MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB - i.MX 8M Plus Dual A53 1.6GHz SoC | NXP
MPN: MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $35.2 | $352.00 |
| 100 | $31.85 | $3,185.00 |
| 500 | $28.4 | $14,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $25.95 | $25,950.00 |
MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB Overview
What is an applications processor? An applications processor is a highly integrated System-on-Chip (SoC) that combines one or more CPU cores with GPUs, DSPs, ISPs, NPUs, multimedia accelerators, and a rich peripheral set on a single die. Applications processors sit at the top of the embedded hierarchy - above microcontrollers (MCUs) - and are commonly used to run Linux, Android, or RTOS-based platforms where graphics, vision, and machine-learning workloads dominate. The i.MX 8M Plus family is NXP's flagship edge-AI applications processor family, designed to deliver deterministic performance for Industry 4.0, smart home, smart building, smart city, and edge machine-learning applications.
Key features include 32 KB L1 instruction cache per Cortex-A53 core, 32 KB L1 data cache, 512 KB unified L2 cache, 2.3 TOPS NPU, dual MIPI-CSI2 camera interfaces, dual Image Signal Processors, two USB 3.0/2.0 controllers, dual Gigabit Ethernet with AVB/TSN, PCIe Gen 3, and an LPDDR4/LPDDR4X memory controller. The integrated GC7000Lite GPU supports OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL, and Vulkan, while the HiFi 4 DSP enables efficient audio pre/post-processing.
Architecturally, the MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB uses a 14 nm FinFET process and supports a wide voltage range with multiple power domains managed by an integrated PMIC interface. Hardware cryptography acceleration includes AES, RSA, SHA, and a True Random Number Generator (TRNG), supporting secure boot and hardware root-of-trust for IoT edge deployments.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision systems, AI-enabled edge gateways, smart retail signage, medical imaging, building automation controllers, and automotive infotainment/telematics prototypes. The dual-core configuration offers a balance between AI performance and energy efficiency for fanless industrial designs.
When designing with this SoC, ensure proper thermal management - the 14 nm process and 1.6 GHz core frequency require a multi-layer PCB with adequate copper pours and possibly a heatsink for sustained workloads. LPDDR4 routing must follow strict length-matching and impedance-control rules per the NXP Hardware Design Guide.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, providing a single source for engineers evaluating the i.MX 8M Plus for industrial edge AI designs.
Drop-in alternatives for MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB — 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 MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Ethernet, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MIMX8ML4CVNKZAB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MIMX8ML3DVNKZAB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MIMX8ML3CVTNZAB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MIMX8ML2CVNKZAB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCIMX8ML3DVNKZAB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | i.MX 8M Plus |
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-A53 + Cortex-M7 |
| Number of Cores | 2 (Dual A53) |
| Data Bus Width | 64-bit |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 1.6 GHz |
| NPU Performance | 2.3 TOPS |
| Package | 548-LFBGA (15x15 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C (Industrial) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| RAM (LFBGA variant) | 888832 words |
| Process Technology | 14 nm FinFET |
| GPU | GC7000Lite (OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan) |
| DSP | HiFi 4 DSP |
| Memory Interface | LPDDR4 / LPDDR4X |
| Camera Interface | Dual MIPI-CSI2 (2x ISP) |
| Ethernet | 2x Gigabit (AVB/TSN) |
| USB | 2x USB 3.0/2.0 |
| PCIe | PCIe Gen 3 (1-lane) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB 548-lfbga (15x15 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB (548-lfbga (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 MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Edge AI Gateways, Smart Building Controllers, Medical Imaging Devices, Automotive Infotainment Prototypes, Industrial HMI Panels.
Industrial Machine Vision
The MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB is purpose-built for industrial machine vision. Its dual Image Signal Processors (ISPs) accept two MIPI-CSI2 camera streams concurrently, supporting up to 12 MP per channel with HDR processing - ideal for stereo vision, defect detection, and quality-inspection pipelines. The 2.3 TOPS NPU runs quantized TensorFlow Lite or ONNX models for real-time object classification at 30+ FPS while the Cortex-M7 handles deterministic sensor-fusion pre-processing (e.g., line-scan triggers, encoder feedback). Placed on the vision carrier board with two camera mezzanines; the LPDDR4 bandwidth (~12.8 GB/s) is sufficient to feed dual 1080p streams plus inference buffers.
Recommended
Edge AI Gateways
For edge AI gateways aggregating data from multiple sensors and field buses, the MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB delivers dual-core Cortex-A53 compute plus a 2.3 TOPS NPU on a single die - eliminating the need for a separate ML accelerator card. Dual Gigabit Ethernet with AVB/TSN enables time-synchronized industrial Ethernet backhaul, while the Cortex-M7 offloads real-time protocols (EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus TCP) without disturbing Linux on the A53 cores. Typical deployment runs Ubuntu Core or Yocto Linux with ONNX Runtime for local inference; the hardware crypto engine secures TLS and device identity at the network edge.
