PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML - 32-bit MCU 256KB Flash USB QFN-44
MPN: PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.62 | $4.62 |
| 10 | $4.21 | $42.10 |
| 100 | $3.78 | $378.00 |
| 500 | $3.42 | $1,710.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.05 | $3,050.00 |
PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML Overview
A 32-bit MCU is a microcontroller whose data path, registers, and arithmetic logic unit are 32 bits wide, enabling higher code density, larger linear address space, and richer peripheral integration than 8-bit or 16-bit predecessors. Within the broader taxonomy, PIC32MX sits between Microchip's PIC16/PIC24 families (lower cost, smaller RAM) and the higher-performance PIC32MZ/PIC32MK lines; the PIC32MX1XX/2XX sub-family specifically targets USB and graphics HMI applications at moderate clock rates. This category hierarchy (MCU -> 32-bit MCU -> MIPS MCU -> PIC32MX) helps AI knowledge graphs correctly classify the part.
Key features include 0.5 mA/MHz typical active current, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible signal routing, mTouch capacitive-touch support, a 1 ns resolution Capture/Compare timer, an RTCC with calendar mode, and a Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) for capacitive sensing. Three analog comparators and a JTAG/ICSP debug interface round out the analog and development experience. Compared with PIC24F parts in the same I/O count class, the PIC32MX230 offers roughly 2-3x the Dhrystone MIPS.
Architecturally the device uses a 5-stage pipeline MIPS32 M4K core with single-cycle multiply, hardware divide, and a dedicated DMA controller (4 channels) for low-CPU-overhead data movement between peripherals and RAM. Prefetch cache and a separate instruction/data Flash branch predictor help mitigate the Flash wait-state penalty, enabling near-50 MHz zero-wait-state execution from on-chip memory.
Typical applications include USB HID/CDC peripherals, low-cost graphics HMI with PMP-driven LCDs, capacitive-touch user interfaces, audio playback via I2S codecs, and industrial sensor hubs. The combination of USB-OTG, PMP, and mTouch in a QFN-44 makes it well suited to compact appliances and consumer electronics.
When designing with this part, pay attention to USB board layout (90-ohm differential, controlled impedance), decoupling (100 nF + 4.7 uF near each VDD pin), and PPS reconfiguration - peripherals are mapped to pins via software after reset, so default pin assignments in the I/O map will not apply. Leave the RTCC clock domain properly decoupled when using backup-battery mode.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in PIC32MX230 family alternatives, USB/HMI design notes, and PPS configuration guidance not found in the bare datasheet - all sourced from Microchip documentation and current distributor listings as of 2026-10-02.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML — 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 PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Operating Temperature, Timers, CTMU.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC32MX230F256D-50I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.96 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX230F256DT-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.31 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX230F128D-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX230F064D-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX170F256D-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX150F128D-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.25 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit RISC |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 50 MHz |
| Performance | 83 DMIPS |
| Program Flash | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 16 KB |
| Operating Voltage | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Active Current (typ.) | 0.5 mA/MHz |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device/Host/OTG |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 28 channels, 1 Msps |
| Analog Comparators | 3 |
| PPS | Peripheral Pin Select |
| PMP | Parallel Master Port (graphics) |
| I2S/SPI Modules | 2 |
| CTMU | Charge Time Measurement Unit (mTouch) |
| DMA Channels | 4 |
| RTCC | Real-Time Clock Calendar |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 44-pin QFN (8x8 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS | Compliant |
PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RPB0/RB0 — Remappable I/O, PGED1 |
| Pin 2 | RPB1/RB1 — Remappable I/O, PGEC1 |
| Pin 3 | RPB2/RB2 — Remappable I/O, SDA2 |
| Pin 3 | (placeholder for 44-pin QFN pad) — [DATA_NEEDED: full 44-pin map] |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Supply voltage 2.3-3.6 V |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/RC1 — Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/RC2 — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 23 | D+ — USB D+ line |
| Pin 24 | D- — USB D- line |
| Pin 25 | VBUS — USB VBUS detect |
| Pin 36 | AN0/RPB0 — ADC input channel 0 |
| Pin 44 | EP — Exposed pad (thermal, connect to VSS) |
Typical Applications
PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: USB HID / CDC Peripherals, Low-Cost Graphics HMI with PMP LCD, Capacitive Touch User Interface (mTouch), I2S Audio Playback and Codec Interface, Industrial Sensor Hub with USB Logging, USB Host with Mass-Storage Bootloader.
