PIC18F2610-E/SP - 8-bit PIC MCU, 64KB Flash, 20MHz, 28-SPDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F2610-E/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.41 | $5.41 |
| 10 | $4.87 | $48.70 |
| 100 | $4.32 | $432.00 |
| 500 | $3.78 | $1,890.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.46 | $3,460.00 |
PIC18F2610-E/SP Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU core, program memory (Flash/ROM), data memory (RAM), and programmable peripherals. The PIC18 family uses an enhanced RISC architecture with a 16-bit instruction word and 8-bit data path, optimized for deterministic real-time control. Microcontrollers sit at the top of embedded hierarchies - within a system they replace discrete logic, supervise sensors, and execute application firmware. The PIC18F2610 belongs to Microchip's mid-range PIC18 product line, offering the best price/performance ratio in the industry for Flash-based 8-bit MCUs.
Key features of the PIC18F2610 include nanoWatt Technology for power-managed operation, an integrated 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), up to 2 Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules on 28-pin variants, a Master Synchronous Serial Port (MSSP) supporting SPI (all four modes) and I2C, plus enhanced USART for asynchronous and synchronous serial communication. The architecture supports hardware multiplier and a 32 kHz secondary oscillator for low-power Real-Time Clock (RTC) operation.
The PIC18F2610 is built on an enhanced Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, enabling simultaneous instruction fetch and data access. Its 16-bit instructions and 8-bit data path provide efficient code density for C and assembly, while the deterministic instruction timing simplifies real-time scheduling. nanoWatt Technology adds multiple idle and sleep modes (Idle, Sleep, and multiple low-power RC oscillator modes) that reduce quiescent current to microamp levels.
Typical applications include industrial control, sensor interfacing, motor control, low-power embedded instrumentation, and consumer appliances. With 64 KB Flash and 25 I/O lines, the PIC18F2610 fits mid-complexity firmware workloads needing precise timing and robust peripheral integration.
When designing with this MCU, ensure the VDD/VSS decoupling network places 100 nF ceramic capacitors as close as possible to each power pin, and reserve a 10 uF bulk capacitor on the main supply rail. Configure the configuration bits (fuses) carefully during programming - an incorrect oscillator or watchdog setting is the leading cause of 'dead' PIC18 boards on first power-up.
This page synthesizes distributor stock data, drop-in PIC18 family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, enabling faster sourcing decisions for 8-bit embedded designs.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F2610-E/SP — 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 PIC18F2610-E/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Timers, ADC, Communication.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F2610-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2510-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2515-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2520-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2523-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2585-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.02 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2550-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2610-E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC18 RISC (Enhanced Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended, -E suffix) |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (Skinny Plastic DIP, 0.300 inch / 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| CCP Modules | Up to 2 (28-pin device) |
| MSSP | SPI (all 4 modes) and I2C |
| USART | Enhanced (AUSART) - async/sync |
| I/O Sink/Source Current | 25 mA / 25 mA per pin |
| Power-Saving Modes | nanoWatt Technology (Idle, Sleep, low-power RC oscillator) |
| Instruction Word | 16-bit |
| Data Path | 8-bit |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC18F2610-E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (Reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Digital I/O / analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O / analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — Digital I/O / analog input / ADC Vref- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O / analog input / ADC Vref+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Digital I/O / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — Digital I/O / analog input / SPI Slave Select |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal oscillator input / external clock |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T13CKI — Digital I/O / Timer1 oscillator output / clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Digital I/O / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Digital I/O / SPI SCK / I2C SCL |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Digital I/O / SPI SDI / I2C SDA |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O / SPI SDO |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK — Digital I/O / USART TX / clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT — Digital I/O / USART RX / data |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 19 | VDD — +5 V supply |
| Pin 20 | RB0/INT0 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 0 |
| Pin 21 | RB1/INT1 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 22 | RB2/INT2 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 2 |
| Pin 23 | RB3/CCP2 — Digital I/O / CCP2 alt pin |
| Pin 24 | RB4 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 25 | RB5/PGM — Digital I/O / LVP programming |
| Pin 26 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O / ICD clock |
| Pin 27 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O / ICD data |
| Pin 28 | AVDD — Analog supply (+5 V) |
Typical Applications
PIC18F2610-E/SP is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Process Control, Sensor Interfacing Hubs, Low-Power Embedded Instrumentation, Motor Control and PWM Driver, Consumer Appliance Controllers, Automotive Body Electronics, Educational and Prototyping Platforms.
Industrial Process Control
The PIC18F2610-E/SP fits industrial process control applications thanks to its 64 KB Flash firmware capacity, 20 MHz CPU speed, and -40C to +125C Extended temperature grade. The 10-bit ADC and 25 I/O pins let it read 4-20 mA loop sensors, drive optocouplers, and switch 24 V relay coils via the 25 mA source/sink drivers. Its deterministic 16-bit instruction set enables precise PID loop timing at sub-millisecond intervals. Place the MCU inside a sealed enclosure with proper ESD and surge protection; Microchip's PIC18 family is widely deployed in PLC I/O modules and HMI panels.
Recommended
Sensor Interfacing Hubs
The PIC18F2610-E/SP is well-suited as a multi-sensor interface hub: its 10-bit ADC supports up to 8 analog channels (shared with digital I/O), and the MSSP supports both SPI and I2C for digital sensors like accelerometers and temperature ICs. With 64 KB Flash it can run sensor-fusion firmware and protocol stacks. The nanoWatt idle mode keeps standby current low for battery-powered sensor nodes. Use 100 nF decoupling on each VDD/VSS pair and route analog traces away from switching signals.