Recommended
Smart Building Controllers
The MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB powers next-generation smart building controllers that aggregate HVAC, lighting, access control, and occupancy sensors. Its low power envelope at the dual-core configuration supports fanless DIN-rail enclosures, while the Cortex-M7 handles real-time BACnet/Modbus field-bus traffic deterministically. The 2.3 TOPS NPU enables on-device anomaly detection (e.g., occupancy-pattern learning, predictive maintenance signals) without round-tripping to cloud. Dual MIPI-CSI2 interfaces support entry-camera analytics at the controller level, reducing per-room edge-node counts.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Devices
In medical imaging point-of-care devices (e.g., portable ultrasound, dermatoscopes, endoscopy carts), the MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB provides the dual-camera ISP pipeline for high-resolution sensor capture plus the 2.3 TOPS NPU for on-device AI-assisted diagnostic support (e.g., lesion classification, anatomical landmark detection). The Cortex-M7 manages real-time probe-position tracking or motor-control loops without Linux jitter. Industrial temperature grade and 14 nm process reliability support 24/7 clinical deployment. LPDDR4 bandwidth handles uncompressed sensor streams at medical resolutions.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Prototypes
The MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB is suitable for automotive infotainment and telematics prototypes requiring HMDI/display output, multi-touch, and 360-degree surround-view processing. The GC7000Lite GPU drives dual-display clusters at 1080p with hardware-accelerated H.265 decode for rear-seat entertainment. Dual Gigabit Ethernet with AVB enables audio-video bridging (AVB) for in-vehicle networking, while the 2.3 TOPS NPU supports driver-monitoring (DMS) inference such as drowsiness or distraction detection. For production automotive, the AEC-Q100 qualified i.MX 8M Plus variants are required.
Recommended
Industrial HMI Panels
The MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB drives high-resolution industrial HMI panels with multi-touch via its dual LVDS/HDMI display interfaces and GC7000Lite GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan. The Cortex-M7 offloads real-time touch-sampling and backlight-control loops, while the A53 cores run Qt/Yocto-based HMI stacks at 60 FPS. The integrated crypto engine secures operator authentication and remote-management sessions. Industrial temperature grade and 14 nm reliability support 24/7 factory-floor operation in enclosures with limited airflow.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MIMX8ML4CVNKZAB | MIMX8ML3DVNKZAB | MIMX8ML3CVTNZAB | MIMX8ML2CVNKZAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 548-LFBGA (15x15) | 548-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 548-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 548-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 548-LFBGA (15x15) - same |
| Cortex-A53 Cores | 2 (Dual) | 4 (Quad) | 2 (Dual) | 2 (Dual) | 1 (Single) |
| CPU Frequency | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| NPU Performance | 2.3 TOPS | 2.3 TOPS | 2.3 TOPS | 2.3 TOPS | 2.3 TOPS |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB | 512 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB (-50%) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +105C) | Industrial | Consumer (0C to +95C) | Industrial | Industrial |
| Image Signal Processors | Dual ISP | Dual ISP | Dual ISP | Dual ISP | Dual ISP |
| Approx Unit Price (1k) | $25.95 | $32.40 (+25%) | $22.10 (-15%) | $26.80 (+3%) | $21.50 (-17%) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest integrated ML throughput per watt in i.MX 8M Plus line-up (vs MIMX8MM6DVTLZAA (i.MX 8M Mini))
- Industrial temperature grade with full ML/vision feature set (vs MIMX8ML3DVNKZAB (consumer temp variant))
- Dual-core A53 with same NPU as quad-core variant (vs MIMX8ML4CVNKZAB (quad-core))
Design Notes
Estimated: at sustained 2x Cortex-A53 + Cortex-M7 + NPU workload, the 14 nm silicon dissipates approximately 3-5 W. The 548-LFBGA has a typical theta_JB of 1.5 C/W; without thermal vias to an internal copper plane and a top-side heatsink (or thermal interface material to enclosure), junction temperatures can exceed 105 C industrial limits under continuous edge-AI inference loads. Use NXP's i.MX 8M Plus thermal model to validate your specific mechanical design.
LPDDR4 routing must follow NXP's i.MX 8M Plus Hardware Design Guide strictly. Maintain 85 ohm differential impedance for the LPDDR4 channel, length-match byte lanes within 25 mils, and place the DRAM within 50 mm of the SoC to avoid signal-integrity degradation. Use 12-layer stack-up with dedicated ground planes between high-speed signal layers and the LPDDR4 power rail. Decouple each SoC power pin with 100 nF X7R capacitors placed as close as the BGA escape allows.
The i.MX 8M Plus requires a companion PMIC such as the NXP PCA9450 or PF8100/PF8200 for proper power-rail sequencing. Do NOT attempt discrete regulators - the multi-domain voltage requirements (0.8 V core, 1.1 V LPDDR4, 1.8 V IO, 3.3 V analog) with strict sequencing and DVFS support exceed what discrete designs can reliably deliver. Plan for a 12 V or 5 V main rail feeding the PMIC; the SoC itself does not accept direct battery input.
MIPI-CSI2 lane routing to camera mezzanines requires 85 ohm differential impedance, length-matching within 0.5 mm per lane pair, and ground shielding on both sides of the differential pair. Keep MIPI lanes away from switching power nodes (PMIC switchers, DRAM terminations) by at least 3x the dielectric height to avoid coupled noise into image data. The dual ISP can simultaneously process two streams - allocate independent clock domains and reset signals per camera.
Common pitfalls include: (1) omitting the secure-boot fuse programming step before first power-up, which then requires reflashing or part replacement; (2) using a non-LPDDR4X DRAM with insufficient bandwidth for the dual-ISP + NPU pipeline, causing vision frame drops; (3) failing to enable the Cortex-M7 real-time clock source separately, leading to RTOS boot failures. Always consult the i.MX 8M Plus Reference Manual and Board Design Checklist before layout finalization.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per NXP product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose AEC-Q100 variants of i.MX 8M Plus (e.g., MIMX8ML3CVNKZAB's automotive-grade siblings) for automotive applications.
