MSP430FR5994 - 16MHz 256KB FRAM MCU with LEA | TI
MPN: MSP430FR5994 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.28 | $5.28 |
| 10 | $4.72 | $47.20 |
| 100 | $4.1 | $410.00 |
| 500 | $3.68 | $1,840.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.25 | $3,250.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for MSP430FR5994 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MSP430FR59941
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSP430FR5989IPMR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.8 / Unit
View Datasheet βMSP430FR5964
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSP430FR6994
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSP430FR5994IPMR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3.35 / Unit
View Datasheet βMSP430FR5994 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit RISC |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 16 MHz |
| Non-Volatile Memory | 256KB FRAM |
| SRAM | 8KB |
| Data Bus Width | 16-bit |
| Hardware Accelerator | LEA (Low-Energy Accelerator) for FFT, FIR, matrix multiplication |
| Security | AES accelerator |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit |
| Comparators | Yes |
| DMA | Yes |
| Communication Interfaces | UART, SPI, I2C |
| Timers | 16-bit timers |
| Package | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Product Family | MSP430 FRAM Microcontrollers |
| Development Kit | MSP-EXP430FR5994 LaunchPad; MSP-TS430PN80B 80-pin target board |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
MSP430FR5994 64-lqfp (10x10 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for MSP430FR5994 (64-lqfp (10x10 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 MSP430FR5994.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
MSP430FR5994 is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Metering, Edge Signal Processing / Sensor Fusion, Portable Medical Monitoring, Industrial Sensing and Automation Nodes, Building Security and Access Control, Data Loggers and IoT End Nodes.
Battery-Powered Metering
The MSP430FR5994 fits electricity, water, and gas metering designs because its 256KB FRAM supports unlimited, energy-cheap data logging: FRAM writes consume far less energy than flash programming, so usage profiles can be recorded continuously without wearing out memory. The 16 MHz MSP430 CPUXV2 core handles metering computation, while the 12-bit ADC and comparator sample sensor front-ends. TI documents the MSP430 FRAM platform as its lowest-power MCU technology, and ultra-low-power standby modes keep long-life battery budgets achievable. The unified non-volatile memory also enables secure firmware updates in the field.
Recommended
Edge Signal Processing / Sensor Fusion
TI states the Low-Energy Accelerator on the MSP430FR5994 delivers up to 40x the performance of Arm Cortex-M0+ MCUs for FFT, FIR, and matrix multiplication, making this MCU a strong fit for vibration monitoring, acoustic analysis, and sensor-fusion nodes at the network edge. The LEA performs the heavy math while the CPU sleeps, preserving the MSP430 ultra-low-power budget, and the DMA keeps sample streams flowing to and from the 12-bit ADC without CPU intervention. Because the LEA toolchain requires no DSP expertise, teams can deploy complex algorithms quickly using TI's driver libraries and LaunchPad examples.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring
Wearable and portable medical monitors benefit from the MSP430FR5994's combination of low active power, fast FRAM writes for continuous physiological data logging, and LEA-accelerated filtering of bio-signals such as ECG or PPG. The 12-bit ADC digitizes analog front-end outputs, while UART/SPI/I2C interfaces connect to Bluetooth or sub-GHz radio modules for data upload. TI's MSP430 family has a long history in medical monitoring designs, and the device's AES accelerator helps protect patient data. Designers should complete the required regulatory qualification of the end system independently of the MCU datasheet ratings.
Recommended
Industrial Sensing and Automation Nodes
In factory automation, the MSP430FR5994 serves as a compact sensor-node controller: UART, SPI, and I2C interfaces link to industrial transceivers, the 12-bit ADC and comparators digitize process variables, and 256KB FRAM retains calibration tables and event logs through power loss without battery backup. TI's ecosystem of reference designs and code examples shortens development time, and the MSP-TS430PN80B target board supports 80-pin prototyping within the same family. Operating robustness for harsh installations should be validated at system level, including EMI and surge per the relevant industrial standards for the end equipment.
