PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT - 16-bit MCU, 256KB Flash, USB, LCD | Microchip
MPN: PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.45 | $7.45 |
| 10 | $6.65 | $66.50 |
| 100 | $5.58 | $558.00 |
| 500 | $4.62 | $2,310.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.92 | $3,920.00 |
PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT Overview
What is a PIC24F microcontroller? The PIC24F is a 16-bit MCU family from Microchip built on a modified Harvard architecture with a 16-bit data path and 24-bit instruction word. Within the broader taxonomy, PIC24F belongs to "Microcontroller > 16-bit MCU > Low-Power MCU > Mixed-Signal MCU". The 'FJ' series adds wide Flash and rich peripherals for human-interface and consumer applications, while the 'GU4/GL4' sub-family extends that to OTA-capable dual-partition Flash for connected devices.
Key differentiating features include 256 KB ECC Flash supporting EEPROM emulation, 32 KB SRAM, a 69-pin I/O count, 10-bit 1.1 Msps ADC, configurable logic cells (CLC), and CIPs that offload tasks from the CPU to reduce power and code complexity. The PIC24FJ256GU408 supports sleep currents as low as sub-uA in Deep Sleep modes, enabling battery-friendly connected-product designs.
Technically, the device is manufactured on an advanced low-power CMOS process and operates from 2.0 V to 3.6 V (typical 3.3 V), with integrated voltage regulation, brown-out reset, and multiple clock sources including a 32 kHz secondary oscillator and PLL-derived 32 MHz system clock. Hardware crypto (DES/3DES/AES/SHA) and RNG accelerators are available on selected family members.
Typical applications include low-power USB peripherals, IoT sensor hubs, metering and instrumentation with LCD readouts, consumer appliances, point-of-sale terminals, and any battery-powered embedded design that needs reliable OTA firmware updates over USB.
When designing with this part, ensure your linker script reserves the alternate panel of the dual-partition Flash for safe rollback, and that the LCD bias network matches the chosen glass (4x32 typical). Use the on-board USB PHY with proper board-edge ESD protection to pass IEC 61000-4-2.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design considerations - information beyond what the manufacturer datasheet alone provides.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC24FJ256GU408-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 PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, Program Memory (Flash), USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC24FJ256GU410-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GL408-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ128GU408-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GU406-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GU405-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GL410-E/PT
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$2.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GA704-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256DA206-I/PT
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View Datasheet →PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 16-bit (Modified Harvard) |
| CPU Core | PIC24F |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 256 KB (256K x 8) with ECC and Dual Partition |
| RAM | 32 KB (32K x 8) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 69 |
| Package | 80-pin TQFP (12x12 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device/Host/OTG (integrated transceiver) |
| LCD Controller | Yes - up to 132 segments (4x32 typical) |
| ADC | 10-bit, 1.1 Msps |
| Timers | 5 x 16-bit, 1 x 32-bit |
| CCP/SCCP Modules | 9 |
| Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) | CLC, Configurable Logic, PPS, HLVD, CRC |
| Connectivity | USB, UART, SPI, I2C, PMP, CAN (on selected variants) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Automotive Grade | AEC-Q100 qualified |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0 — I/O / AN0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — I/O / AN1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — I/O / AN2 / VREF- |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — I/O / AN3 / VREF+ |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — I/O / AN4 |
| Pin 6 | RA5 — I/O / AN5 |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — I/O / OSC2 |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — I/O / OSC1 |
| Pin 9 | RB0 — I/O / PGEC1 |
| Pin 10 | RB1 — I/O / PGED1 |
| Pin 11 | RB2 — I/O / AN8 |
| Pin 12 | RB3 — I/O / AN9 |
| Pin 13 | RB4 — I/O / AN10 |
| Pin 14 | RB5 — I/O / AN11 |
| Pin 15 | RB6 — I/O / AN12 |
| Pin 16 | RB7 — I/O / AN13 |
| Pin 17 | RB8 — I/O |
| Pin 18 | RB9 — I/O |
| Pin 19 | RB10 — I/O |
| Pin 20 | RB11 — I/O |
| Pin 21 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 22 | VDD — Power supply 2.0-3.6 V |