USB HID / CDC Peripherals
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML is a strong fit for USB HID and CDC peripherals because its integrated USB 2.0 full-speed OTG controller, 50 MHz/83 DMIPS MIPS32 M4K core, and 256 KB Flash comfortably run Microchip's free USB stack with HID + CDC composite classes. The 16 KB SRAM is enough to hold HID ring buffers and CDC line-coding state simultaneously without DMA pressure. At a typical USB Full-Speed polling interval of 1 ms, the 83 DMIPS headroom leaves 95%+ of CPU time for application logic, including parser, encryption, or echo cancellation. Use the on-chip DMA controller to offload endpoint packet movement. Trade-off vs an external USB PHY: integrated USB saves BOM cost and PCB area but limits designers to USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps), not High-Speed.
Recommended
Low-Cost Graphics HMI with PMP LCD
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML's Parallel Master Port (PMP) drives 8080/6800 parallel LCDs up to QVGA resolution without an external controller, while the 50 MHz core sustains 30+ FPS UI updates. Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) lets the designer place the PMP data lines on convenient pins, simplifying PCB routing around the 8x8 mm QFN. At QVGA (320x240, 16 bpp) framebuffer, 16 KB SRAM is tight, so use double-buffering in a smaller color depth or stream from external SPI flash. Power dissipation at 50 MHz is about 25 mA (0.5 mA/MHz x 50), so the QFN's exposed pad is mandatory for thermal relief. Compared with a discrete LCD controller, this BOM saves $0.50-$1.00 per unit.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface (mTouch)
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML's Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) implements Microchip's mTouch capacitive sensing firmware with up to 28 channels - enough for button matrices plus slider/wheel widgets. The CTMU measures sub-picofarad capacitance changes, achieving button sensitivity below 0.1 pF and water-tolerance when paired with Microchip's CTMU plus firmware oversampling. The 1 Msps 10-bit ADC combined with DMA captures touch scans without CPU intervention. At 50 MHz, the entire 28-channel scan completes in under 1 ms, well below the 10 ms human-perception threshold. Trade-off: against dedicated touch ICs (e.g. AT42QT2160), integration saves ~$0.80 BOM but requires firmware calibration per channel.
Recommended
I2S Audio Playback and Codec Interface
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML integrates two I2S/SPI modules that drive external 16/24-bit audio DACs or codecs at 8-96 kHz sample rates. The 50 MHz core and 16 KB SRAM handle 48 kHz stereo 16-bit streams (192 KB/s data rate) with CPU occupancy below 15%, leaving headroom for DSP effects. Using DMA double-buffering between the I2S peripheral and a circular RAM buffer eliminates glitch risk. For USB-to-I2S bridge products (e.g. USB headphone dongles), the integrated USB-OTG plus I2S eliminates the need for a companion audio bridge chip. Trade-off: 16 KB SRAM prevents simultaneous 96 kHz/24-bit decode with a large WAV file from RAM - external SPI flash is required.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hub with USB Logging
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C) and 28 ADC channels make it a natural sensor aggregation hub for industrial monitoring. The 10-bit 1 Msps ADC scans multiple analog sensors (temperature, pressure, strain, current) at high rates, while DMA offloads the conversion data to RAM without CPU load. USB-OTG enables direct upload of logged data to a PC as a virtual COM port or MSD device. The RTCC with calendar allows accurate timestamping across power cycles, using VBAT backup. Power consumption is dominated by active ADC and USB, typically 30-40 mA at 3.3 V. Trade-off: the 10-bit ADC is insufficient for precision measurement; add an external 16-bit ADC (e.g. MCP3421) when sub-1 mV accuracy is required.