Recommended
Building Security and Access Control
Access-control readers, door controllers, and security sensors use the MSP430FR5994 for its AES accelerator securing credential data, FRAM retention of authorization tables without external EEPROM, and UART/I2C links to RFID or keypad front-ends. The LEA can locally process sensor signatures for anomaly detection before alerting the host. Low standby power supports battery-backup operation during mains outage. TI provides security-focused collateral in the MSP430FR599x ecosystem, and the device's DMA offloads communication tasks so the CPU can remain in low-power modes between events.
Recommended
Data Loggers and IoT End Nodes
The MSP430FR5994 excels in standalone data loggers: FRAM's effectively unlimited write endurance and low write energy allow continuous logging at high sample rates, and the unified memory architecture simplifies a ring-buffer design in non-volatile storage. The 16-bit core plus LEA handle timestamping, compression, and FFT-based feature extraction locally, and UART/SPI/I2C connect to radios or SD-card bridges for offload. Because the MCU family is supported by Code Composer Studio and LaunchPad hardware, prototyping to production is a low-friction path for battery-powered IoT endpoints.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MSP430FR5994 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MSP430FR59941 | MSP430FR5989 | MSP430FR5964 | MSP430FR6994 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-LQFP - same | 64-LQFP - same | 64-LQFP - same | 64-LQFP - same |
| Brand | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments |
| Core / Frequency | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit, 16 MHz | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit, 16 MHz | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit, 16 MHz | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit, 16 MHz | MSP430 CPUXV2 16-bit, 16 MHz |
| LEA (Low-Energy Accelerator) | Yes | Yes | [DATA_NEEDED] | No | Yes |
| FRAM Size | 256KB | 256KB (different partition) | 256KB | 256KB | 256KB |
| SRAM | 8KB | 8KB | 8KB | 8KB | 8KB |
| ADC | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit |
| Security Accelerator | AES | AES | AES | AES | AES |
| Relative Cost Position | Baseline (LEA-equipped) | Comparable | Comparable | Lower (no LEA) | Higher (more peripherals) |
Key Differentiators
- LEA coprocessor for DSP-class math (vs MSP430FR5964)
- Cost-optimized option exists in same footprint (vs MSP430FR5964)
- Pin-to-pin family flexibility (vs MSP430FR5989)
- Trade-off: FR6994 has more peripherals (vs MSP430FR6994)
Design Notes
For the 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) footprint, place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors at each VCC/VSS pin pair, positioned within 2-3 mm of the pins, plus one bulk capacitor (10 uF) near the supply entry. The DVSS/AVSS domains should be joined at a single low-impedance star point to keep analog ADC ground return paths clean. TI's MSP-EXP430FR5994 LaunchPad layout serves as a proven reference for decoupling and crystal placement.
The MSP430FR5994 routes peripherals through a pin-multiplexing / Port Mapping scheme, so SPI, UART, and I2C functions are not fixed to single pins. Before finalizing PCB routing, generate the full pin-function assignment from the datasheet pin functions table and lock the port map in firmware. A TI E2E forum thread on 'MSP430FR5994 SPI pins' documents how often this multiplexing surprises designers who assume fixed serial pins.
FRAM writes are much cheaper in energy than flash programming, which enables aggressive data-logging duty cycles, but peak currents during LEA-accelerated FFT bursts differ from CPU-only operation. Size the supply and decoupling for the LEA-active case, and use the device's low-power modes (via the state machine in TI's user's guide) between processing bursts. Estimated: logging every 100 ms with short active windows can extend multi-year battery life in typical coin-cell designs, but verify with your own current-profile measurements.
Keep the high-speed crystal/clock traces short and guarded by ground, and route the ADC analog inputs away from UART/SPI switching lines. Use TI's reference designs in the MSP430FR599x ecosystem as layout templates; they reflect recommended Land-pattern and routing practice for the FRAM family and dramatically reduce ADC noise and clock-jitter issues in mixed-signal designs.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant lead-free standard ordering per TI's standard MSP430 portfolio policy as reflected on DigiKey/Mouser listings; REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status must be confirmed on the TI product page quality/Environmental section for the exact ordering code.
