PIC18F8720T-I/PT - 8-bit 25MHz 128KB Flash MCU 80-TQFP | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F8720T-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.95 | $169.50 |
| 100 | $14.4 | $1,440.00 |
| 500 | $12.8 | $6,400.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.25 | $11,250.00 |
PIC18F8720T-I/PT Overview
What is a PIC18F microcontroller? The PIC18F family is Microchip's flagship 8-bit Enhanced FLASH MCU architecture, sitting in the hierarchy: PIC18F -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor. It uses a 16-bit instruction word with an 8-bit data path, 31-level hardware stack, hardware multiply (8x8 in one cycle), and a vectored interrupt controller with prioritized interrupts. Compared with the older PIC16F baseline family, PIC18F adds linear memory addressing, larger RAM/Flash, and richer peripherals, making it suited to connectivity-rich and human-machine-interface applications.
Key differentiating specifications of the PIC18F8720 include: 128KB self-programmable Flash (in-application programmable via ICSP), 3840 bytes SRAM, 1024 bytes EEPROM, two enhanced USARTs, one MSSP supporting both SPI master/slave and I2C master/slave, a 10-bit ADC with up to 16 channels (device-dependent), five 16-bit timer/counters, two capture/compare/PWM modules, and a 16-bit Parallel Slave Port for external memory or FPGA interfaces.
Architecturally the PIC18F8720T-I/PT uses Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, a C-compiler-optimized instruction set, and a wide operating voltage range of 4.2 V to 5.5 V. The '-I' suffix denotes the industrial temperature grade of -40C to +85C. Compared with later PIC18F K-series parts running up to 64 MHz, the PIC18F8720T-I/PT targets older designs requiring the 80-pin TQFP footprint and the legacy 5V PIC18 architecture.
Typical applications include industrial control panels, building automation gateways, embedded connectivity bridges using dual USARTs and I2C/SPI sensor stacks, instrumentation with parallel slave port to FPGAs, and legacy PIC18F8720 production boards being re-stocked for long-lifecycle industrial SKUs. The T-suffix denotes Tape & Reel packaging, so it is supplied in trays or T&R reels.
Designers should pay attention to the 4.2 V minimum VDD, the dual oscillator pins (RA6/OSC1, RA7/OSC2) supporting crystal or external clock, and the dedicated MCLR/VPP reset pin. Decoupling requires a 0.1 uF ceramic on VDD close to the package plus a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the analog supply pin (AVDD) when the ADC is used. For new designs, Microchip recommends the PIC18F K-series, but the PIC18F8720T-I/PT remains the drop-in choice for existing 80-pin TQFP layouts.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F8720T-I/PT — 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 PIC18F8720T-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Package, Operating Temperature Range, Timers, EEPROM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F8720-E/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F8720T-E/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F8627-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F8622-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F8520-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.1586 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F8720T-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18F 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 128 KB (64K x 16) |
| SRAM | 3840 bytes |
| EEPROM | 1024 bytes |
| Instruction Set Width | 16-bit |
| Data Bus Width | 8-bit |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 25 MHz (10 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial, -I suffix) |
| Digital I/O Pins | 70 |
| USART | 2x Enhanced USART (asynchronous + synchronous) |
| Synchronous Serial Port | 1x MSSP (SPI master/slave + I2C master/slave) |
| Parallel Slave Port | Yes (16-bit external bus) |
| Package | TQFP-80 (12 x 12 mm, 1 mm height) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | ROHS3 Compliant |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (T-suffix) |
| Lead Time | 4 weeks (per Microchip USA) |
PIC18F8720T-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (reset) input / programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3 — PORTA bit 3 / analog input 3 |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4 — PORTA bit 5 / analog input 4 |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD — PORTE bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port read control |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR — PORTE bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port write control |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS — PORTE bit 2 / Parallel Slave Port chip select |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.2V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / Capture/Compare/PWM 1 |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / MSSP SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port data 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port