PIC18F44K20T-I/MV - 8-bit 16KB Flash MCU 64MHz UQFN-40 | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F44K20T-I/MV ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.2 | $5.20 |
| 10 | $4.68 | $46.80 |
| 100 | $4.16 | $416.00 |
| 500 | $3.74 | $1,870.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.32 | $3,320.00 |
PIC18F44K20T-I/MV Overview
An 8-bit PIC microcontroller (MCU) is a Harvard-architecture microcontroller based on an enhanced RISC instruction set. PIC18 is the high-end 8-bit family from Microchip, positioned above PIC10/12/16 in code size and peripheral richness. Within the embedded system hierarchy, PIC MCUs sit under: PIC18 family -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. They are commonly used in cost-sensitive applications that require deterministic real-time control and low power consumption.
Key features include 16 KB Flash (8K x 16 words), 768-byte data RAM, 256-byte EEPROM, 35 I/O, internal RC oscillator selectable from 31 kHz to 16 MHz, 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels, two analog comparators, Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU), and three 16-bit timers. The nanoWatt XLP technology enables sleep currents down to the nanoampere range and active currents in the microampere range, which is critical for battery-powered designs. The MV suffix designates the 40-pin UQFN (5x5 mm) package with an exposed thermal pad.
Architecturally, the device uses an enhanced PIC18 Harvard core with a hardware multiplier and a 16-bit instruction word, delivering up to 16 MIPS at 64 MHz. Wide operating voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V typical, with extended 1.8 V - 5.5 V variant for K-series parts) and flexible oscillator options (internal 16 MHz / 31 kHz / PLL) allow operation from a single Li-Ion cell or 2x AA cells. The integrated CTMU enables capacitive touch sensing without external components.
Typical applications include battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, consumer electronics remote controls, low-power metering, capacitive touch keypads, USB HID peripherals (when paired with a USB transceiver), and industrial control modules where deterministic 8-bit performance is sufficient. Designers should match the MV (UQFN-40) land pattern exactly when substituting to maintain pinout compatibility. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from the PIC18F family, and practical design notes not found on the manufacturer overview page.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F44K20T-I/MV — 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 PIC18F44K20T-I/MV (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core, Package, Program Memory (Flash), RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F44K20-I/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F44K22T-I/MV
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.71 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F45K20T-I/MV
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F46K20T-I/MV
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$3.08 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F43K20T-I/MV
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.59 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F44K20T-I/MV Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC18F2XK20 / PIC18F4XK20 |
| Core | PIC18 (8-bit RISC, Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 16 KB (8K x 16) |
| Data RAM | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Number of I/O | 35 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 14 channels |
| Timers | 3 x 16-bit, 2 x 8-bit |
| Comparators | 2 analog comparators |
| CTMU | Yes (capacitive touch / time measurement) |
| Communication | EUSART, MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Internal Oscillator | 31 kHz - 16 MHz selectable |
| Package | 40-pin UQFN exposed pad (MV), 5 x 5 mm |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP (ultra-low power) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per Microchip product page) |
PIC18F44K20T-I/MV Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 3 |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — Digital I/O (open-drain option) |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 4 |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 10 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 11 | RB0/INT0 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 0 |
| Pin 12 | RB1/INT1 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 13 | RB2/INT2 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 2 |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 18 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O / ICSP data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 29 | RE0/RD — Digital I/O (port E bit 0) |
| Pin 30 | RE1/WR — Digital I/O (port E bit 1) |
| Pin 31 | RE2/CS — Digital I/O (port E bit 2) |
| Pin 32 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 33 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 34 | RF1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 35 | RF2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 36 | RF3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 37 | RF4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 38 | RF5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 39 | RF6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 40 | RF7 — Digital I/O |
Typical Applications
PIC18F44K20T-I/MV is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Capacitive Touch Keypads, Industrial Control Modules, Consumer Remote Controls, Low-Power Metering (Water/Gas/Electric), USB HID / Peripheral Bridges (with External Transceiver).
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC18F44K20T-I/MV is well suited to battery-powered wireless sensor nodes that must run for years on a single Li-Ion or 2x AA cell. Its nanoWatt XLP technology delivers sleep currents in the nanoampere range and active currents in the microampere range, allowing duty-cycled operation where the MCU wakes briefly to read a sensor and transmit, then returns to deep sleep. The internal 16 MHz / 31 kHz RC oscillator eliminates an external crystal, further reducing BOM cost and quiescent draw. With 16 KB Flash and 768 B RAM the device has comfortable headroom for small sensor stacks and over-the-air firmware update stubs. Pair it with a sub-GHz or BLE transceiver whose enable/shutdown pins are driven by MCU I/O for maximum system-level power savings.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch Keypads
The integrated Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) makes the PIC18F44K20T-I/MV a strong fit for capacitive touch keypads, sliders, and proximity sensors without dedicated touch hardware. The CTMU uses a constant-current source and the ADC to measure capacitance to sub-picofarad resolution, supporting 10+ touch electrodes on the 35 available I/O. Combined with nanoWatt XLP sleep modes, a touch keypad can poll electrodes intermittently and wake the system only on touch, drawing well under 1 uA average. The 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels also supports adjacent analog functions like temperature or ambient-light sensing, enabling a single-MCU HMI front panel.