Recommended
Low-Power Embedded Instrumentation
The PIC18F2610-E/SP leverages Microchip's nanoWatt Technology to deliver battery-friendly instrumentation: Sleep mode draws microamp-level current, while the 32 kHz secondary oscillator enables RTC operation without waking the main CPU. Engineers use it for handheld data loggers, portable environmental meters, and remote monitoring devices that must run for months on a single battery. Pair with a low-power LCD and an external sensor over I2C. The Extended temperature grade suits outdoor and cold-storage deployments.
Recommended
Motor Control and PWM Driver
The PIC18F2610-E/SP provides two CCP modules generating PWM signals to drive brushed DC motors, small stepper motors, or LED dimming channels at frequencies up to 20 MHz. The 25 mA sink/source I/O pins can directly drive optocoupler or low-side MOSFET gates, while the 10-bit ADC reads back current-sense shunts for closed-loop control. The deterministic instruction timing simplifies commutation logic in sensored BLDC firmware. Add 1N4148 flyback diodes on inductive loads to protect I/O pins.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Controllers
Consumer appliances such as coffee machines, washing machines, and kitchen hoods commonly use the PIC18F2610-E/SP or its 32 KB Flash sibling PIC18F2510-E/SP. The Extended temperature grade tolerates oven-adjacent enclosures, while the 64 KB Flash supports UI state machines, EEPROM emulation, and field-upgradeable firmware via the bootloader via USART or I2C. The 25 I/O pins drive seven-segment displays, keypads, and triac-based AC load controls via MOC30xx optocouplers. Use a separate +5 V linear regulator to isolate MCU from relay switching noise.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
While the PIC18F2610-E/SP itself is not AEC-Q100 qualified, the -E Extended temperature grade makes it suitable for non-safety automotive body electronics such as interior lighting, mirror controllers, and HVAC blend-door actuators (when system-level AEC-Q100 qualification is not required). The 25 mA sink/source drivers directly switch 12 V bulbs via MOSFETs. For under-hood or safety-critical modules, choose the AEC-Q100-qualified PIC18F25K80-I/SO successor from the Site MPN list instead.
Recommended
Educational and Prototyping Platforms
The PIC18F2610-E/SP is a staple in university embedded-systems courses because it is easy to breadboard (28-pin SPDIP fits standard 0.3 inch DIP sockets), inexpensive to replace, and programmable with low-cost PICkit 3/4/5 or Snap programmers. MPLAB X IDE supports it with free XC8 compilers. The 64 KB Flash comfortably fits textbook examples including RTOS kernels, peripheral libraries, and capstone projects. Students should keep configuration-bit registers consistent with the chosen oscillator mode to avoid 'bricked' boards on first power-up.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F2610-E/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F2610-I/SP | PIC18F2510-E/SP | PIC18F2515-E/SP | PIC18F2520-E/SP | PIC18F2550-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | SPDIP-28 | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 48 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| CCP Modules | 2 (CCP1 + CCP2) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 (plus USB) |
| USB Peripheral | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (USB 2.0 FS) |
| CAN Module | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Supply Voltage | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Clock Speed (max) | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz (48 MHz for USB) |
Key Differentiators
- 64 KB Flash in 28-pin SPDIP for firmware-rich mid-range designs (vs PIC18F2510-E/SP)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade in 28-pin SPDIP (vs PIC18F2610-I/SP)
- Through-hole SPDIP-28 for breadboard-friendly prototyping and field-replaceable assemblies (vs PIC18F2610-E/SO (SOIC-28))
Design Notes
Decoupling is critical on PIC18F2610-E/SP boards. Place a 100 nF X7R ceramic capacitor within 3 mm of each VDD pin (pin 19 and pin 28/AVDD) and pair each with a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the main +5 V rail. For battery-powered designs, route the +5 V supply through a low-dropout regulator (such as MCP1700) to extend battery life. A ferrite bead on AVDD improves ADC noise performance.
Configuration bits (fuses) are the most common source of 'dead' PIC18 boards on first power-up. Always set CONFIG1H for the correct oscillator mode (HS, XT, RC, or INTIO), disable the watchdog timer unless intentionally required, and set CONFIG4L to disable LVP (low-voltage programming) if you are using high-voltage MCLR programming. The configuration bits are written during programming and cannot be changed at runtime.
Route analog and digital signals on separate PCB layers when possible, or keep analog traces short and away from PWM lines (CCP1/CCP2) and high-current digital switching. The 10-bit ADC on PIC18F2610-E/SP achieves specified performance only when the analog source impedance is below 2.5 kohm; use an op-amp buffer if the sensor impedance exceeds this threshold. Always include a ground pour under the SPDIP package for thermal dissipation.
The PIC18F2610-E/SP I/O pins source/sink 25 mA per pin but total package current is limited to 200 mA. For multi-load designs, distribute current across multiple VDD/VSS pins (pin 19 VDD and pin 28 AVDD each require their own decoupling). When driving inductive loads, add a freewheeling diode (1N4148 for low current, MBR0540 for higher current) and never exceed the absolute maximum voltage ratings specified in the electrical characteristics table.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page; lead-free SPDIP package. The -E Extended temperature grade is NOT equivalent to AEC-Q100 qualification - this part is not qualified for automotive safety-critical applications.
