P2041NSE7PNAC - QorIQ P2041 Quad-Core SoC, 4x 1.5GHz | NXP
MPN: P2041NSE7PNAC ⚠ Last Time BuyP2041NSE7PNAC Overview
A QorIQ communications processor is a specialized multi-core SoC designed for packet processing, deterministic latency, and high-throughput I/O. QorIQ sits within the broader hierarchy of embedded networking processors, descending from Freescale's PowerQUICC family and ascending into NXP's current Layerscape portfolio. Within that lineage, the P2 series occupies the mid-tier, bridging the single/dual-core P1 platform and the higher-end P3/P4/P5 platforms with software-compatible instruction sets.
Key features include a 45 nm silicon process, integrated SEC 4.2 cryptographic accelerator, four e500mc cores with hardware virtualization support, dual DDR3/3L controllers with ECC, four 10 GbE / 1 GbE ports, three PCIe Gen2 controllers, two SATA 2.0 ports, two SRIO Gen2 lanes, and an operating temperature range of 0 to 105 °C suitable for thermally-managed industrial networking environments. The package is specified as FC-PBGA, 780 balls at 1.0 mm pitch in a 23x23 mm body.
The architecture combines an out-of-order core complex with a high-speed CoreNet fabric that coherently connects the cores, memory subsystem, and accelerators. The memory subsystem supports up to 32 GB of DDR3/3L with ECC, providing bandwidth headroom for line-rate packet processing. SEC 4.2 acceleration delivers wire-speed IPSec, SSL/TLS, and bulk cryptography without burdening the cores.
Typical applications include enterprise and edge routers, network-attached storage (NAS) controllers, industrial switching, base-station digital signal aggregation, and secure gateways. The combination of deterministic performance, integrated 10 GbE, and SEC hardware makes it a strong fit for mid-range Layer 2/3 forwarding planes and IPsec-terminating devices.
When designing with the P2041, allocate a 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with continuous ground references beneath the FC-PBGA land pattern and a dedicated thermal copper area under the lid to dissipate the device's 25-35 W class TDP. Use NXP's CodeWarrior or QorIQ Linux SDK toolchain for firmware and driver development.
This page consolidates authoritative NXP datasheet data, Octopart distributor pricing, and curated drop-in alternatives to accelerate design selection beyond what is found in the standalone datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for P2041NSE7PNAC — 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 P2041NSE7PNAC (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Ethernet, Mounting Type, Operating Temperature, PCIe, Package.
P2040NSE7PNAC
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P2041NXE7PNAC
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P3041NSE7PNAC
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P2041NSN7PNAC
✅ Drop-InContact for price
View Datasheet →LS1043AXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P2041NSE7PNAC Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Part Number | P2041NSE7PNAC |
| Manufacturer | NXP USA Inc. (formerly Freescale Semiconductor) |
| Series | QorIQ P2 |
| Core Processor | PowerPC e500mc |
| Number of Cores | 4 |
| Core Architecture | 32-Bit |
| Core Speed | 1.5 GHz |
| Co-Processors / DSP | Security; SEC 4.2 |
| RAM Controllers | DDR3, DDR3L with ECC |
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000 Mbps and 10 Gbps |
| PCIe | Gen2 controllers |
| SATA | SATA 2.0 |
| Serial RapidIO (SRIO) | Yes |
| Graphics Acceleration | No |
| Display & Interface Controllers | None |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +105 °C |
| Package | 780-FCPBGA, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Process Technology | 45 nm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Part Status | End of Life / Last Time Buy per NXP product page |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per distributor listings) |
P2041NSE7PNAC 780-fcpbga, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for P2041NSE7PNAC (780-fcpbga, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 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 P2041NSE7PNAC.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
P2041NSE7PNAC is suitable for 6 applications: Enterprise / Edge Router, IPsec VPN Gateway / Secure Appliance, Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Controller, Industrial Switching / Base Station Aggregation, Single-Board Computer (SBC) for Networking, Test & Measurement Networking Equipment.
Enterprise / Edge Router
The P2041NSE7PNAC is engineered for mid-range enterprise and edge routing platforms where four e500mc cores at 1.5 GHz deliver deterministic Layer 2/3 forwarding. Its integrated four 10 GbE / 1 GbE ports, three PCIe Gen2 controllers, and SEC 4.2 hardware acceleration make it ideal for IPsec-terminating routers, MPLS edge devices, and SD-WAN gateways. The 0-105 °C thermal envelope and 780-FCPBGA package fit 1U/2U rack-mounted chassis with conventional forced-air cooling, and the part shares its CoreNet fabric with the higher-end P3/P4 family for software reuse across product lines.
Recommended
IPsec VPN Gateway / Secure Appliance
The P2041NSE7PNAC's SEC 4.2 cryptographic accelerator delivers wire-speed IPSec, SSL/TLS, AES, and ECC without burdening the cores, making it well-suited for secure VPN gateways and IPsec-terminating appliances. Combined with the four 10 GbE ports, the SoC can sustain multi-gigabit encrypted throughput while leaving CPU cycles available for routing, firewalling, and management-plane workloads. The DDR3/3L memory subsystem with ECC supports large session tables and crypto key storage, while the 0-105 °C range fits thermally-managed security appliances deployed in wiring closets and edge sites.
Recommended
Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Controller
The P2041NSE7PNAC's PCIe Gen2 controllers and SATA 2.0 ports enable direct attachment of multiple HDDs or SSDs for mid-range NAS controllers and unified storage appliances. The quad e500mc cores at 1.5 GHz can handle file-system offload, RAID parity calculation, and iSCSI/NFS serving in parallel. ECC-protected DDR3 support ensures data integrity, and the 10 GbE uplink enables wire-speed multi-gigabit file transfers, ideal for SMB and departmental storage where deterministic I/O and security are required.
