PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF - 50MHz 32-bit MCU 256KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.32 | $5.32 |
| 10 | $4.78 | $47.80 |
| 100 | $4.05 | $405.00 |
| 500 | $3.55 | $1,775.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.18 | $3,180.00 |
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is an integrated circuit that combines a CPU core, program memory (Flash), data memory (SRAM), and a rich set of peripherals on a single die. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, an MCU belongs to the class of embedded processors, which sits under microcontrollers and then under integrated circuits (ICs). The PIC32 family uses a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) MIPS32 core and is positioned for higher-performance 32-bit embedded applications.
Key features include USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG with on-the-go host/device capability, CAN 2.0B active with DeviceNet addressing support, four I2S/SPI selectable modules, a 16-channel 10-bit ADC (1 Msps), and an operating voltage range of 2.3V to 3.6V. Industrial temperature range of -40C to +85C and the 100-pin TQFP footprint expose up to 78 GPIO-capable I/O pins, enabling connectivity-rich designs without external expanders.
Architecturally, the PIC32MX5XX uses the MIPS32 M4K 32-bit core with a 5-stage pipeline and hardware multiply/divide, providing deterministic interrupt latency and predictable real-time performance. The CTMU provides constant-current source/sink capability for capacitive touch and ultrasonic measurement, and the PMP with dual buffers sustains continuous graphics frame updates without CPU intervention.
Typical applications include USB peripherals and embedded hosts, CAN-connected industrial nodes, audio codec DSP front-ends, HMI panels with graphics and touch, and sensor hubs with USB-CDC virtual COM ports. The combination of USB, CAN, and PMP makes this MCU a single-chip solution for industrial/automotive HMI gateways.
When designing with this device, ensure decoupling per the manufacturer datasheet (low-ESR ceramic, resonance above 20 MHz), and verify PPS remapping constraints for each peripheral. Programming requires MPLAB X IDE with XC32 compiler; ICSP and JTAG are supported.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF — 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 PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, ADC, CTMU, Maximum CPU Clock, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC32MX550F256LT-50I/PF
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX550F256L-I/PF
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX570F512L-50I/PF
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/GJX
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX450F256L-120/PF
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX470F512L-120/PF
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | MIPS32 M4K |
| Core Type | 32-bit RISC |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 50 MHz |
| Performance | 83 DMIPS |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 256 KB (256K x 8) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 32 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| USB Controller | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG |
| CAN Controller | CAN 2.0B active with DeviceNet addressing |
| SPI Modules | 4 (I2S/SPI selectable) |
| I2S Modules | 2 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 1 Msps |
| PMP (Parallel Master Port) | Yes, dual read/write buffers |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| CTMU (Charge Time Measurement Unit) | Yes |
| Package | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RG0 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 2 | RG1 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 3 | RG2 — Digital I/O / PWM (D+/SDA) |
| Pin 4 | RG3 — Digital I/O / PWM (D-/SCL) |
| Pin 5 | RG4 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 6 | RG5 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 7 | RG6 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 8 | RG7 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 9 | RG8 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 10 | RG9 — Digital I/O / PWM |
| Pin 11 | MCLR — Master Clear (Reset) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 13 | VDD — Power supply 2.3V-3.6V |
| Pin 14 | RA0 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RA1 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RA2 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RA3 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 18 | RA4 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 19 | RA5 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 20 | RA6 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 21 | RA7 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 22 | AVSS1 — Analog ground |
| Pin 23 | AVDD1 — Analog power supply |
| Pin 24 | RB0 — Analog input / Digital I/O / PGED1 |
| Pin 25 | RB1 — Analog input / Digital I/O / PGEC1 |
| Pin 26 | RB2 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 27 | RB3 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 28 | RB4 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 29 | RB5 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 30 | RB6 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 31 | RB7 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 32 | RB8 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 33 | RB9 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 34 | RB10 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 35 | RB11 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 36 | RB12 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 37 | RB13 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 38 | RB14 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 39 | RB15 — Analog input / Digital I/O |
| Pin 40 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 41 | VDD — Power supply 2.3V-3.6V |