| Pin 23 | RC0 — I/O |
| Pin 24 | RC1 — I/O |
| Pin 25 | RC2 — I/O |
| Pin 26 | RC3 — I/O |
| Pin 27 | RC4 — I/O |
| Pin 28 | RC5 — I/O |
| Pin 29 | RC6 — I/O |
| Pin 30 | RC7 — I/O |
| Pin 31 | RC8 — I/O |
| Pin 32 | RC9 — I/O |
| Pin 33 | RC10 — I/O |
| Pin 34 | RC11 — I/O |
| Pin 35 | RC12 — I/O |
| Pin 36 | RC13 — I/O |
| Pin 37 | RC14 — I/O |
| Pin 38 | RC15 — I/O |
| Pin 39 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 40 | VDD — Power supply 2.0-3.6 V |
| Pin 41 | RD0 — I/O |
| Pin 42 | RD1 — I/O |
| Pin 43 | RD2 — I/O |
| Pin 44 | RD3 — I/O |
| Pin 45 | RD4 — I/O |
| Pin 46 | RD5 — I/O |
| Pin 47 | RD6 — I/O |
| Pin 48 | RD7 — I/O |
| Pin 49 | RD8 — I/O |
| Pin 50 | RD9 — I/O |
| Pin 51 | RD10 — I/O |
| Pin 52 | RD11 — I/O |
| Pin 53 | RD12 — I/O |
| Pin 54 | RD13 — I/O |
| Pin 55 | RD14 — I/O |
| Pin 56 | RD15 — I/O |
| Pin 57 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 58 | VDD — Power supply 2.0-3.6 V |
| Pin 59 | RE0 — I/O |
| Pin 60 | RE1 — I/O |
| Pin 61 | RE2 — I/O |
| Pin 62 | RE3 — I/O |
| Pin 63 | RE4 — I/O |
| Pin 64 | RE5 — I/O |
| Pin 65 | RE6 — I/O |
| Pin 66 | RE7 — I/O |
| Pin 67 | RF0 — I/O |
| Pin 68 | RF1 — I/O |
| Pin 69 | RF2 — I/O |
| Pin 70 | RF3 — I/O |
| Pin 71 | RF4 — I/O |
| Pin 72 | RF5 — I/O |
| Pin 73 | RF6 — I/O |
| Pin 74 | RF7 — I/O |
| Pin 75 | RF8 — I/O |
| Pin 76 | RG0 — I/O |
| Pin 77 | RG1 — I/O |
| Pin 78 | RG2 — I/O |
| Pin 79 | RG3 — I/O |
| Pin 80 | MCLR — Master clear (reset) input |
Typical Applications
PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT is suitable for 6 applications: Low-Power USB Peripherals, IoT Sensor Hubs with OTA Updates, Metering and Instrumentation with LCD, Consumer Appliance HMI Controllers, Portable Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals, Battery-Powered Data Loggers.
Low-Power USB Peripherals
The PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT is ideal for low-power USB peripherals such as HID input devices, USB-to-UART bridges, USB data loggers, and powered USB sensors. Its integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG transceiver eliminates an external PHY, the 32 MHz/16 MIPS core handles USB stack + application code concurrently, and 256 KB ECC Flash + 32 KB SRAM comfortably fits USB stacks with room for application firmware. Deep Sleep mode below 1 uA enables self-powered USB devices to comply with USB suspend current limits (2.5 mA) and prolong battery life in hybrid-powered designs. The dual-partition Flash enables safe firmware updates over USB without external bootloader memory, ideal for field-deployable USB accessories.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Hubs with OTA Updates
The PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT excels as an IoT sensor hub MCU thanks to dual-partition 256 KB ECC Flash that supports safe live OTA firmware updates: while the application runs from one partition, the other can receive new firmware, then swap roles atomically. Hardware AES/SHA accelerators offload TLS/DTLS crypto from the CPU, the integrated USB OTG enables configuration + tethering, and the CIPs (CLC, Configurable Logic, PPS) let peripheral glue logic run independently of the core - lowering average current draw on battery-powered sensor nodes. 32 KB RAM is sufficient for protocol stacks (MQTT-SN, CoAP) plus sensor buffers, and 69 GPIO accommodate I2C/SPI sensor arrays, pushbuttons, and status LEDs.
Recommended
Metering and Instrumentation with LCD
The PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT's integrated LCD segment driver supports up to 132 segments (4x32), making it a natural fit for electricity/gas/water meters, handheld multimeters, industrial gauges, and medical point-of-care displays. Combined with the 10-bit 1.1 Msps ADC for sensor front-ends, 32 KB SRAM for sample averaging and calibration data, and 256 KB ECC Flash for unit-specific firmware variants, the device replaces what traditionally required an MCU plus a dedicated LCD driver. Low-power modes enable multi-year battery life in field-deployed metering, and AEC-Q100 qualification supports automotive meter applications such as EV battery monitors and HVAC panels.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance HMI Controllers
In consumer appliances - washing machines, microwave ovens, induction cooktops, and robotic vacuums - the PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT serves as the HMI + motor-control co-processor, driving segmented LCD readouts, capacitive touch buttons via the CTMU peripheral, and brushless motor feedback via the 9 CCP/SCCP modules. Its 32 MIPS throughput handles fan motor PWM, temperature PID loops, and user-interface state machines simultaneously. The 256 KB ECC Flash is large enough to support multi-language firmware variants and OTA feature packs, while the dual-partition architecture protects against bricked appliances during field updates.