data 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / Parallel Slave Port data 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / Parallel Slave Port data 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / MSSP SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / MSSP SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX1/CK1 — PORTC bit 6 / USART1 transmit / clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX1/DT1 — PORTC bit 7 / USART1 receive / data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / Parallel Slave Port data 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / Parallel Slave Port data 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / Parallel Slave Port data 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / Parallel Slave Port data 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.2V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT0 — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt 0 |
| Pin 34 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2 / external interrupt 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/INT3 — PORTB bit 3 / external interrupt 3 |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / In-Circuit Debugger clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / In-Circuit Debugger data |
| Pin 41 | AVSS — Analog ground reference |
| Pin 42 | AVDD — Analog positive supply voltage |
| Pin 43 | RF0 — PORTF bit 0 |
| Pin 44 | RF1 — PORTF bit 1 |
| Pin 45 | RF2 — PORTF bit 2 |
| Pin 46 | RF3 — PORTF bit 3 |
| Pin 47 | RF4 — PORTF bit 4 |
| Pin 48 | RF5 — PORTF bit 5 |
| Pin 49 | RF6 — PORTF bit 6 |
| Pin 50 | RF7 — PORTF bit 7 |
| Pin 51 | RG0 — PORTG bit 0 |
| Pin 52 | RG1 — PORTG bit 1 |
| Pin 53 | RG2 — PORTG bit 2 |
| Pin 54 | RG3 — PORTG bit 3 |
| Pin 55 | RG4 — PORTG bit 4 |
| Pin 56 | RG5 — PORTG bit 5 |
| Pin 57 | RG6 — PORTG bit 6 |
| Pin 58 | RG7 — PORTG bit 7 |
| Pin 59 | RH0 — PORTH bit 0 |
| Pin 60 | RH1 — PORTH bit 1 |
| Pin 61 | RH2 — PORTH bit 2 |
| Pin 62 | RH3 — PORTH bit 3 |
| Pin 63 | RH4 — PORTH bit 4 |
| Pin 64 | RH5 — PORTH bit 5 |
| Pin 65 | RH6 — PORTH bit 6 |
| Pin 66 | RH7 — PORTH bit 7 |
| Pin 67 | RJ0 — PORTJ bit 0 |
| Pin 68 | RJ1 — PORTJ bit 1 |
| Pin 69 | RJ2 — PORTJ bit 2 |
| Pin 70 | RJ3 — PORTJ bit 3 |
| Pin 71 | RJ4 — PORTJ bit 4 |
| Pin 72 | RJ5 — PORTJ bit 5 |
| Pin 73 | RJ6 — PORTJ bit 6 |
| Pin 74 | RJ7 — PORTJ bit 7 |
| Pin 75 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.2V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 76 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 77 | TX2/CK2 — USART2 transmit / clock |
| Pin 78 | RX2/DT2 — USART2 receive / data |
| Pin 79 | RA6/OSC1 — PORTA bit 6 / alternate oscillator input |
| Pin 80 | RA7/OSC2 — PORTA bit 7 / alternate oscillator output |
Typical Applications
PIC18F8720T-I/PT is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Panels, Building Automation Gateways, Instrumentation with Parallel Slave Port, Embedded Connectivity Bridges, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Controllers, Legacy Production Restock / Field Replacements.
Industrial Control Panels
The PIC18F8720T-I/PT is well-suited for industrial control panels where its 70 I/O pins drive key-matrix scanners, LED/LCD indicators, and relay outputs. Its 128 KB Flash accommodates complex state machines and Modbus firmware, while the 4.2 V to 5.5 V supply aligns with 5V backplane rails common in industrial cabinets. The industrial -40 C to +85 C operating range survives unheated control rooms, and two Enhanced USARTs allow redundant RS-485 links to PLCs. Designers appreciate the hardware Parallel Slave Port for direct interface with industrial FPGAs handling high-speed I/O scan at sub-millisecond rates without burdening the CPU.
Recommended
Building Automation Gateways
In building automation gateways, the PIC18F8720T-I/PT acts as a protocol translator between BACnet/Modbus RTU buses and downstream wireless modules. Its dual Enhanced USARTs handle two isolated RS-485 trunks simultaneously, while the MSSP supports I2C or SPI sensors for indoor air-quality monitoring (CO2, particulate, temperature). The 3840 bytes of SRAM buffer packet bursts during Wi-Fi/BLE hand-off, and the 128 KB Flash stores both gateway firmware and Modbus register maps. The 80-pin TQFP package provides sufficient I/O for status LEDs and service buttons, and the 4.2 V minimum VDD supports Power-over-Ethernet 5V rails.
Recommended
Instrumentation with Parallel Slave Port
Bench-top instrumentation and data-acquisition front ends benefit from the PIC18F8720T-I/PT's 16-bit Parallel Slave Port (PSP), which connects directly to an FPGA or DSP without glue logic. The microcontroller handles user-interface housekeeping (keypad scan, LCD control, RS-232 command interface via USART) while the FPGA executes high-speed DSP at 50-100 MHz. With 128 KB Flash for calibration tables and 3840 bytes SRAM for command buffering, the part fits self-calibrating instruments. The two USARTs support SCPI command parsing plus isolated logging, and the -40 C to +85 C industrial range suits laboratory environments.
