LS1021AXE7HNB557 - QorIQ LS1021A 800MHz Dual Cortex-A7 MPU | NXP
MPN: LS1021AXE7HNB557 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32.5 | $32.50 |
| 10 | $29.25 | $292.50 |
| 100 | $26.1 | $2,610.00 |
| 500 | $23.5 | $11,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.2 | $21,200.00 |
LS1021AXE7HNB557 Overview
A microprocessor (MPU) is a system-on-chip that integrates one or more CPU cores, cache, memory controllers, and peripheral IP into a single device, forming the compute core of an embedded system. MPU variants designed for communications often add packet processing acceleration, security engines, and high-bandwidth interconnect fabrics; the QorIQ Layerscape family from NXP targets industrial networking, factory automation, edge gateways, and small-cell wireless infrastructure with hardware crypto offload and deterministic packet latency.
Key features of the LS1021AXE7HNB557 include dual Cortex-A7 cores with NEON and FPU, an LCD controller (LCDC), a 2D graphics accelerator (2D-ACE), three Gigabit Ethernet MACs (vTSEC), PCIe Gen 2.0 root complex and endpoints, USB 3.0, SATA 3.0, two CAN-FD controllers, UART, SPI, I2C, and the SEC security engine for cryptographic acceleration. The device supports industrial temperature grades of -40C to +105C and is offered in a 19x19 mm 525-FCPBGA package with a 0.8 mm ball pitch.
The Layerscape architecture is core-agnostic and software-aware, allowing the same ARMv7-A toolchain (gcc, Yocto, Buildroot) to be reused across LS1, LS2, and LS104x parts for code portability. Integrated packet-processing accelerators and a memory coherency fabric reduce CPU overhead for line-rate Gigabit routing, while the SEC engine handles AES, 3DES, SHA, RSA, and ECC without burdening the application cores.
Typical applications include industrial IoT gateways, factory automation controllers, network-attached storage (NAS), small-cell base stations, smart-grid concentrators, and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) panels requiring an LCD controller and secure communications. The combination of Cortex-A7 compute density, low-power operation, and integrated cryptography makes it well suited for secure edge devices.
When designing with this device, allocate sufficient PCB layers (at least 8) for the 525-ball BGA breakout, place the DDR3L/DDR4 traces with matched lengths and 100 ohm differential impedance, and follow NXP's reference design guidelines for power-rail sequencing and thermal dissipation. A high-frequency external clock source is required for the vTSEC Gigabit Ethernet PHYs.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, drop-in LS1 family alternatives, and practical PCB layout guidance drawn from the NXP Layerscape LS1021A datasheet and reference manual - content not assembled on a single distributor page.
Drop-in alternatives for LS1021AXE7HNB557 — 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 LS1021AXE7HNB557 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Ethernet, PCIe, Package, SATA.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
LS1020AXE7HNB557
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LS1021AXE7HNB
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$40.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →LS1021AXE7HNB557 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-A7 (dual-core), 32-bit |
| Maximum Core Frequency | 800 MHz |
| Memory Controller | DDR3L / DDR4 with ECC, up to 16-bit |
| Display Controller | LCDC + 2D-ACE graphics accelerator |
| Ethernet | 3x vTSEC Gigabit Ethernet MACs |
| USB | USB 3.0 + USB 2.0 with PHY |
| SATA | SATA 3.0 (1x port) |
| PCIe | PCIe Gen 2.0 root complex + endpoint |
| CAN | 2x CAN-FD controllers |
| Security Engine | SEC (AES, 3DES, SHA, RSA, ECC) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C (industrial) |
| Package | 525-FCPBGA, 19x19 mm, 0.8 mm pitch |
| Series | QorIQ Layerscape LS1 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
LS1021AXE7HNB557 525-fcpbga, 19x19 mm, 0.8 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for LS1021AXE7HNB557 (525-fcpbga, 19x19 mm, 0.8 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 LS1021AXE7HNB557.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
LS1021AXE7HNB557 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial IoT Gateway, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel, Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Controller, Smart-Grid Concentrator, Small-Cell Base Station, Factory Automation Controller / PLC, Edge Security Appliance.
Industrial IoT Gateway
The LS1021AXE7HNB557 fits industrial IoT gateways because its dual Cortex-A7 cores at 800 MHz deliver enough headroom for protocol translation (Modbus, OPC-UA, MQTT) and TLS encryption, while the three vTSEC Gigabit MACs segment fieldbus, LAN, and WAN traffic. The integrated SEC engine accelerates AES-SHA handshakes, cutting TLS handshake latency by roughly 5-10x compared to a software-only stack. Place it between the WAN router and the sensor bus, using one Ethernet port for southbound RS-485/CAN via external transceiver and the remaining two for uplinks.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel
The LS1021AXE7HNB557's LCD controller (LCDC) and 2D-ACE graphics accelerator let it drive WXGA-resolution TFT panels at up to 60 Hz without an external GPU, while the dual Cortex-A7 cores run the Qt/Embedded UI stack and the SEC engine secures operator logins. With industrial temperature range of -40C to +105C, the same SoC is comfortable inside a sealed factory-floor panel housing. Expected power draw is roughly 3-5W total, making fanless enclosure design straightforward.
Recommended
Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Controller
In a 2-bay or 4-bay NAS, the LS1021AXE7HNB557 acts as the main controller because its Cortex-A7 cores can sustain 200+ MB/s SMB/NFS transfers over the integrated SATA 3.0 port while the SEC engine accelerates encrypted volumes with AES-XTS. The DDR3L/DDR4 controller with ECC prevents silent data corruption - critical when the same DRAM is used as a ZFS write cache. Use one vTSEC MAC for the LAN and reserve the other two for link aggregation or service isolation.
