PIC18F14K50T-I/SO - 8-bit USB MCU, 16KB Flash, 48MHz, 20-SOIC | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F14K50T-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.55 | $25.50 |
| 100 | $2.25 | $225.00 |
| 500 | $1.95 | $975.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.7 | $1,700.00 |
PIC18F14K50T-I/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a programmable system-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU core, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and a rich set of digital and analog peripherals. PIC microcontrollers, in particular, use a RISC-based Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, which gives them deterministic instruction timing and very low interrupt latency. The PIC18 family extends this architecture to 16-bit opcodes, higher peripheral integration, and C-friendly programming. Low-cost MCUs with integrated USB have become foundational building blocks for HID, CDC/ACM, and custom-USB devices because they eliminate external PHY and interface glue.
Key features of the PIC18F14K50 include 16 KB (8K x 16) self-programmable Flash, 768 bytes RAM, 256 bytes EEPROM, 15 digital I/O, 10-bit ADC with up to 11 channels, enhanced USART, MSSP (SPI/I2C) and a full-speed USB 2.0 peripheral that supports device-only operation with internal pull-ups. The nanoWatt XLP technology provides ultra-low sleep current in the nanoampere range, making the device well suited for battery-powered and energy-harvesting designs.
The architecture uses a modified Harvard core with a 16-bit instruction word and a hardware multiply unit, achieving up to 16 MIPS at 48 MHz. The integrated USB peripheral includes an internal 3.3V regulator for the D+/D- transceivers and supports auto clock switching from a high-frequency oscillator to a low-power 31 kHz source when host disconnect is detected - a feature explicitly designed for bus-powered and battery-aware USB applications.
Typical applications include low-cost USB HID peripherals, USB-to-UART bridges (CDC class), capacitive touch user interfaces using mTouch, sensor readout front-ends, hobbyist and maker projects (Arduino-compatible toolchains), industrial sensor nodes and any space-constrained design that needs USB connectivity without an external PHY.
When designing with this part, place the USB D+/D- traces as a 90 ohm differential pair and add the recommended 0.1 uF decoupling near VDD, plus a bulk capacitor on the internal 3.3V regulator output. For sleep-mode designs, verify the wake-up source and WDT configuration, since nanoWatt XLP currents assume specific oscillator and peripheral states.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the bare manufacturer datasheet, including parametric comparison with the PIC18F13K50, PIC18F14K22, PIC18LF14K50, and PIC18F14K50-I/SO variants.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F14K50T-I/SO — 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 PIC18F14K50T-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core, Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F14K50-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F13K50T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F13K50-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F14K22T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F14K50T-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC18 (8-bit, 16-bit opcodes, Harvard) |
| Program Memory | 16 KB Flash (8K x 16) |
| RAM | 768 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 48 MHz (up to 16 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (F) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial, "I") |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device, internal 3.3V regulator |
| Digital I/O | 15 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 11 channels |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/3) |
| Communication | EUSART, MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Capacitive Touch | mTouch supported |
| Package | 20-pin SOIC (SO), 7.5 mm body |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP |
| ICSP/ICD | In-Circuit Serial Programming / In-Circuit Debug |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18F14K50T-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA5 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 4 | RA3/MCLR — Digital I/O / Master Clear (reset) |
| Pin 5 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 6 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 7 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 8 | RC6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 9 | RC7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | RB7 — Digital I/O / ICSP PGD |
| Pin 11 | RB6 — Digital I/O / ICSP PGC |
| Pin 12 | RB5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RB4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RC1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | D+ — USB D+ data line |
| Pin 17 | D- — USB D- data line |
| Pin 18 | VUSB3V3 — Internal USB 3.3V regulator output (decouple) |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 20 | RA0 — Digital I/O / analog input |
Typical Applications
PIC18F14K50T-I/SO is suitable for 7 applications: USB HID Human-Interface Devices, USB CDC / Virtual COM Port Bridges, mTouch Capacitive Touch Interfaces, Industrial Sensor Nodes, Maker / Arduino-Compatible Projects, Battery-Powered USB Dongles, Custom USB Vendor-Class Devices.
USB HID Human-Interface Devices
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO is purpose-built for USB HID peripherals because its integrated USB 2.0 full-speed device peripheral eliminates external PHY chips. Engineers can implement keyboards, mice, game controllers, custom joysticks, presenter remotes and HID-class sensors with only the MCU plus a USB connector and decoupling caps. The 48 MHz core delivers 16 MIPS, which is comfortable for HID polling at 1 kHz plus application logic, and the 16 KB Flash accommodates Microchip's free USB stack with report descriptor parsing, while the 768 B RAM covers ring buffers and protocol state.
Recommended
USB CDC / Virtual COM Port Bridges
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO excels as a USB-to-UART bridge implementing the CDC/ACM class, presenting itself as a virtual COM port on a host PC. Its EUSART peripheral handles the UART side at up to 5 Mbps, while the integrated USB peripheral handles the USB-CDC endpoint. Compared to an external CP2102 or FT232, this approach reduces BOM cost and gives the firmware full control over enumeration, VID/PID, and class descriptors. Firmware size for CDC plus CDC event handlers fits easily in the 16 KB Flash, leaving headroom for protocol converters, GPIO-driven control signals, or bootloaders.
