PIC16F87-I/SS - 8-Bit 20MHz 7KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F87-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.84 | $6.84 |
| 10 | $6.15 | $61.50 |
| 100 | $5.47 | $547.00 |
| 500 | $4.89 | $2,445.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.35 | $4,350.00 |
PIC16F87-I/SS Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory (Flash, RAM, EEPROM), and programmable peripherals on one die. The PIC16F87 belongs to the PIC16 mid-range architecture, which sits between PIC10/12 baseline and PIC18 enhanced families. Mid-range MCUs balance code density, peripheral integration, and low power consumption, making them ideal for embedded control tasks in appliance, automotive, and industrial applications where 8-bit processing is sufficient and cost is critical.
Key features include 256 bytes of EEPROM data memory, an 8 MHz internal oscillator, a Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) module, an Addressable USART, two analog comparators, and a 10-bit ADC reference (referenced from the same datasheet family). nanoWatt Technology provides multiple power-saving modes including Sleep, Idle, and peripheral disable control. The PIC16F87 is code-compatible with the PIC16C7x, PIC16C62xA, PIC16C5X, and PIC12Cxxx families, simplifying migration for legacy designs.
Typical applications span automotive body controllers, industrial sensor interfaces, white-goods and appliance controls, consumer electronics with USART communication, and battery-backed low-power devices leveraging nanoWatt modes. The wide 4.0-5.5V supply range also supports regulated 5V industrial rails.
When designing with the PIC16F87-I/SS, ensure your ICD/ICSP programming interface (PGC/PGD) is accessible on the board and that VDD decoupling (100 nF + 10 uF) is placed within 5 mm of the supply pins. The -I industrial temperature grade supports -40C to +85C operation; use the -E grade (-40C to +125C) for harsh-environment deployments.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet. Cross-reference data is sourced from Microchip's official competitor cross-reference tool and verified distributor listings.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F87-I/SS — 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 PIC16F87-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Internal Oscillator, ADC, Program Memory (Flash), Timers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F87-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.93 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F88-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F819-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.11 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F870-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.47 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 mid-range 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 368 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz (200 ns instruction cycle) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 16 |
| Internal Oscillator | 8 MHz |
| Operating Temperature (Industrial -I) | -40 C to +85 C |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP (5.30 mm body, 0.65 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life at <=30 C/85% RH) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free (Pb-Free) | Yes |
PIC16F87-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP/RA5 — Master Clear (reset) input / Programming voltage / Port A bit 5 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Port A bit 0 / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Port A bit 1 / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/CVREF — Port A bit 2 / Analog input 2 / Comparator voltage reference |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/C1OUT — Port A bit 3 / Analog input 3 / Comparator 1 output |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C2OUT — Port A bit 4 / Timer 0 clock input / Comparator 2 output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/SS/AN4 — Port A bit 5 / SPI slave select / Analog input 4 |
| Pin 8 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / Clock output |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / External clock input |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Port C bit 0 / Timer 1 oscillator output / Timer 1 clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Port C bit 1 / Timer 1 oscillator input / Capture/Compare/PWM 2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — Port C bit 2 / Capture/Compare/PWM 1 |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Port C bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Port C bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — Port C bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK — Port C bit 6 / USART transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT — Port C bit 7 / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 18 | RB0/INT — Port B bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.0V to 5.5V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F87-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: White Goods & Appliance Control, Industrial Sensor Interface & Monitoring, Automotive Body Electronics, Consumer Electronics & Remote Controls, HVAC Control & Building Automation, Low-Power Battery-Backed Devices.
White Goods & Appliance Control
The PIC16F87-I/SS is a strong fit for white-goods appliance control boards (washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators) where its 7 KB Flash holds the main control loop, 368 RAM handles transient buffers, and 256 EEPROM stores calibration and user setting persistence. With 16 I/O pins the MCU can directly drive relay drivers, multiplex keypads, and read temperature sensors through the integrated comparator. The -40C to +85C industrial temperature grade covers laundry-room and kitchen thermal environments without derating. Power-budgeted appliance cycles benefit from nanoWatt Technology Sleep and Idle modes, dropping quiescent draw during standby to single-digit microamps while preserving peripheral interrupts.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface & Monitoring
Industrial sensor interface modules benefit from the PIC16F87-I/SS's USART for RS-232/RS-485 communication, CCP module for timing/capture operations, and two on-chip comparators for analog threshold detection. The 7 KB Flash holds sensor linearization tables and MODBUS ASCII/RTU frame handlers, while the 256-byte EEPROM stores sensor calibration coefficients that survive power cycles. The 20 MHz / 5 MIPS throughput is sufficient for sub-100 ms sensor sampling loops on 8-16 channels using a multiplexer. Wide 4.0-5.5V supply tolerance accommodates noisy 24V industrial rails after a front-end regulator. Programmable brown-out reset prevents corrupted writes during brown-out events common in factory-floor wiring.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
Automotive body and interior modules (window lifters, mirror controllers, seat adjusters, HVAC flap actuators) run well on the PIC16F87-I/SS, where its 8-bit processing power, USART for LIN-bus communication via external transceiver, and CCP for PWM-driven motor control are sufficient. The 256-byte EEPROM preserves last-user settings after battery disconnect, while 16 I/O drive H-bridges and read Hall sensors. The wide 4.0-5.5V supply accommodates 12V vehicle bus transients when paired with a TVS diode and bulk capacitor. Designers targeting AEC-Q100 qualified parts should evaluate PIC16F87T variants or step up to PIC18K-series for underhood applications.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics & Remote Controls
The PIC16F87-I/SS fits consumer remote controls, IR/RF transceivers, smart-plug controllers, and small display controllers where 7 KB Flash holds protocol stacks (NEC RC5, custom proprietary) and 368 RAM buffers incoming frames. The 8 MHz internal oscillator eliminates the external crystal on space-constrained PCBs, while the USART interfaces with Bluetooth or sub-GHz radio modules for wireless remote designs. nanoWatt Technology Sleep mode drops quiescent current below 1 uA, extending coin-cell battery life in handheld units. The compact 20-pin SSOP package keeps the BOM area under 50 mm² including passives.