| Pin 42 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 43 | RC1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 44 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 45 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 46 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 47 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 48 | RC6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 49 | RC7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 50 | RC8 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 51 | RC9 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 52 | RC10 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 53 | RC11 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 54 | RC12 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 55 | RC13 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 56 | RC14 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 57 | RC15 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 58 | OSC1/RC12 — Crystal input or Digital I/O |
| Pin 59 | OSC2/RC13 — Crystal output or Digital I/O |
| Pin 60 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 61 | VDD — Power supply 2.3V-3.6V |
| Pin 62 | RD0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 63 | RD1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 64 | RD2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 65 | RD3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 66 | RD4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 67 | RD5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 68 | RD6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 69 | RD7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 70 | RD8 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 71 | RD9 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 72 | RD10 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 73 | RD11 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 74 | RD12 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 75 | RD13 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 76 | RD14 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 77 | RD15 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 78 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 79 | VDD — Power supply 2.3V-3.6V |
| Pin 80 | RE0 — Digital I/O / PMD0 |
| Pin 81 | RE1 — Digital I/O / PMD1 |
| Pin 82 | RE2 — Digital I/O / PMD2 |
| Pin 83 | RE3 — Digital I/O / PMD3 |
| Pin 84 | RE4 — Digital I/O / PMD4 |
| Pin 85 | RE5 — Digital I/O / PMD5 |
| Pin 86 | RE6 — Digital I/O / PMD6 |
| Pin 87 | RE7 — Digital I/O / PMD7 |
| Pin 88 | RF0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 89 | RF1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 90 | RF2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 91 | RF3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 92 | RF4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 93 | RF5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 94 | RF7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 95 | RF8 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 96 | RF12 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 97 | RF13 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 98 | VBUS — USB VBUS detect |
| Pin 99 | D- — USB D- line |
| Pin 100 | D+ — USB D+ line |
Typical Applications
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF is suitable for 7 applications: USB Peripherals and Embedded Hosts, CAN-Connected Industrial Nodes, Audio and Graphics HMI Panels, Capacitive Touch and HMI Sensing, Sensor Hubs with USB-CDC Virtual COM, Automotive Aftermarket and Telematics, Educational and Hobby Development Platforms.
USB Peripherals and Embedded Hosts
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF integrates a USB 2.0 Full-Speed On-The-Go controller with internal transceiver, making it ideal for USB peripherals (HID, MSD, CDC, vendor-class) and embedded USB hosts (mass storage, HID keyboard/mouse). The 256 KB Flash accommodates the Microchip Harmony USB stack plus application code; the 32 KB SRAM buffers USB@over-CDC virtual COM data streams at Full-Speed 12 Mbps. The 50 MHz core gives ~83 DMIPS of headroom for protocol handling. Designers route D+/D- to the dedicated USB pins with the 27 ohm series resistors and ESD protection required by USB 2.0-spec-compliant designs.
Recommended
CAN-Connected Industrial Nodes
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF integrates a CAN 2.0B active controller with DeviceNet addressing support, enabling industrial nodes on CANopen, DeviceNet, and CAN 2.0B networks. The 50 MHz core handles typical bit-rate stacks (125 kbps to 1 Mbps) and the CTMU provides sensor measurement. The 100-pin TQFP footprint exposes CAN TX/RX pins and ample GPIO for digital I/O. Designers connect a CAN transceiver such as MCP2551 or TJA1050 between the MCU and the bus, with proper 120 ohm termination at bus ends. This combination of CAN, USB OTG, and 256 KB Flash makes the MCU a single-chip industrial gateway solution.
Recommended
Audio and Graphics HMI Panels
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF combines two I2S modules (for audio codecs), four SPI modules (for graphics displays), and a Parallel Master Port (PMP) with dual read/write buffers for sustained graphics refresh. The CTMU enables capacitive touch sensing via constant-current source/sink. Designers pair the MCU with an audio codec like the TI TLV320AIC23B or Wolfson WM8731, and a QVGA/WQVGA TFT via PMP or SPI. The 32 KB SRAM buffers small frame buffers; for larger 320x240 graphics, designers use external SRAM or migrate to PIC32MX570F512L with 64 KB SRAM.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch and HMI Sensing
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF integrates the CTMU (Charge Time Measurement Unit) for capacitive touch keypads, sliders, and proximity sensors without external analog ASICs. The CTMU provides constant-current source/sink capability that charges/discharges sensor capacitance at rates that the ADC and timer can measure to sub-pF resolution. Designers implement 4x4 keypads or 8-element sliders directly on the MCU, eliminating the BOM cost of dedicated touch controllers. The 50 MHz MIPS M4K core runs the host MCU's CTMU scan loop plus the application protocol in real time, with USB OTG for HID-class touch reporting.
Recommended
Sensor Hubs with USB-CDC Virtual COM
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF pairs its 10-bit 1 Msps ADC with USB-CDC class to act as a multi-sensor virtual COM port hub. The 16 ADC channels accept analog sensor inputs while the CTMU provides time-domain sensor excitation. Data streams via USB-CDC at 12 Mbps Full-Speed to a host PC, which sees the device as a standard COM port requiring no driver. The 256 KB Flash stores the sensor fusion firmware and USB stack; the 32 KB SRAM buffers sensor data between USB frames at FCMS-like rates. This is a single-chip solution for industrial data loggers and industrial test/measurement devices.
