PIC16LF1829T-I/ML - 8-bit 32MHz XLP MCU 14KB Flash 20-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1829T-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.55 | $1.55 |
| 10 | $1.39 | $13.90 |
| 100 | $1.18 | $118.00 |
| 500 | $1.02 | $510.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.91 | $910.00 |
PIC16LF1829T-I/ML Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip containing a CPU, Flash program memory, RAM, EEPROM, and peripherals such as timers, ADC, communication modules (UART/I2C/SPI), and I/O pins. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML sits at: PIC16LF1829 -> PIC16F/LF182x family -> PIC16F1xxx enhanced mid-range -> PIC microcontroller -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded semiconductor IC. It is designed for battery-powered and energy-harvesting applications where nanoWatt XLP technology, sleep currents in the nA range, and active-mode efficiency matter more than raw CPU throughput.
Key features include up to 32MHz core operation, 12 I/O pins, a 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2), mTouch capacitive touch peripherals, multiple PWM modules, enhanced USART, MSSP (I2C/SPI), and configurable logic cells (CLC). The device supports wide operating voltage (1.8V-3.6V) and integrates Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that offload tasks from the CPU, reducing active time and power.
The architecture uses an enhanced mid-range 14-bit instruction set (PIC16) with a hardware stack, deterministic interrupt response, and internal 32MHz oscillator. The combination of XLP sleep modes (down to tens of nA), fast wake-up from sleep, and CIPs makes it suitable for IoT edge nodes that spend most of their life asleep.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, capacitive-touch user interfaces, battery-powered remote controls, wearable health/fitness devices, and consumer white goods front panels. Designers also use it in small motor control loops, simple LED drivers, and as a companion MCU to BLE/WiFi modules (RN4870/MRF24WN0MA) where it provides A/D sampling, keypad input, and housekeeping.
When designing with this part, budget I/O pin assignments against the QFN-20 land pattern and reserve pin 1 (RA5/MCLR) for Vpp/Reset to keep ICSP programming simple. The QFN-20 (4x4) is a no-leads surface-mount package that requires careful thermal pad soldering and pull-up on MCLR for reliable operation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-brand drop-in alternatives from the PIC16LF1829 family, and practical low-power design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1829T-I/ML — 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 PIC16LF1829T-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Operating Temperature, Package, Internal Oscillator, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF1829-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1828T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1829T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1828T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.97 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1769-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1559T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1829T-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC, enhanced mid-range (14-bit instruction) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz (8 MIPS) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 1 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF family) |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Package | 20-pin QFN (4x4 mm), suffix /ML |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial, "I") |
| ADC | 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2) |
| Touch Peripheral | mTouch capacitive touch sensing |
| Communication | Enhanced USART, MSSP (I2C/SPI), CLC |
| Low-Power Mode | nanoWatt XLP, nA-range sleep currents |
| MSL Level | 1 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Yes |
PIC16LF1829T-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5/MCLR — I/O pin RA5 / Master Clear (Reset) input |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — I/O pin RA0 / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — I/O pin RA1 / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — I/O pin RA2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — I/O pin RA3 |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — I/O pin RA4 |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — I/O pin RA5 (shared with MCLR) |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — I/O pin RA7 |
| Pin 10 | RA6 — I/O pin RA6 |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — I/O pin RC0 |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — I/O pin RC1 |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — I/O pin RC2 |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — I/O pin RC3 |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — I/O pin RC4 |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — I/O pin RC5 |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — I/O pin RC6 |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — I/O pin RC7 |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 20 | EP — Exposed thermal pad - tie to VSS for thermal dissipation |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1829T-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Capacitive Touch User Interface, Wearable Health/Fitness Device, Battery-Operated Remote Control, Smart Home Sensor Hub, White-Goods / Appliance Front Panel.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF1829T-I/ML is ideal for IoT sensor nodes that spend most of their life asleep. Its nanoWatt XLP sleep current (typical <30 nA with WDT enabled) and 1.8-3.6V supply range let it run for 1-3 years on a single CR2032 coin cell. The 14KB Flash hosts TinyOS-style state machines or vendor BLE-stack companions, while the 10-bit ADC2 with computation and CLC blocks perform threshold detection without waking the CPU. Compared to an ARM Cortex-M0+, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML draws less wake-up energy per ADC scan, which directly translates to lower average power for periodic temperature, humidity, or PIR occupancy sensing.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface
For front-panel touch buttons, sliders, or sealed keypads, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML ships Microchip's free mTouch library which uses the on-chip charge-time measurement unit (CTMU) to scan up to 12 touch channels. The 32MHz CPU executes touch scans in microseconds, and the 14KB Flash comfortably holds buttons, sliders, and debounce state machines. Designers use the CLC and PWM peripherals to drive LED backlight feedback without CPU intervention. Compared to mechanical switches, the part supports sealed plastic overlays and proximity wake, reducing BOM cost and improving industrial-design freedom.