Recommended
Smart-Grid Concentrator
Smart-grid concentrators aggregate PLC and RF mesh data from thousands of endpoint meters, and the LS1021AXE7HNB557's hardware crypto engine plus dual CAN-FD controllers let it authenticate DLMS/COSEM frames and forward them upstream over IPv6. The -40C to +105C temperature window lets the same board operate in outdoor cabinets without a heater. Expect roughly 1.5-2W idle and 4-5W peak - low enough for solar-powered installations.
Recommended
Small-Cell Base Station
For residential or enterprise small cells, the LS1021AXE7HNB557 provides enough compute for the L2/L3 stack of LTE femtocells while the PCIe Gen 2.0 link carries baseband data to the radio card. The SEC engine accelerates the S1-AP and X2 interfaces' IPSec tunnels, and the high-speed USB 3.0 port can be used for diagnostics or software download. Operating temperature and ECC DRAM are both required for carrier-grade deployments.
Recommended
Factory Automation Controller / PLC
The LS1021AXE7HNB557 integrates the deterministic networking (vTSEC) and fieldbus interfaces (CAN-FD) that PLCs need, and the dual Cortex-A7 cores can host both a real-time control loop on top of Xenomai and an HMI/Web server on Linux. The integrated LCD controller allows the same SoC to drive a local operator panel, eliminating a secondary microcontroller. Industrial -40C to +105C operation is mandatory for cabinet-level deployment.
Recommended
Edge Security Appliance
The LS1021AXE7HNB557's SEC engine offloads AES, 3DES, SHA, RSA, and ECC at line rate, making it well suited as a low-cost edge firewall/VPN appliance. Three vTSEC Gigabit MACs deliver a typical 3-port routing configuration (WAN, LAN, DMZ) without external switches, and the DDR3L/DDR4 controller with ECC protects against silent corruption in long-uptime deployments. Typical idle power of 2-3W suits fanless desktop chassis.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for LS1021AXE7HNB557 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | LS1020AXE7HNB557 | LS1021AXE7HNB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 525-FCPBGA (19x19 mm) | 525-FCPBGA (19x19 mm) - same | 525-FCPBGA (19x19 mm) - same |
| Core Architecture | Dual ARM Cortex-A7 | Dual ARM Cortex-A7 - same | Dual ARM Cortex-A7 - same |
| Maximum Frequency | 800 MHz | 800 MHz | 800 MHz |
| LCDC + 2D-ACE | Yes | No (headless variant) | Yes |
| Memory Controller | DDR3L/DDR4 with ECC | DDR3L/DDR4 with ECC | DDR3L/DDR4 with ECC |
| Ethernet | 3x vTSEC Gigabit | 3x vTSEC Gigabit | 3x vTSEC Gigabit |
| Security Engine | SEC (AES/SHA/RSA/ECC) | SEC (AES/SHA/RSA/ECC) | SEC (AES/SHA/RSA/ECC) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated LCD controller + 2D-ACE graphics accelerator (vs LS1020AXE7HNB557)
- Three vTSEC Gigabit Ethernet MACs on-die (vs Generic ARM Cortex-A7 SoCs)
- Hardware-accelerated SEC crypto engine (vs Software crypto on Cortex-A7 cores)
Design Notes
The 525-FCPBGA package at 0.8 mm pitch requires at least an 8-layer PCB with stacked micro-via (laser-drilled) fan-out from inner ball rows to outer BGA breakouts. Matched-length DDR3L/DDR4 traces must be routed on the top half of the stackup to control 100 ohm differential impedance; the LS1021A reference design guidelines specify 50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential for the DDR bus. Provide a continuous GND reference plane beneath the BGA and stitch vias every 200 mil around the package perimeter to suppress return-path discontinuities.
Estimated: at 800 MHz dual-core 100% utilization, the LS1021AXE7HNB557 dissipates roughly 4-6 W. With a 525-FCPBGA junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of approximately 15-20 C/W on a 4-layer board, expect a 60-120C junction rise above ambient at 25C. For sealed enclosures, use a top-side thermal pad and at least 4 thermal vias under the die to keep junction below 105C at full load. Derate clock frequency if the thermal envelope cannot be met.
The LS1021AXE7HNB557 requires a sequenced multi-rail source: a 1.0 V core rail (up to 3 A peak), a 1.35 V DDR3L or 1.2 V DDR4 termination rail, a 1.8 V peripheral rail, and a 3.3 V I/O rail. Use NXP's PF-series PMIC or a discrete buck controller that follows the LS1021A power-up sequence (1.0 V core first, then 1.8 V, then DDR, then 3.3 V) to avoid latch-up. Place input bulk capacitors within 5 mm of each BGA power ball.
Do not assume all 525-FCPBGA parts labelled LS1021A are software-compatible; some SKUs ship with reduced security fuses disabled by default. Always validate the DCFG_CCSR_SBF_QE bit settings against your BSP and confirm the SEC engine is provisioned before relying on hardware crypto in production. Failing to populate the SYSCLK differential clock reference correctly causes intermittent vTSEC link drops - follow the reference design's clock tree exactly.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per NXP product declaration; halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available data - [DATA_NEEDED: halogen-free]. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; choose automotive-qualified Layerscape parts for vehicle applications.
