STM32F401RCT6 - 84MHz Cortex-M4 MCU 256KB Flash | ST
MPN: STM32F401RCT6 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.2 | $4.20 |
| 10 | $3.78 | $37.80 |
| 100 | $3.28 | $328.00 |
| 500 | $2.94 | $1,470.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.65 | $2,650.00 |
STM32F401RCT6 Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a processor core, memory, and peripherals into one IC, sitting at the heart of embedded systems. Within the hierarchy, the STM32F401RCT6 belongs to the STM32F4 Series (Access Line), part of the broader STM32 microcontroller family, the ARM Cortex-M ecosystem, and the general class of embedded processors.
Key features include the Dynamic Efficiency line with Batch Acquisition Mode (BAM) for low-power data handling, a 1.7 V to 3.6 V supply range, an operating temperature range of -40C to +85C, 11 timers, one 12-bit ADC, and 11 communication interfaces (USART, SPI, I2C, I2S, SDIO, USB OTG). The Cortex-M4 core with FPU delivers 105 DMIPS and supports all ARM single-precision data-processing instructions, making DSP tasks such as filtering and FFTs practical without an external DSP.
Architecturally, the device uses an ART Accelerator for zero-wait-state execution from Flash and a multi-advanced-bus matrix, balancing the 84 MHz core bandwidth against peripheral and memory accesses. The static memory controller-free design keeps cost down while USB OTG full-speed and SDIO cover most connectivity needs.
Typical applications include motor control and digital power conversion, consumer appliances, IoT sensor nodes, industrial automation, and portable medical devices where the FPU and low active power (Dynamic Efficiency technology) provide concrete value.
Design consideration: the STM32F401 Access Line has no Crypto/CAN peripherals and 64 KB SRAM, so verify RAM budget before porting from STM32F407-class parts.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, pin-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes not consolidated in the ST datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for STM32F401RCT6 — 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 STM32F401RCT6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Timers, Core, Package, ADC, Flash Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
STM32F401RBT6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$4.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →STM32F401RDT6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$4.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →STM32F401RET6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$5.44 / Unit
View Datasheet →STM32F401RCT3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
STM32F405RGT6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →STM32F401RCT6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU (single precision) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 84 MHz |
| Data Bus Width | 32 bit |
| Program Memory Size | 256 KB Flash |
| RAM Size | 64 KB SRAM |
| Performance | 105 DMIPS |
| Supply Voltage | 1.7 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Package/Case | LQFP-64 (10 x 10 mm) |
| Mounting Style | SMD/SMT |
| Timers | 11 timers |
| ADC | 1 x 12-bit ADC |
| Communication Interfaces | 11 (USART, SPI, I2C, I2S, SDIO, USB OTG) |
| GPIO Count | 51 usable GPIOs (LQFP64) |