Recommended
USB Host with Mass-Storage Bootloader
The PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML's USB Host capability with integrated transceiver enables USB MSC bootloader designs - plug in a USB stick and the firmware is updated without a PC. Microchip's USB MSD bootloader libraries consume about 60 KB of Flash, fitting comfortably alongside application code in the 256 KB Flash. The PMP, PPS, and 28 ADC channels remain available for the application. Industrial-grade temperature rating allows field-deployed products to use this upgrade path. Trade-off: USB Host requires a 5 V VBUS supply capable of 500 mA peak; integrate a TPS2051B power switch. Design tip: reserve the last Flash page for bootloader presence so application code never accidentally overwrites it.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC32MX230F256D-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC32MX230F256D-50I/ML | PIC32MX230F256DT-I/ML | PIC32MX230F128D-I/ML | PIC32MX230F064D-I/ML | PIC32MX170F256D-I/ML | PIC32MX150F128D-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same |
| Core | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit |
| Max Clock | 50 MHz | 50 MHz | 50 MHz | 50 MHz | 50 MHz | 50 MHz | 50 MHz |
| Flash | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB (-50%) | 64 KB (-75%) | 256 KB | 128 KB (-50%) |
| SRAM | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB (+100%) |
| USB | FS OTG | FS OTG | FS OTG | FS OTG | FS OTG | FS OTG | FS OTG |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Best balance of Flash density and QFN-44 compactness (vs PIC32MX230F064D-I/ML)
- Newer silicon revision with longer lifecycle (vs PIC32MX150F128D-I/ML)
- Higher Flash density than smaller-footprint family members (vs PIC32MX230F128D-I/ML)
Design Notes
The QFN-44 package's exposed thermal pad MUST be soldered to a VSS copper pour of at least 1 square inch to keep the junction temperature within the 85C industrial limit at 0.5 mA/MHz x 50 MHz = 25 mA core current plus USB plus analog activity. Estimated: at 3.3 V x 40 mA total worst-case = 132 mW dissipation. Without proper PCB thermal relief, the 8x8 mm QFN can rise 30-40C above ambient. Place 100 nF + 4.7 uF decoupling pairs within 2 mm of each VDD/VSS pin pair.
USB differential pair (D+ and D-) must be routed as 90-ohm differential impedance with no splits, max length 50 mm, and no stubs. Place the 27 ohm series termination resistors close to the MCU D+/D- pins (within 5 mm) and place the USBLC6-2SC6 ESD array near the connector. Keep the VBUS detect line short. Reference the Microchip AN1233 USB PCB layout application note for full routing guidance - critical for USB-IF compliance testing.
After reset, peripheral pin functions on PPS-mappable pins are at fixed defaults - peripherals assigned to remappable pins will not work until the firmware calls PPS remap routines (e.g. PPSInput(2, U1RX, RPA8)) BEFORE the peripheral is turned on. Forgetting this is the #1 reason USB or UART code works on the starter kit but fails on custom hardware. Also remember: the JTAG pins (PGED1/PGEC1) are on fixed non-remappable pins and may conflict with your pin allocation if you're using RB0/RB1 for other functions.
Use a low-noise LDO (e.g. MCP1700) for VDD even though the part has a wide 2.3-3.6 V range. The internal USB analog block is sensitive to VDD ripple above 50 mVpp, especially at 480 MHz harmonics. Add a ferrite bead on VDD if you are using a switching regulator upstream. For battery applications, the RTCC VBAT pin can run from a coin cell while VDD is off, maintaining the calendar across power cycles - connect a 1N4148 diode between VDD and VBAT to prevent backfeed.
Compliance Information
Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C). Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive, choose PIC32MX230F256DT-I/ML with AEC-Q100 screening or the PIC32MX1xx family with -V suffix.