Recommended
Wearable Health/Fitness Device
Wearables need low average power, small PCB area, and a tight BOM. The PIC16LF1829T-I/ML's 4x4 mm QFN footprint fits easily under a coin-cell clip, and the 1.8V minimum VDD supports direct Li-ion or 2x alkaline operation without a boost regulator. Heart-rate, pulse-oximetry, or motion-sensor sampling is offloaded to the ADC2 with DMA-style computation; the CLC triggers an interrupt only when a threshold is exceeded. Compared to a 32-bit ARM MCU, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML reduces sleep current by 50-70% in equivalent sensor-poll firmware, extending battery life on small-form-factor wristbands or patches.
Recommended
Battery-Operated Remote Control
TV/set-top-box remote controls demand years of standby life on 2x AAA cells. The PIC16LF1829T-I/ML's deep-sleep current in the nA range and 5-10 us wake-up time to interrupt-driven IR transmission make it ideal for IR/RF remote control firmware. The 1KB SRAM holds key-press debounce state and IR protocol tables; the 14KB Flash accommodates NEC, RC5, and RC6 protocol stacks plus custom button mappings. Compared to legacy 8051 designs, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML cuts standby current and adds mTouch support, enabling touch-sensitive remote panels without external touch ICs.
Recommended
Smart Home Sensor Hub
Smart-home sensors (door/window contact, leak, occupancy, temperature) use the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML as a low-cost front-end MCU that scans sensors, debounces alarms, and reports events to a BLE/Zigbee host. The MSSP peripheral (I2C/SPI) drives external sensors; the EUSART serves low-level UART for legacy sub-1GHz radios. With 1.8V-3.6V operation, the part runs directly from coin cell or 2x AAA without a regulator. Compared to a 32-bit Cortex-M0 host running full BLE, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML reduces BOM cost while maintaining multi-year battery life in always-listening sensor nodes.
Recommended
White-Goods / Appliance Front Panel
Washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens need reliable user interface, motor control feedback, and long field-life. The PIC16LF1829T-I/ML's 10-bit ADC2 senses motor current, temperature, and water level; its PWM modules drive relays, buzzers, and triac-controlled heater elements. The 20-QFN footprint enables compact front-panel PCBs. Compared to more expensive 32-bit MCUs, the PIC16LF1829T-I/ML delivers adequate computational throughput at a lower price point, while Microchip's longevity program (15+ years supply) supports the long life-cycle requirements of appliance manufacturers.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1829T-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF1829-I/ML | PIC16LF1828T-I/ML | PIC16F1829T-I/ML | PIC16F1828T-I/ML | PIC16LF1769-I/ML | PIC16LF1559T-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML | 20-QFN (4x4) /ML |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB | 14 KB | 8 KB | 14 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 7 KB |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 256 B | 1 KB | 256 B | 1 KB | 256 B |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (F) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (F) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Touch Peripheral (mTouch) | Yes (mTouch CTMU) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Limited |
Key Differentiators
- Maximum Flash and SRAM at the lowest cost in the 20-QFN XLP family (vs PIC16LF1828T-I/ML)
- Lower minimum VDD than the F-variant for direct coin-cell operation (vs PIC16F1829T-I/ML)
- mTouch capacitive touch sensing integrated on-chip (vs PIC16LF1769-I/ML)
Design Notes
Estimated: typical XLP deep-sleep current at 1.8V with WDT enabled is around 30 nA per the Microchip PIC16F/LF1829 datasheet 40001775D. To minimize sleep current, disable unused peripherals via PMD registers, switch to the LFINTOSC or 31 kHz secondary oscillator, and avoid floating I/O pins (configure as output or enable weak pull-up). Verify IDD across temperature on first prototypes because sleep current can rise 2-3x at +85C.
The QFN-20 /ML package has an exposed thermal pad (EP) on the underside that must be soldered to a PCB pad of at least the same size, tied to VSS for both thermal dissipation and ground reference. Skip the EP and the part may still work, but reflow profiles become unreliable and junction temperature rises ~20% for the same load. Use a 0.5 mm pitch land pattern and follow Microchip's app note AN139 for stencil aperture recommendations.
Do not leave pin 1 (RA5/MCLR) floating - it acts as the active-low reset input and must be pulled up to VDD via a 10 kohm resistor for normal operation. MCLR is also the high-voltage programming entry point; the pull-up does not interfere with ICSP. Common failure mode: leaving MCLR floating causes the MCU to randomly reset in noisy environments (relay contact bounce, motor EMI).
For capacitive touch sensing via mTouch, keep the touch sensor traces short, surrounded by a ground hatch, and avoid routing across noisy signals. The CTMU measures charge time of microampere currents; even 50 mV of noise on the supply or sensor trace can mis-trigger the threshold. Place a 100 nF ceramic bypass on VDD as close as possible to the IC, plus a 10 uF bulk cap on the battery line.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and lead-free per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC16F/LF1829-E automotive variants for automotive applications.