| Series | STM32F4 Series (Dynamic Efficiency Access Line, with BAM) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
STM32F401RCT6 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VBAT — Battery backup supply for RTC |
| Pin 2 | PC13 — GPIO / RTC AF |
| Pin 3 | PC14 — GPIO / OSC32_IN |
| Pin 4 | PC15 — GPIO / OSC32_OUT |
| Pin 5 | PH0 — GPIO / OSC_IN |
| Pin 6 | PH1 — GPIO / OSC_OUT |
| Pin 7 | NRST — System reset (active low) |
| Pin 8 | PC0 — GPIO / ADC12_IN10 |
| Pin 9 | PC1 — GPIO / ADC12_IN11 |
| Pin 10 | PC2 — GPIO / ADC12_IN12 |
| Pin 11 | PC3 — GPIO / ADC12_IN13 |
| Pin 12 | VSSA — Analog ground |
| Pin 13 | VREF- — ADC negative reference |
| Pin 14 | VREF+ — ADC positive reference |
| Pin 15 | VDDA — Analog supply |
| Pin 16 | PA0 — GPIO / ADC12_IN0 / WKUP |
| Pin 17 | PA1 — GPIO / ADC12_IN1 |
| Pin 18 | PA2 — GPIO / ADC12_IN2 / USART2_TX |
| Pin 19 | PA3 — GPIO / ADC12_IN3 / USART2_RX |
| Pin 20 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 21 | VDD — Digital supply (1.7-3.6 V) |
| Pin 22 | PA4 — GPIO / ADC12_IN4 / SPI1_NSS / DAC-less analog AF |
| Pin 23 | PA5 — GPIO / ADC12_IN5 / SPI1_SCK |
| Pin 24 | PA6 — GPIO / ADC12_IN6 / SPI1_MISO |
| Pin 25 | PA7 — GPIO / ADC12_IN7 / SPI1_MOSI |
| Pin 26 | PC4 — GPIO / ADC12_IN14 |
| Pin 27 | PC5 — GPIO / ADC12_IN15 |
| Pin 28 | PB0 — GPIO / ADC12_IN8 |
| Pin 29 | PB1 — GPIO / ADC12_IN9 |
| Pin 30 | PB2 — GPIO / BOOT1 |
| Pin 31 | PB10 — GPIO / I2C2_SCL / USART3_TX |
| Pin 32 | VCAP_1 — Core regulator capacitor (2.2 uF to GND) |
| Pin 33 | VDD — Digital supply |
| Pin 34 | PB12 — GPIO / SPI2_NSS / TIM1_BKIN |
| Pin 35 | PB13 — GPIO / SPI2_SCK / TIM1_CH1N |
| Pin 36 | PB14 — GPIO / SPI2_MISO / TIM1_CH2N |
| Pin 37 | PB15 — GPIO / SPI2_MOSI / TIM1_CH3N |
| Pin 38 | PC6 — GPIO / TIM3_CH1 / USART6_TX |
| Pin 39 | PC7 — GPIO / TIM3_CH2 / USART6_RX |
| Pin 40 | PC8 — GPIO / TIM3_CH3 / SDIO_D0 |
| Pin 41 | PC9 — GPIO / TIM3_CH4 / SDIO_D1 |
| Pin 42 | PA8 — GPIO / TIM1_CH1 / I2C3_SCL / USB OTG_SOF |
| Pin 43 | PA9 — GPIO / TIM1_CH2 / USART1_TX / USB OTG_VBUS |
| Pin 44 | PA10 — GPIO / TIM1_CH3 / USART1_RX / USB OTG_ID |
| Pin 45 | PA11 — GPIO / TIM1_CH4 / USB OTG_DM |
| Pin 46 | PA12 — GPIO / USB OTG_DP |
| Pin 47 | PA13 — GPIO / SWDIO (debug) |
| Pin 48 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 49 | VDD — Digital supply |
| Pin 50 | PA14 — GPIO / SWCLK (debug) |
| Pin 51 | PA15 — GPIO / SPI1_NSS / TIM2_CH1 |
| Pin 52 | PC10 — GPIO / SDIO_D2 / USART3_TX AF |
| Pin 53 | PC11 — GPIO / SDIO_D3 / USART3_RX AF |
| Pin 54 | PC12 — GPIO / SDIO_CK / USART3_CK |
| Pin 55 | PD2 — GPIO / TIM3_ETR / SDIO_CMD |
| Pin 56 | PB3 — GPIO / SPI1_SCK / TIM2_CH2 / SWO |
| Pin 57 | PB4 — GPIO / SPI1_MISO / TIM3_CH1 |
| Pin 58 | PB5 — GPIO / SPI1_MOSI / TIM3_CH2 / I2C1_SMBA |
| Pin 59 | PB6 — GPIO / I2C1_SCL / TIM4_CH1 / USART1_TX AF |
| Pin 60 | PB7 — GPIO / I2C1_SDA / TIM4_CH2 / USART1_RX AF |
| Pin 61 | BOOT0 — Boot mode select (internal pull-down) |
| Pin 62 | PB8 — GPIO / I2C1_SCL AF / TIM4_CH3 / CAN-less AF |
| Pin 63 | PB9 — GPIO / I2C1_SDA AF / TIM4_CH4 |
| Pin 64 | VSS — Digital ground |
Typical Applications
STM32F401RCT6 is suitable for 6 applications: Motor Control and Digital Power, IoT Sensor Nodes, Consumer Appliances, Industrial Automation, Portable Medical Devices, USB Peripherals and Embedded Hosts.