Recommended
HVAC Control & Building Automation
Building automation subsystems - HVAC zone controllers, smart thermostats, occupancy sensors, damper actuators - leverage the PIC16F87-I/SS's CCP for PWM valve/motor control, two comparators for thermistor or humidity sensor signal conditioning, and USART for BACnet MS-TP or Modbus RTU backhaul. The 256-byte EEPROM stores schedule profiles, setpoint histories, and commissioning parameters that persist across power cycles. The -40C to +85C industrial temperature grade handles unconditioned mechanical-room environments. nanoWatt Sleep with peripheral interrupt enables battery-backed wireless sensor nodes that sleep for years on a single lithium cell.
Recommended
Low-Power Battery-Backed Devices
Battery-backed devices - data loggers, remote telemetry units, wireless sensor nodes, security sensors - benefit from the PIC16F87-I/SS's nanoWatt Technology feature set including Sleep mode (sub-1 uA typical), peripheral disable control, and oscillator fail detection. The 256-byte EEPROM stores hourly/daily data samples without external NVRAM, while the integrated 8 MHz oscillator eliminates standby current from external crystal drive circuits. The wide 4.0-5.5V supply supports direct 3x AA battery packs or single-cell Li-ion with regulator. The 5 MIPS throughput enables synchronous wake-process-sleep duty cycles under 1% active time for multi-year battery life on 2000 mAh cells.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F87-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F87-I/SO | PIC16F88-I/SS | PIC16F819-I/SS | PIC16F870-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SOIC | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 3.5 KB (-50%) | 3.5 KB (-50%) |
| RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 256 bytes (-30%) | 128 bytes (-65%) |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 64 bytes (-75%) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| ADC Module | External reference | External reference | 8-channel 10-bit ADC (added) | 5-channel 10-bit ADC | 5-channel 10-bit ADC |
| Operating Voltage Range | 4.0V to 5.5V | 4.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V (LF88 variant) | 2.0V to 5.5V | 2.2V to 5.5V |
| Automotive Grade | No (-I industrial) | No (-I industrial) | No (-I industrial) | No | No |
Key Differentiators
- Direct drop-in compatibility with PIC16F88-I/SS for feature superset upgrade (vs PIC16F88-I/SS)
- Higher Flash density than entry-level PIC16F870/PIC16F819 in same SSOP footprint (vs PIC16F870-I/SS)
- Larger EEPROM for parameter persistence than PIC16F870 (vs PIC16F870-I/SS)
- Same silicon as PIC16F87-I/SO and PIC16F87-I/ML with package options (vs PIC16F87-I/SO)
Design Notes
Estimated: Decoupling VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor within 5 mm of pin 20 and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum polymer capacitor at the PCB power entry reduces switching noise from CCP PWM and USART transitions. Place a ferrite bead on VDD if the supply rail is shared with motors or relays. nanoWatt Technology Sleep mode requires the brown-out detector to remain enabled only if external VDD transients exceed 4V minimum threshold - per Microchip datasheet 30292D section 11.
Estimated: Keep the MCLR/VPP pin (pin 1) trace short and routed away from PWM-driven signals. Place ICSP programming connector with dedicated PGC (RB6) and PGD (RB7) access pads so production programming does not require a populated header. For the 20-pin SSOP, route all I/O traces on a single signal layer where possible; the SSOP 0.65 mm pitch accepts 0.15 mm trace/space rules with no fanout problems. Add a ground guard ring around the oscillator crystal pins 8-9 to reduce EMI.
Estimated: The PIC16F87-I/SS is rated 4.0V-5.5V only - attempting 3.3V operation will fail Flash programming and EEPROM writes. For 3.3V designs, use the PIC16LF87 variant. The configuration word (CONFIG) must be set before code execution; unprogrammed parts default to RC oscillator mode. Pin RA4 is open-drain output only - it cannot source current. When using the internal 8 MHz oscillator, the OSCCAL register value loaded at programming time determines frequency accuracy; do not overwrite it without recalibrating.
Estimated: For long USART cable runs (>3 m) or noisy industrial environments, place a 100 ohm series resistor at the TX line (RC6) close to the MCU to damp reflections. The CCP1 PWM output on RC2 (pin 12) carries high-frequency content; route this trace away from analog comparator inputs (RA0-RA3) by at least 3 mm to avoid coupled noise. When using the comparator for analog thresholding, add 1-10 ns RC filter on the input to suppress HF switching noise from digital outputs.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Microchip product page. Industrial -I temperature grade (-40C to +85C) is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications use AEC-Q100-qualified parts from the PIC16F1xxx family or PIC18K-series.