Recommended
Industrial Control Modules
Industrial control modules such as relay drivers, small PLC expansion I/O, and sensor conditioners benefit from the PIC18F44K20T-I/MV's deterministic 8-bit core, 64 MHz performance, and extended industrial -40C to +85C temperature range. Its 35 digital I/O pins and three 16-bit timers enable multi-axis timing control, while the 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels handles analog sensor inputs directly. The wide 1.8 V to 3.6 V operating range supports 3.3 V industrial rails, and the internal oscillator plus PLL removes the need for external clocking components in noisy factory environments. Designers commonly use the MSSP (SPI/I2C) port to interface to digital sensors and the EUSART for RS-485 / RS-232 communication.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Controls
The PIC18F44K20T-I/MV is a natural fit for IR/RF remote controls, smart-home key fobs, and consumer handheld controllers where low cost and ultra-low standby current are essential. With nanoWatt XLP technology the device can sit in sleep mode drawing under 100 nA until a button-press interrupt wakes it for transmission. The internal oscillator, on-chip EEPROM (256 bytes) for storing pairing codes and learned states, and 35 I/O for matrix-scanned keypads eliminate multiple external components. The compact 5x5 mm UQFN package keeps the PCB footprint minimal, and the 16 KB Flash is plenty for protocol stacks like NEC, RC5, or simple proprietary RF codes.
Recommended
Low-Power Metering (Water/Gas/Electric)
Metering applications - water, gas, and electric utility meters - demand long battery life, accurate analog measurement, and reliable EEPROM-backed data retention, all of which the PIC18F44K20T-I/MV delivers. The 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels captures analog sensor data (Hall sensors, shunt resistors, thermistors) with adequate resolution for metrology-grade accuracy in low-end meters, while the 256-byte on-chip EEPROM provides non-volatile storage for tamper flags, calibration, and accumulated usage data. nanoWatt XLP sleep modes extend battery life to 10+ years on a single Li-Ion cell, and the UQFN-40 package fits inside small meter enclosures with a minimal PCB footprint.
Recommended
USB HID / Peripheral Bridges (with External Transceiver)
Although the PIC18F44K20T-I/MV does not include a native USB peripheral, it can still serve as a low-cost USB HID or peripheral bridge by pairing with an external USB transceiver such as the MCP2200 or MCP2221. The MCU's EUSART provides the UART interface to the transceiver, while the 16 KB Flash and 768 B RAM are sufficient for HID report formatting, button mapping, and small protocol stacks. This architecture is popular for custom USB keyboards, mice, industrial configuration tools, and debugging bridges where the BOM must remain under USD 5. The UQFN-40 package keeps the board size minimal for dongle-style form factors.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F44K20T-I/MV — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F44K20-I/MV | PIC18F44K22T-I/MV | PIC18F45K20T-I/MV | PIC18F46K20T-I/MV | PIC18F43K20T-I/MV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm - same | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm - same | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm - same | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm - same | 40-pin UQFN (MV), 5x5 mm - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 16 KB |
| Data RAM | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 1536 bytes | 3896 bytes | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 1024 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Max CPU Speed | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V - 3.6 V | 1.8 V - 3.6 V | 1.8 V - 3.6 V | 1.8 V - 3.6 V | 1.8 V - 3.6 V | 1.8 V - 3.6 V |
| Number of I/O | 35 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 33 |
| nanoWatt XLP Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Packaging Format | Tape & Reel | Tube | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Largest same-package Flash density in its price tier (vs PIC18F43K20T-I/MV (same UQFN-40))
- Smaller UQFN-40 footprint vs QFN-44 variants (vs PIC18F44K20T-I/ML (QFN-44))
- nanoWatt XLP technology reduces sleep current to nanoampere range (vs Non-XLP PIC18 legacy parts)
- Direct Tape & Reel packaging for SMT production (vs PIC18F44K20-I/MV (Tube))
Design Notes
Take advantage of nanoWatt XLP sleep modes (Sleep, Deep Sleep, and Retention Sleep) to extend battery life in IoT applications. Estimated: at 3.3 V VDD, deep-sleep current is typically under 100 nA with RTC and watchdog timer running. Configure unused peripherals to OFF before entering sleep to minimize leakage, and use the internal LFINTOSC (31 kHz) as the WDT clock source to keep watchdog power budget near the nanoampere range.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD pin and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the main supply rail. The UQFN-40 exposed thermal pad (EP) on the bottom of the package MUST be soldered to a large copper pour connected to VSS for mechanical reliability and thermal dissipation. Without the EP soldered, the device can overheat at 64 MHz full load, and board-level reliability will suffer.
Keep traces to the ICSP clock (PGC, RB6) and data (PGD, RB7) pins short and away from switching signals to ensure stable in-circuit programming. The MCLR pin requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF capacitor to ground for reset signal integrity; do not connect MCLR directly to VDD without the capacitor, as this can prevent reliable reset during power-up. For high-noise industrial environments, add a TVS diode on MCLR.
Do not assume the internal 16 MHz oscillator is accurate enough for UART communications; for EUSART baud rates above 9600 bps, configure the auto-baud feature or use an external crystal. Also, the MSSP module in SPI mode requires the TRIS bits of the SDI pin to be set correctly before enabling the peripheral, or the first received byte will be lost. Finally, when migrating from PIC18F44K20 to PIC18F44K22, double-check ADC configuration registers - they were reorganized in the newer silicon.
Estimated: at 64 MHz CPU clock, internal and external bus edges have rise times of ~5 ns. Keep analog input traces (AN0-AN13) short and guarded with a ground trace on each side to prevent digital switching noise from coupling into ADC measurements. For best ADC accuracy, use the dedicated AVdd/AVss pins (when available in package variants) or a heavily-decoupled Vdd rail and place the MCU in Sleep mode during ADC conversion to eliminate digital switching noise.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. The -I suffix indicates industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C). Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive, choose the PIC18F46K80 family.