Motor Control and Digital Power
The STM32F401RCT6 fits cost-sensitive motor control because its Cortex-M4 FPU executes field-oriented control (FOC) math at 105 DMIPS with single-precision instructions, while its 11 timers include advanced timers with complementary PWM outputs and dead-time insertion. In a typical drive, TIM1 generates three-phase PWM at 16-20 kHz, the 12-bit ADC samples bus current and phase voltages, and the FPU runs Clarke/Park transforms without an external DSP. The trade-off versus STM32F407-class parts is the single ADC and 64 KB SRAM, so designs needing simultaneous multi-channel sampling or large observer state buffers should verify the memory budget. Dynamic Efficiency technology keeps active current low, which matters in fan and pump drives running continuously.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Nodes
For battery-powered IoT nodes, the STM32F401RCT6 combines an 84 MHz Cortex-M4 with Batch Acquisition Mode (BAM), which lets peripherals such as the ADC or communication interfaces keep collecting data while the core sleeps, sharply reducing average current. Its 1.7 V to 3.6 V supply range allows direct operation from a Li-SOCl2 cell through the low end of the range, and the 12-bit ADC reads analog sensors without an external converter. USB OTG provides field configuration and data offload without a second bridge chip. A typical design sleeps between wakeups, waking on RTC or EXTI events; the 64 KB SRAM comfortably holds a FreeRTOS stack plus a TLS buffer for lightweight MQTT payloads, though large certificate bundles may need external storage.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances
Home appliances such as coffee machines, air purifiers, and small HVAC controllers use the STM32F401RCT6 because it integrates touch-sensing-capable GPIOs, USART for display modules, and enough FPU performance for sensor filtering at low BOM cost. The Dynamic Efficiency line with BAM reduces standby consumption toward regulatory targets, and the 256 KB Flash accommodates a full UI state machine plus control loop in one chip, eliminating external memory. Peripherals cover the common set needed here: multiple USARTs for UART displays, I2C for EEPROM and sensors, and timers for relay or triac control. The LQFP64 package with 51 usable GPIOs drives LEDs, keypad matrices, and fan controls without port expanders, keeping PCB layer count at two.
Recommended
Industrial Automation
In industrial automation, the STM32F401RCT6 serves as a local control and communication node where -40C to +85C operation covers cabinet and floor environments. Its 11 communication interfaces enable bridging: USART/RS-485 to legacy field devices, SPI to isolated transceivers, and I2C to I/O expanders. The ART Accelerator maintains zero-wait-state Flash execution, giving deterministic loop timing for PLC-style scan cycles. Note that the F401 lacks CAN, which is common in factory networks; designs requiring CAN should use the pin-compatible STM32F405RGT6 on the same LQFP64 footprint. The 12-bit ADC with DMA monitors supply rails and analog sensor channels, and the 64 KB SRAM supports modest protocol stacks with headroom for buffering.
Recommended
Portable Medical Devices
Battery-powered medical devices such as glucose meters, digital stethoscopes, and portable patient monitors benefit from the STM32F401RCT6 combination of DSP-grade FPU and low dynamic power. The single-precision FPU accelerates biosignal filtering (IIR/FIR, FFT) in real time, and the 12-bit ADC digitizes sensor front ends; BAM mode permits continuous data batching while the core stays in sleep. USB OTG full-speed enables charging and data transfer to clinic PCs through a single connector. The 256 KB Flash holds signal-processing code plus calibration tables, and operation across -40C to +85C supports sterilization-adjacent environments. Designers should budget the 64 KB SRAM carefully when running long acquisition windows, and verify medical-grade power isolation externally since the MCU itself carries no isolation.
