiles before USB enumeration to prevent lockup if the upstream 3.3 V regulator sags during a host plug-in event.
Estimated: the 208-TFBGA at 15x15 mm uses a fine 0.8 mm ball pitch and must be routed on inner microvia layers. Use a 4-layer stack-up with 50 ohm controlled-impedance traces for USB D+/D- (90 ohm differential), RMII to PHY, and SDRAM address/data on the EMC bus. Match the length of USB differential pair to within 150 mil; place the RMII PHY within 50 mm of the LPC4078 to keep skew below 50 ps. Use a continuous GND pour under the BGA and stitch the BGA thermal pad with 4+ vias to inner GND for thermal relief.
Do not confuse the LPC4078FET208 with the LPC1778FET208 - the latter is Cortex-M3 only and lacks the M0 coprocessor, FPU, and DSP. Also confirm boot-pin straps: P2[10] selects ISP via UART vs internal Flash on reset, and the LPC4078 vs LPC4088 differ in USB-CRC boot behavior. Verify against the bootloader chapter of the datasheet before locking the PCB.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per NXP product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this part targets industrial / consumer, not automotive. Halogen-free status not stated in the verified data.