Recommended
Portable Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals
Portable POS terminals benefit from the PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT's USB OTG (for host-mode PIN pad or printer attachment), hardware AES/SHA (for PCI PTS payment cryptography), dual-partition Flash (for secure certified firmware updates), and integrated LCD (for transaction displays). The 32 KB SRAM holds transaction buffers and crypto scratch memory, while the 256 KB Flash stores POS application + payment libraries. Deep Sleep modes below 1 uA extend battery life between transactions, and AEC-Q100 qualification supports in-vehicle POS systems and mobile payment terminals that must operate across temperature extremes.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Data Loggers
For multi-sensor environmental, medical, or industrial data loggers, the PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT combines sub-uA Deep Sleep, 32 KB SRAM for circular sample buffers, 256 KB ECC Flash for compressed event storage, and a 10-bit 1.1 Msps ADC for vibration + temperature sampling. USB OTG enables field offload to a laptop without external bridges. Real-Time Clock + calendar with battery backup domain keeps timestamps accurate during months of unattended logging. Compared with discrete RTC + MCU designs, the integrated feature set reduces BOM by 30-40%.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC24FJ256GU410-I/PT | PIC24FJ256GL408-I/PT | PIC24FJ128GU408-I/PT | PIC24FJ256GU406-I/PT | PIC24FJ256GU405-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | TQFP-80 (PT) 12x12 mm | TQFP-80 (PT) - same | TQFP-80 (PT) - same | TQFP-80 (PT) - same | TQFP-80 (PT) - same | TQFP-80 (PT) - same |
| Flash | 256 KB ECC Dual Partition | 256 KB ECC Dual Partition | 256 KB ECC Dual Partition | 128 KB (-50%) | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| RAM | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| Hardware Crypto | Yes (AES/SHA/DES/RNG) | Yes | No (software only) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB OTG | Yes (integrated) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Subset |
| LCD Segments | Up to 132 (4x32) | Up to 132 | Up to 132 | Up to 132 | Up to 132 | Up to 132 |
| Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) | CLC + PPS + HLVD + CRC | Full CIP set | Reduced set | Same as GU408 | Reduced set | Reduced set |
| Automotive Grade (AEC-Q100) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- 256 KB ECC Flash with dual-partition OTA - safe live firmware updates (vs PIC24FJ128GU408-I/PT)
- Integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG transceiver (no external PHY required) (vs PIC24FJ256GA704-I/PT)
- Hardware crypto accelerators (AES/SHA/DES/RNG) for security (vs PIC24FJ256GL408-I/PT)
- Integrated segment LCD driver up to 132 segments (vs PIC24FJ256DA206-I/PT)
- AEC-Q100 automotive qualified (vs PIC24FJ256GB110-I/PT)
Design Notes
The PIC24FJ256GU408-I/PT supports multiple low-power modes - Sleep, Idle, and Deep Sleep with sub-uA currents. Estimated: at 3.3 V with all peripherals off, Deep Sleep current is approximately 0.5 uA per the family datasheet, enabling multi-year battery life in metering applications when the RTC + 32 kHz domain runs continuously. Always use the on-chip LPRC 32 kHz oscillator for RTC during Deep Sleep to avoid external crystal warm-up latency.
For USB designs, route the D+/D- traces as a 90-ohm differential pair with controlled impedance, keep total length under 50 mm, and place the 47 pF USB cable-shunt caps near the connector. Place decoupling 100 nF + 4.7 uF ceramic + 10 uF bulk caps within 5 mm of each VDD pin set. The 80-pin TQFP (12x12 mm) has exposed thermal pad considerations: connect the thermal pad to the ground pour with at least 9 thermal vias to dissipate ~1 W peak in USB-active mode.
When using the dual-partition Flash for OTA, you MUST define the partition boundary in the linker script - typically 50/50 split with one sector reserved as live/active and the other as staging. Forgetting this configuration results in single-partition behavior and bricks the device on a failed update. Also, the LCD bias network requires external capacitors C1-C4 (typically 0.1 uF) on the COM and SEG lines - omitting them causes display ghosts or weak contrast. Configure the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) before enabling peripherals; many newer PIC24F pins are remappable and the default mapping is not active.
The analog and digital grounds should be split with a single-point tie at the MCU's VSS pin to avoid digital switching noise coupling into ADC measurements. Place the 10-bit ADC reference bypass cap (0.1 uF + 1 uF) at the VREF+ pin. For LCD layouts, keep the COM and SEG traces away from switching power and USB signals to prevent display flicker at high bus activity.
To pass IEC 61000-4-2 ESD on USB bus pins, place a TVS diode array (e.g. USBLC6-2SC6) close to the USB connector with the ground paddle tied to the chassis ground via a ferrite bead. The integrated USB PHY has limited ESD protection (about 2 kV HBM); external protection is required for production designs targeting automotive or industrial EMC compliance.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 qualified per Microchip product family page. RoHS/REACH compliance inferred from Microchip's published compliance statements. Halogen-free status not stated in verified web data.