Recommended
Automotive Aftermarket and Telematics
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF's CAN 2.0B controller enables OBD-II telematics, fleet management, and aftermarket vehicle diagnostics. The USB OTG provides in-car charging detection and data sync; the PMP can interface vehicle infotainment displays. The -50I industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C) covers in-cabin environments but is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - for AEC-Q100 qualified alternatives consider PIC32MK series. Designers use MCP2515 external CAN if bus isolation is required for automotive load-dump protection, or place the MCU behind a TVS-protected CAN transceiver. The 256 KB Flash accommodates CANopen or J1939 protocol stacks plus application logic.
Recommended
Educational and Hobby Development Platforms
The PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF is well suited to university courses on USB, CAN, and embedded protocols. The 50 MHz MIPS M4K core exposes students to real RISC architecture with predictable interrupt latency, while USB OTFT and CAN give hands-on protocol experience. The 100-pin TQFP package breaks out enough GPIO for breadboard-friendly breakout boards. The MPLAB X IDE with XC32 compiler is free, and the PICkit 3/4 programmer/debugger integrates seamlessly. Sample code is available through Microchip Harmony framework and the MLA legacy library. This makes the MCU an ideal pedagogical platform for embedded systems courses covering USB, CAN, PMP, and CTMU.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC32MX550F256LT-50I/PF | PIC32MX550F256L-I/PF | PIC32MX570F512L-50I/PF | PIC32MX450F256L-120/PF | PIC32MX470F512L-120/PF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) - same | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) - same | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) - same | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) - same | 100-pin TQFP (14x14 mm, PF) - same |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 50 MHz (83 DMIPS) | 50 MHz | 40 MHz (-20%) | 50 MHz | 120 MHz (+140%) | 120 MHz (+140%) |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 512 KB (+100%) | 256 KB | 512 KB (+100%) |
| SRAM | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB (+100%) | 32 KB | 64 KB (+100%) |
| USB OTG | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (FS USB only) | No (FS USB only) |
| CAN 2.0B | Yes (DeviceNet) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG with on-chip transceiver (vs PIC32MX450F256L-120/PF)
- On-chip CAN 2.0B controller with DeviceNet addressing (vs PIC32MX470F512L-120/PF)
- CTMU for capacitive touch and ultrasonic sensing (vs PIC32MX534F064L-V/PF)
Design Notes
Decoupling is critical: per the manufacturer datasheet, place one 0.1 uF low-ESR ceramic capacitor (resonance above 20 MHz) close to each VDD pin, plus a single 10 uF bulk capacitor at the MCU entry point. The PIC32MX550F256L uses an internal voltage regulator for the core, so a single 3.3 V external rail is sufficient. AVDD pins must be tied to the same VDD with their own 0.1 uF decoupling and a ferrite bead if the analog section is noise-sensitive (e.g., ADC readings near the USB or CAN noise spectrum).
USB D+/D- traces must be routed as a 90-ohm differential pair with matched length (within 50 mil) to maintain USB 2.0 signal integrity. Place the USBLC6-2SC6 ESD protection array within 5 mm of the USB connector. Crystal traces (OSC1/OSC2) should be short, symmetric, and guarded by a ground ring; the load capacitors must match the crystal CL specification (typically 18 pF). The MCLR pin requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF to ground for reliable reset behaviour.
At 50 MHz with USB OTG active, the PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF draws approximately 30-50 mA from VDD. The 100-pin TQFP package has a theta_JA of approximately 50 C/W in still air, giving a junction temperature rise of only ~2.5 C at 50 mA. No heatsink is required for normal industrial -40C to +85C operation. Estimated: based on typical XC32-marked IDD values from the PIC32MX1XX/2XX/5XX family datasheet, not a manufacturer-specified thermal figure.
Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) remapping is a common source of confusion: each peripheral function must be explicitly unmapped from the default pin and mapped to the desired I/O via the PPS register, or it will not work after code changes. Also, the CTMU requires calibration before accurate readings; the CTMUCON register's IRNG and ITRIM fields must be tuned to the specific PCB layout. Finally, USB Host mode requires VBUS sensing on the dedicated VBUS pin with proper 5 V tolerance; do NOT route 5 V into any non-5V-tolerant pin.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial -40C to +85C temperature grade. NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC32MK or dsPIC33 families for automotive AEC-Q100 designs. The -I temperature suffix indicates industrial grade; -V is -40C to +105C and -E is -40C to +125C.