Recommended
mTouch Capacitive Touch Interfaces
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO supports Microchip's mTouch capacitive touch sensing library through its CTMU peripheral and analog comparator, making it suitable for touch buttons, sliders and proximity sensors. The 10-bit ADC with up to 11 channels handles touch channel scanning and the integrated USB allows touch events to be reported over USB HID directly to a host, eliminating dedicated touch-controller ICs. With nanoWatt XLP sleep currents in the nanoampere range, battery-powered touch interfaces can sustain months of standby on a single coin cell.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Nodes
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO fits industrial sensor-node applications needing local ADC conversion, USB-based configuration, and robust operation from -40C to +85C. Its 10-bit ADC with up to 11 channels accepts low-level analog signals from RTDs, thermistors, 4-20 mA current loops and bridge sensors, while the EUSART and MSSP connect to RS-485 transceivers, SPI sensors and I2C peripherals. USB enables field configuration and firmware updates via Microchip's bootloader, reducing the need for dedicated programming connectors on field-deployed units.
Recommended
Maker / Arduino-Compatible Projects
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO is supported by Microchip's MPLAB X IDE, the XC8 compiler, and hobbyist-friendly tools including the open-source Pinguino and PIC18-USB frameworks. The part is Arduino-shaped in functionality (USB device + ADC + digital I/O) and its 20-pin SOIC is breadboard-friendly with a SOIC-to-DIP adapter. Compared to an ATmega32U4 (the classic Arduino Leonardo MCU), the K50 brings modern nanoWatt XLP power management, USB device peripheral, and easier-to-source tooling, making it a viable open-source hardware workhorse.
Recommended
Battery-Powered USB Dongles
The PIC18F14K50T-I/SO enables USB dongle-style designs that can run from a small Li-Ion or coin-cell battery thanks to its 1.8V to 5.5V operating range and nanoWatt XLP technology. The USB peripheral can auto-switch clock sources between HS-INTOSC (48 MHz, active USB) and a 31 kHz low-power oscillator (USB suspended), saving power when the host disconnects. Typical use cases include wireless configuration dongles, secure key tokens, USB-based diagnostic probes, and compact measurement instruments that draw sub-microamp standby currents.
Recommended
Custom USB Vendor-Class Devices
For engineers needing a non-standard USB endpoint configuration - bulk transfer streams, vendor-class protocols, DFU bootloaders - the PIC18F14K50T-I/SO gives full control through Microchip's free USB stack. Bulk endpoints at 64-byte packets suit audio streaming, signal acquisition, debug probes and proprietary command interfaces. The integrated 3.3V USB regulator removes the need for an external LDO, reducing board space in compact designs. With 16 KB Flash, the part accommodates bulk transfer firmware plus protocol layers for control, status and data transfer.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F14K50T-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F14K50-I/SO | PIC18F13K50T-I/SO | PIC18F13K50-I/SO | PIC18F14K22T-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-pin SOIC | 20-pin SOIC - same | 20-pin SOIC - same | 20-pin SOIC - same | 20-pin SOIC - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | PIC18 (8-bit) | PIC18 (8-bit) | PIC18 (8-bit) | PIC18 (8-bit) | PIC18 (8-bit) |
| Max CPU Frequency | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 64 MHz |
| Program Flash | 16 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB |
| RAM | 768 B | 768 B | 768 B | 768 B | 512 B |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device | None (no USB) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 11 channels | 10-bit, up to 11 channels | 10-bit, up to 9 channels | 10-bit, up to 9 channels | 10-bit, up to 9 channels |
| I/O Pins | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 17 |
| mTouch Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Only PIC18F1XK50 family part with 16 KB Flash in 20-pin SOIC (vs PIC18F13K50T-I/SO)
- Integrated USB 2.0 peripheral (vs PIC18F14K22T-I/SO)
- Industrial -40C to +85C temperature range (vs PIC18F14K50-I/SO)
Design Notes
Route USB D+ and D- as a 90 ohm differential pair from the MCU pins 16 and 17 to the USB connector, keeping traces matched within 1 mm. Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to pin 1 (VDD) and another on pin 18 (VUSB3V3) since the internal 3.3V regulator output must be bypassed per Microchip datasheet DS41350C.
For USB-powered designs, leave the VUSB3V3 regulator output pin with a 0.1 uF + 4.7 uF ceramic bypass as recommended by the datasheet. When running from a 3.3V system supply, VUSB3V3 can be tied to VDD directly, but in 5V designs the internal regulator MUST be used to drop voltage to 3.3V for the USB transceiver, otherwise USB signaling will be out of spec.
Do not skip the Microchip USB stack configuration - the firmware MUST enable the on-chip USB pull-up resistor and configure the USB clock source correctly. The 48 MHz HS-INTOSC requires the PLL enabled when the system clock source is internal. Mistakenly running the CPU from the 31 kHz low-power oscillator during USB enumeration will cause USB enumeration failure on the host.
For mTouch capacitive sensing, place the touch electrode traces away from switching signals and add a ground pour around touch pads. Use the CTMU peripheral with the datasheet-recommended current source configuration; deviation can cause touch sensitivity drift over temperature, requiring software compensation per Microchip AN1250.
Use a four-layer PCB with a dedicated ground plane for production designs. The 20-pin SOIC has 0.05 inch (1.27 mm) pitch - routed with 0.2 mm traces and 0.2 mm clearance on outer layers - leaving the inner layers as ground and power planes. This reduces EMI susceptibility for the USB differential pair and improves mTouch noise immunity.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - the K50 family targets commercial/industrial applications; AEC-Q100 variants use different part numbers. Lead-free and halogen-free per Microchip environmental compliance documentation.