Recommended
USB Peripherals and Embedded Hosts
The STM32F401RCT6 integrates a USB OTG full-speed controller, allowing one chip to act as USB device (HID, CDC, MSC) or limited embedded host. The 84 MHz Cortex-M4 with ART Accelerator sustains USB throughput while running application logic, and the 12 Mbps full-speed rate suits data loggers, test fixtures, and industrial programming pods. In device mode, crystal-less USB operation via clock recovery reduces BOM cost; in host mode, SDIO provides removable storage for collected data. The 64 KB SRAM supports double-buffered endpoint handling plus a modest file system. Compared with the STM32F407, the F401 lacks HS PHY support, so applications needing 480 Mbps high-speed USB should move to F4 Performance-line parts, while full-speed designs gain cost and power savings.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for STM32F401RCT6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | STM32F401RBT6 | STM32F401RDT6 | STM32F401RET6 | STM32F401RCT3 | STM32F405RGT6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | LQFP-64 (10 x 10 mm) | LQFP-64 - same | LQFP-64 - same | LQFP-64 - same | LQFP-64 - same | LQFP-64 - same |
| Brand | STMicroelectronics | STMicroelectronics | STMicroelectronics | STMicroelectronics | STMicroelectronics | STMicroelectronics |
| Core / Max Clock | Cortex-M4F / 84 MHz | Cortex-M4F / 84 MHz | Cortex-M4F / 84 MHz | Cortex-M4F / 84 MHz | Cortex-M4F / 84 MHz | Cortex-M4F / 168 MHz |
| Flash | 256 KB | 128 KB | 384 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB | 1 MB |
| SRAM | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 192 KB |
| CAN / Crypto / DAC | No / No / No | No / No / No | No / No / No | No / No / No | No / No / No | Yes / Yes / Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Best cost/performance in the F401 LQFP64 density range (vs STM32F401RET6)
- Twice the Flash of the entry density at same pinout (vs STM32F401RBT6)
- Lower power and cost than the Performance Line (vs STM32F405RGT6)
- Extended temperature option available in the same footprint (vs STM32F401RCT3)
Design Notes
The STM32F401RCT6 uses an internal 1.2 V core regulator; VCAP_1 (pin 32) must have a 2.2 uF low-ESR ceramic capacitor to ground placed within a few millimeters of the pin. Supply VDD pins (21, 33, 49) each with 100 nF ceramic plus one 4.7 uF bulk capacitor, and VDDA (pin 15) with a separate 1 uF plus 10 nF filter, ideally through an LC or ferrite from the digital rail. VBAT (pin 1) can tie to VDD when no backup battery is used. Keep the 1.7 V minimum in mind: 1.8 V rail designs must verify brown-out thresholds are configured.
For the LQFP64 10 x 10 mm package, use a standard 0.5 mm pitch footprint per the ST datasheet land-pattern recommendation. Place the 8 MHz HSE crystal within 10 mm of PH0/PH1 with short guarded traces and nearby 100 nF grounding of the crystal case. Route VREF+ from a quiet supply through an RC filter (10 ohm / 1 uF) when ADC accuracy matters. Keep BOOT0 (pin 61) strapped through a 10 k ohm resistor to ground; it has an internal weak pull-down, but the external resistor prevents floating in noisy environments. Reserve SWDIO/SWCLK header pads on every new PCB.
The most frequent migration mistake is porting code from STM32F407 assuming CAN, DAC, Crypto, or a second ADC exist; the F401 Access Line omits all of these. Verify the 64 KB SRAM budget when using USB stacks plus RTOS. If pins 3/4 (PC14/PC15) or 5/6 (PH0/PH1) are not used as oscillators, they have limited output-current capability and restricted GPIO modes - check the datasheet pin tables. Also note the T6 suffix is -40C to +85C only; for 125C ambient, order STM32F401RCT3. Firmware built for F405 must be recompiled against the F401 device header.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per STMicroelectronics product page. REACH and conflict-minerals declarations available from ST compliance portal; not present in provided data.