Recommended
Industrial Switching / Base Station Aggregation
The P2041NSE7PNAC's combination of SRIO Gen2, PCIe, multiple Ethernet ports, and SEC 4.2 acceleration serves industrial Ethernet switches and cellular base-station aggregation nodes. The SRIO interface connects to DSP clusters and FPGA co-processors for baseband processing, while the e500mc cores manage MAC-layer switching, OAM, and IPsec backhaul. The 0-105 °C operating envelope and FC-PBGA package are validated for the controlled-thermal environments typical of telecom racks and industrial cabinets.
Recommended
Single-Board Computer (SBC) for Networking
The P2041NSE7PNAC's high level of integration - cores, memory controller, 10 GbE, PCIe, SATA, and security in a single 780-FCPBGA - makes it a compelling SoC for compact single-board computers targeting network appliances. Reference designs from NXP and third-party SBC vendors use this part to deliver Linux-driven firewalls, routers, and edge compute nodes on 3.5-inch SBC form factors, with the FC-PBGA package dissipating its TDP via a thermal pad and small heatsink.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Networking Equipment
In test and measurement platforms - protocol analyzers, network emulators, and traffic generators - the P2041NSE7PNAC's four e500mc cores at 1.5 GHz provide deterministic real-time packet processing. The 10 GbE ports allow line-rate packet capture and replay, while PCIe Gen2 connects to FPGA co-processors for deep packet inspection and timing analysis. SEC 4.2 hardware acceleration offloads encryption-related testing, and the FC-PBGA package suits densely-populated ATCA or compactPCI-style instrumentation backplanes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for P2041NSE7PNAC — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | P2040NSE7PNAC | P2041NXE7PNAC | P3041NSE7PNAC | P2041NSN7PNAC | LS1043AXN7PQB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 780-FCPBGA (23x23 mm) - same |
| Core Architecture | PowerPC e500mc, 4-core | PowerPC e500mc, 4-core | PowerPC e500mc, 4-core | PowerPC e500mc, 4-core | PowerPC e500mc, 4-core | ARM Cortex-A53, 4-core |
| Core Speed | 1.5 GHz | 1.2 GHz | 1.5 GHz | 1.5 GHz | 1.3 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| Security Accelerator | SEC 4.2 | None | SEC 4.2 | SEC 4.2 | SEC 4.2 | SEC (ARM TrustZone + optional crypto) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +105 °C | 0 °C to +105 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | 0 °C to +105 °C | 0 °C to +105 °C | -40 °C to +105 °C |
| Memory Controller | DDR3/DDR3L with ECC | DDR3/DDR3L with ECC | DDR3/DDR3L with ECC | DDR3/DDR3L with ECC | DDR3/DDR3L with ECC | DDR4 with ECC |
| Process Technology | 45 nm | 45 nm | 45 nm | 45 nm | 45 nm | 28 nm |
| 10 GbE Ports | 4 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE | 4 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE | 4 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE | 4 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE | 4 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE | 2 x 10 GbE / 1 GbE |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated SEC 4.2 hardware cryptographic acceleration (vs P2040NSE7PNAC)
- Pin-compatible migration to ARM-based Layerscape (vs P3041NSE7PNAC)
- 45 nm process and four e500mc cores at 1.5 GHz (vs P2041NSN7PNAC)
Design Notes
The 780-FCPBGA package at 1.0 mm pitch requires a 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with matched 50 Ω controlled-impedance routing for the DDR3, PCIe, and 10 GbE signals. Use a continuous ground plane beneath the BGA land pattern and route all high-speed signals on inner layers adjacent to solid reference planes. Per NXP QorIQ P2040 hardware design guide, place the DDR3 memory chips on the same side as the SoC within 50 mm trace length to meet timing margins.
Estimated: at 1.5 GHz with four active cores and SEC engine loaded, the P2041NSE7PNAC dissipates approximately 25-32 W. The FC-PBGA top surface requires a thermal interface material (TIM) connecting to a heatsink or cold plate; without active cooling the junction can exceed 105 °C. Validate thermals with the device's internal thermal diode and NXP's recommended thermal model in your mechanical assembly.
Sequence the P2041NSE7PNAC supplies per NXP's power-up requirements - core voltage VDD must rise before VDD_IO with monotonic slopes. Use a multi-rail PMIC such as the NXP MMPF0100 to supply the SoC, DDR3, and SRIO/PCIe rails. Hold the reset line asserted until all rails are stable; failure to do so can corrupt the boot ROM and cause non-recoverable boot failures.
Place the 25 MHz system reference oscillator within 5 mm of the P2041 SYSCLK pins with a guard ring around the crystal traces. Keep the 10 GbE SerDes reference clock routing symmetric and length-matched within the PCIe / SRIO specifications. Avoid routing the SERDES lanes over split reference planes to preserve signal integrity.
Do not enable SEC 4.2 features on the P2040NSE7PNAC variant - the SEC accelerator is absent on the P2040 and software calls will trap. Verify the full MPN suffix matches your security and temperature requirements (NSE = standard 0-105 °C, NXE = extended -40-125 °C). Customers integrating the P2041NSE7PNAC into new designs should plan migration to the NXP Layerscape LS1043A which offers pin-compatible modern ARM-based successors.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance confirmed by DigiKey product listing. The P2041NSE7PNAC is a communications processor and not subject to AEC-Q100 automotive qualification. Reach, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral status are not stated in the verified web data and are marked unknown.