Recommended
Embedded Connectivity Bridges
Connectivity bridges that aggregate multiple serial sensors onto Ethernet or Wi-Fi benefit from the PIC18F8720T-I/PT's dual Enhanced USARTs plus MSSP I2C/SPI support. The 128 KB Flash holds dual-stack firmware (e.g., Modbus RTU to TCP translation with web server), and the 3840 bytes SRAM sustain Modbus request queues at 115.2 kbps. The 80-pin TQFP package gives designers sufficient I/O for SD-card data logging and 4-20 mA analog outputs via the 10-bit ADC and external DACs. The 5 V VDD directly drives RS-485 transceivers without level shifters.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Controllers
HMI panels with TFT displays and touch sensors use the PIC18F8720T-I/PT as the main controller, leveraging its 70 I/O pins to scan a 8x8 matrix keypad and drive a character or graphical LCD. The MSSP's SPI master mode interfaces with TFT controllers at up to 10 MHz, while the USART provides isolated RS-232 to industrial PLCs. With 128 KB Flash for menu structures, fonts, and Modbus command parsers, and 3840 bytes SRAM for screen buffers, the part supports rich graphical interfaces without external memory. The -40 C to +85 C industrial temperature range ensures reliable operation in factory-floor environments.
Recommended
Legacy Production Restock / Field Replacements
Long-lifecycle industrial products such as factory-floor PLCs, medical instruments, and building-management controllers often require replacement PIC18F8720T-I/PT parts years after the original production run. Microchip's lifecycle status remains Active with a 4-week lead time, and the T-suffix Tape & Reel packaging fits automated pick-and-place for contract manufacturers replacing obsolete or damaged units. The identical 80-pin TQFP pinout across the PIC18F8720 family allows direct PCB replacement without layout changes, and firmware compatibility with PIC16/PIC17 instruction sets via the manufacturer-validated migration path preserves long-term software investment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F8720T-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F8720-E/PT | PIC18F8720T-E/PT | PIC18F8627-I/PT | PIC18F8622-I/PT | PIC18F8520-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | TQFP-80 | TQFP-80 - same | TQFP-80 - same | TQFP-80 - same | TQFP-80 - same | TQFP-80 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Maximum Clock | 25 MHz (10 MIPS) | 25 MHz | 25 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| Digital I/O Pins | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| USART Count | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 + CAN | 2 | 2 |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- 128 KB Flash double the legacy PIC18F8520 (vs PIC18F8520-I/PT)
- Industrial -40 C to +85 C operating range with Tape & Reel (vs PIC18F8720T-E/PT)
- 70 I/O pins with Parallel Slave Port (vs PIC18F8622-I/PT)
Design Notes
The PIC18F8720T-I/PT requires a regulated 4.2 V to 5.5 V supply on VDD/AVDD pins (pins 11, 32, 42, 75), with VSS/AVSS grounds (pins 12, 31, 41, 76) tied to a low-impedance ground plane. Place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin and a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor near the package. AVDD should be tied to VDD with its own ferrite bead + 0.1 uF + 10 uF low-pass filter when the ADC is used, per Microchip application note AN546.
Do not program the device below 4.2 V - Flash row-write operations require VDD above the Brown-Out-Reset threshold. Always configure the BOR voltage via CONFIG2L register to ensure reliable programming. When migrating firmware from PIC18F8520 to PIC18F8720, verify that new peripheral configuration bits are cleared explicitly because the Flash doubled and some reserved bits changed. The Parallel Slave Port (PSP) on PORTE/PORTD is NOT available on pins when alternate peripherals are enabled, so design pin allocation before PCB layout.
Route the 25 MHz crystal traces (RA6/OSC1 and RA7/OSC2) symmetrically with ground guard traces to minimize EMI. Place crystal within 5 mm of OSC pins with short traces to limit capacitive loading. The ICSP pins (RB6/PGC, RB7/PGD) must be accessible on the PCB for in-circuit programming - do not place them under BGA components or behind tall connectors. Use a 4-layer PCB with continuous ground plane under the TQFP-80 footprint for thermal dissipation at industrial temperatures.
Compliance Information
ROHS3 Compliant per Microchip USA product listing. AEC-Q100 not applicable for industrial-grade MCU. Halogen-free status not explicitly listed in provided data.
