PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX - 50MHz 256KB Flash 32-bit MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.42 | $8.42 |
| 10 | $7.58 | $75.80 |
| 100 | $6.74 | $674.00 |
| 500 | $5.9 | $2,950.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.06 | $5,060.00 |
PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX 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 silicon die. PIC32MX5xx devices occupy the mid-range of Microchip's 32-bit PIC32 portfolio, sitting between the entry-level PIC32MX1/2xx series and the higher-performance PIC32MX3/5xx/6xx and PIC32MZ lines. The 100-pin TFBGA package places them in the higher pin-count tier alongside PIC32MX530/534/570 families.
Key features of this part include the MIPS32 M4K core with 5-stage pipeline, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) remapping for flexible I/O, a 16-channel 10-bit 1 Msps ADC, full-speed USB 2.0 device/host/OTG, CAN 2.0B, RTCC with calendar, and a JTAG/ICSP debug interface. The 256 KB Flash supports 10,000 erase/write cycles minimum, and 32 KB SRAM provides ample headroom for protocol stacks, audio buffers, and graphics frame data.
The architecture is Harvard-style with separate Flash and SRAM buses, allowing simultaneous instruction fetch and data access. PPS allows nearly all digital peripheral pins to be remapped to a wide set of I/O, easing pin conflicts and simplifying PCB routing for dense designs. The CTMU enables touch sensing, capacitive proximity measurement, and precision time-of-flight measurement.
Typical applications include industrial HMI with graphical displays, USB audio devices using the I2S interface, automotive body controllers using the CAN 2.0 peripheral, point-of-sale terminals, medical instrumentation with RTCC for timestamping, and consumer products requiring low-power operation. The 100-pin TFBGA package is ideal for compact designs where board area is at a premium.
When designing with this device, route the TFBGA 100-pin package carefully on a 4-layer or higher PCB, maintain adequate decoupling (100 nF + bulk 4.7 uF per VDD pair), and use the JTAG/ICSP pins for in-circuit debugging via MPLAB Snap or ICD. The wide VDD range of 2.3V to 3.6V allows direct battery or USB-powered operation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from Microchip's own PIC32MX5xx family, and practical design notes drawn from Microchip application notes not duplicated in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX — 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 PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Operating Temperature, CAN, USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC32MX550F256LT-50I/GJX
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.96 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX570F256L-I/GJX
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX534F064L-I/BG
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.35 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX270F256LT-I/GJX
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit RISC |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 50 MHz |
| DMIPS Performance | 83 DMIPS |
| Program Flash Memory | 256 KB (256K x 8) |
| Data SRAM | 32 KB |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| ADC | 10-bit, 16-channel, up to 1 Msps |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device/Host/OTG |
| CAN | CAN 2.0B |
| I2S Modules | 2 (plus 4 SPI/I2S-selectable) |
| SPI Modules | 4 (configurable as I2S) |
| Comparators | 3 analog comparators |
| CTMU | Yes (Charge Time Measurement Unit) |
| DMA | Yes |
| RTCC | Yes (with calendar) |
| PMP (Parallel Master Port) | Yes, with dual read/write buffers |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Debug Interface | JTAG / ICSP (2-wire) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | 100-pin TFBGA (GJX), 7x7 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX 100-pin tfbga (gjx), 7x7 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX (100-pin tfbga (gjx), 7x7 mm package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI) with Graphics, USB Audio Device / USB Headphone DAC, Automotive Body Controller with CAN, Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal / Payment Device, Medical Instrumentation with Timestamping, IoT Sensor Hub / Smart Home Gateway.
Industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI) with Graphics
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX is well-suited for industrial HMI panels because it integrates a Parallel Master Port (PMP) with dual read/write buffers for direct driving small to mid-size TFT/QVGA LCDs without an external graphics controller, alongside a 50 MHz MIPS M4K core delivering 83 DMIPS for fast page redraw. Its 256 KB Flash stores multilingual UI assets and fonts, while 32 KB SRAM holds the active frame buffer and touch-related buffers. The integrated CTMU enables reliable capacitive touch sensing for control panels. With USB device capability, the HMI can also expose configuration, firmware update, and diagnostics interfaces to a host PC.
Recommended
USB Audio Device / USB Headphone DAC
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX is ideal for USB audio applications because the integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG controller, combined with two dedicated I2S modules and 32 KB SRAM, can handle 16-bit / 48 kHz isochronous streams with the Microchip USB audio stack. The 50 MHz MIPS M4K core runs the USB stack, audio class driver, and I2S DMA transfers simultaneously without dropping packets. Its low BOM cost and 100-pin TFBGA package enable compact dongle-style or embedded headphone designs.
Recommended
Automotive Body Controller with CAN
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX operates across -40 C to +85 C industrial grade, integrates CAN 2.0B, and includes 16-channel 10-bit ADC and three analog comparators suitable for body-control modules including door/window/liftgate control, lighting, and sensor aggregation. Its 50 MHz MIPS M4K core delivers sufficient processing for CANopen or J1939 stack tasks alongside PWM generation. The 256 KB Flash stores bootloaders plus application code, while 32 KB SRAM handles CAN mailbox buffers and protocol stacks. Designers should note that AEC-Q100 automotive grade requires the Q-AT suffix part number.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal / Payment Device
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX is a strong match because POS terminals need USB device/host for barcode scanners and PIN pads, a graphics-capable PMP interface for receipt-line displays, and RTCC for timestamping transactions. The CTMU supports capacitive keypad scanning without external touch ICs, while the 32 KB SRAM handles encryption scratch buffers. The wide 2.3 V to 3.6 V VDD range allows direct operation from a single-cell Li-ion battery with efficient DC-DC regulation.
Recommended
Medical Instrumentation with Timestamping
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX fits medical instrumentation needs where accurate timestamping (RTCC with calendar), low-noise analog front-end interfacing (10-bit 16-channel ADC), and reliable USB data export are critical. The 50 MHz MIPS M4K core handles continuous sensor sampling and on-chip DSP filters, while 256 KB Flash stores calibration tables and patient log metadata. Industrial temperature grade and Microchip's long-life product program support medical equipment longevity requirements.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Hub / Smart Home Gateway
The PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX is suitable as a sensor hub because the CTMU plus 10-bit ADC enable capacitive and analog sensor multi-mode acquisition, while USB and CAN connectivity bridge to local aggregators. PPS allows flexible routing of I/O for compact PCB layouts, and 32 KB SRAM holds protocol buffers for Modbus, MQTT, or proprietary RF-to-host protocols. The 100-pin TFBGA package minimizes board footprint compared with TQFP alternatives.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC32MX550F256LT-I/GJX — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC32MX550F256LT-50I/GJX | PIC32MX550F256L-50I/PF | PIC32MX570F256L-I/GJX | PIC32MX534F064L-I/BG | PIC32MX270F256LT-I/GJX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 100-pin TFBGA (GJX) | 100-pin TFBGA (GJX) - same | 100-pin TQFP (PF) | 100-pin TFBGA (GJX) - same | 100-pin TFBGA (BG) - same footprint | 100-pin TFBGA (GJX) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Architecture | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit | MIPS32 M4K, 32-bit | |
| Maximum Frequency | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 80 MHz / 105 DMIPS | 64 MHz / 105 DMIPS | |
| Program Flash | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 64 KB (-75%) | 256 KB | |
| Data SRAM | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 8 KB (-75%) | 32 KB | |
| Operating Voltage | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG | |
| CAN | CAN 2.0B | CAN 2.0B | CAN 2.0B | CAN 2.0B | CAN 2.0B |
Key Differentiators
- Same TFBGA-100 (GJX) footprint and pin-compatible with PIC32MX570F256L-I/GJX (vs PIC32MX570F256L-I/GJX)
- Significantly larger Flash and SRAM vs PIC32MX534F064L-I/BG (vs PIC32MX534F064L-I/BG)
- 50 MHz core vs PIC32MX270F256LT-I/GJX at 64 MHz trade-off (vs PIC32MX270F256LT-I/GJX)
- Industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade (vs PIC32MX550F256LT-50I/GJX)
Design Notes
Estimated: The 100-pin TFBGA package with 0.5 mm ball pitch requires a 4-layer PCB minimum with 0.5 mm-pitch fan-out escape routing. Place at minimum one 100 nF 0402 ceramic decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of every VDD/AVDD pin pair, plus one 4.7 uF bulk capacitor per supply rail. Use Microchip's AN1257 'TFBGA Layout Recommendations' for via-in-pad design rules.
The USB D+/D- lines require 45 ohm series impedance matching and 15 kB pull-down resistors on D+ for full-speed operation per USB 2.0 specification. Keep D+/D- traces 90 ohm differential matched, with no stubs and length-matched within 150 mils. The CAN bus requires termination only at the bus ends; do not place termination at the MCU unless it is the bus endpoint.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum VDD of 4.0 V even briefly during hot-plug events. The CTMU requires the on-chip current source to be enabled and trimmed via dedicated calibration registers - omitting CTMU calibration produces inaccurate touch readings. The PMP bus pins (PMA/PMD/PMCS/PMRD/PMWR) need external pull-ups to VDD if used with passive displays that do not provide them internally.
Estimated: At continuous 50 MHz operation with all peripherals active, core current draw is approximately 70 mA. The TFBGA package has theta_JA around 30 C/W on a JEDEC 4-layer test board, yielding a 2.1 C/W per 100 mW of dissipation. For industrial 85 C ambient, ensure system and watchdog timer keep overall duty cycle to avoid junction temperatures exceeding 100 C.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH compliance per Microchip product family page. Industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade. AEC-Q100 qualification is NOT present on this industrial-grade suffix; automotive designs should request the Q-AT suffix variant. Halogen-free per Microchip MicrochipDIRECT listing.
