T4160NXN7PQB - QorIQ 16-Core 1.5GHz SoC | NXP Semiconductors
MPN: T4160NXN7PQB ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $412.5 | $412.50 |
| 10 | $385 | $3,850.00 |
| 100 | $348.75 | $34,875.00 |
| 500 | $315 | $157,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $285.5 | $285,500.00 |
T4160NXN7PQB Overview
A multicore communications SoC (System-on-Chip) is a single silicon die that integrates CPU cores, memory controllers, networking accelerators, and I/O subsystems onto one chip. The QorIQ family is built on the 64-bit Power Architecture (formerly PowerPC) instruction set, scaled for embedded networking and industrial workloads. The T4 family spans T4080 (8 threads), T4160 (16 threads), and T4240 (24 threads) in a pin-compatible package, giving designers a 3x performance scaling path on one PCB.
Key features include 16 threads (8 dual-threaded e6500 cores) at 1.5 GHz, 1.6 GT/s DDR3L with ECC, two 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, hardware cryptography disabled, and extended temperature operation to +105C. The 28nm process gives improved performance-per-watt versus earlier QorIQ generations, while preserving software compatibility across the T4 series. The T4160NXN7PQB ships as a tray-packaged part intended for high-density networking and industrial computing platforms.
The architecture combines out-of-order Power Architecture cores with a coherent CoreNet fabric, enabling efficient parallel packet processing. The SerDes block supports multiple protocols including XAUI, XFI, KR, and SGMII, allowing direct connection to 10G/1G PHYs without external glue logic. Hardware accelerators offload pattern matching, CRC, and queue management, dramatically reducing CPU load in deep-packet-inspection workloads. The integrated security engine is present but disabled in this part revision - derivative SKUs with crypto enabled exist for adjacent use cases.
Typical applications include enterprise routers and switches, network appliances, industrial control gateways, telecom base-station controllers, and aerospace/defense packet processors. The 16-thread configuration is well-suited to mid-range networking workloads - heavy enough for line-rate 10G processing yet within the power envelope of passively-cooled industrial chassis.
When designing with this device, allocate a multi-layer PCB with at least 8 layers for signal integrity across the high-speed SerDes and DDR3L interfaces. The 1932-ball FCBGA requires a substrate with microvia stack-ups and matched-length routing. Thermal management must consider the 1.5 GHz core clock under sustained load - a heatsink and airflow path are required at industrial temperatures above +85C.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing from Mouser and DigiKey Marketplace, NXP family-level alternative guidance, and practical layout guidance for the FCBGA-1932 footprint - information that complements the official QorIQ T4 datasheet without replacing it.
Drop-in alternatives for T4160NXN7PQB — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
T4240NXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T4161NXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T4080NXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T4081NXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T4241NXN7PQB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T4160NXN7PQB Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | 64-bit Power Architecture e6500 |
| Cores / Threads | 8 dual-threaded cores / 16 threads |
| Core Frequency | 1.5 GHz |
| Process Technology | 28 nm |
| Package | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45 mm) |
| Memory Controller | DDR3L with ECC, 1.6 GT/s |
| 10 Gigabit Ethernet | 2x 10GE MACs |
| Cryptography Engine | Disabled |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C |
| Pin/Ball Count | 1932 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (FCBGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
| Tray Quantity | 21 per tray |
| Family | QorIQ T4 series |
| Revision | Rev 2.0 |
T4160NXN7PQB 1932-fcpbga (45x45 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for T4160NXN7PQB (1932-fcpbga (45x45 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 T4160NXN7PQB.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
T4160NXN7PQB is suitable for 7 applications: Enterprise Edge Routers, Telecom Base Station Controllers, Industrial IoT Gateways, Network Appliances and UTM, Aerospace and Defense Packet Processors, Server and Datacenter Networking, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Enterprise Edge Routers
The T4160NXN7PQB fits enterprise edge routers and branch-office gateways because its 16 hardware threads deliver line-rate packet processing for 10G uplink ports. The dual 10GE MACs aggregate upstream connectivity while the 1.6 GT/s DDR3L controller sustains deep packet buffers and route tables. With T4240, T4160, and T4080 in the same FCBGA-1932 footprint, OEMs can ship a 1G/10G/40G tiered product line on one PCB design. The e6500 cores run Cisco IOS-XR-like network stacks with deterministic QoS scheduling. The -40C to +105C industrial temperature grade supports outdoor cabinet deployment without active cooling.
Recommended
Telecom Base Station Controllers
The T4160NXN7PQB suits LTE/5G small-cell base station controllers where 16 threads of Power Architecture compute handle baseband processing, MAC scheduling, and backhaul aggregation simultaneously. The 28nm process balances performance with thermal envelope suitable for sealed radio units. Dual 10GE interfaces connect to fronthaul or backhaul switches while the DDR3L controller supports shared memory for baseband buffers. Hardware crypto is present but disabled in this SKU - telecom deployments needing IPSec acceleration should use SEC-enabled variants.
Recommended
Industrial IoT Gateways
The T4160NXN7PQB fits industrial IoT gateways aggregating fieldbus protocols (PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP) and forwarding to cloud or control systems. The 16 threads provide parallel processing of multiple industrial protocols without context-switch overhead. The extended -40C to +105C temperature range supports deployment in unheated control cabinets or factory floors with thermal cycling. The dual 10GE enables redundant uplinks to supervisory networks. Power Architecture code reuse from legacy Freescale QorIQ platforms shortens development cycles for industrial OEMs.
Recommended
Network Appliances and UTM
The T4160NXN7PQB drives mid-range Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances, next-generation firewalls, and SD-WAN edge devices. The 16 threads handle stateful packet inspection, VPN termination, and IPS/IDS workloads in parallel - one thread group per security function. The hardware crypto engine (disabled in -PQB) can be activated on SEC-enabled SKUs for IPSec line-rate. The dual 10GE provides ISP-facing and LAN-facing interfaces without an external switch. Software compatibility across T4 family means the same UTM codebase runs on T4080 (small office) or T4240 (datacenter).
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Packet Processors
The T4160NXN7PQB supports mission-critical aerospace and defense networking platforms where 16 threads of Power Architecture compute deliver deterministic packet handling for tactical communications, radar data distribution, and avionics buses. The extended temperature range and QorIQ heritage in defense applications (via Freescale/NXP) provide a long-lifecycle supply chain. The FCBGA-1932 package is compatible with ruggedized PCB stack-ups and conformal coating processes. Multi-core redundancy - lockstep pair operation - meets safety-critical requirements on certain derivatives.
Recommended
Server and Datacenter Networking
The T4160NXN7PQB can serve as a top-of-rack switch control plane CPU or as a storage controller SoC in hyperscale datacenters. The 16 threads provide control plane headroom for OpenFlow/SONiC agents, telemetry exporters, and ASIC management daemons. The dual 10GE handles management and data plane connectivity for 1G out-of-band networks. The DDR3L capacity supports route tables, ACL databases, and telemetry buffers. The 1.5 GHz core clock delivers adequate single-thread performance for snmp/SSH/gNMI daemons.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The T4160NXN7PQB fits high-performance network test equipment such as traffic generators, protocol analyzers, and load testers. The 16 threads drive parallel packet generation across multiple 10GE ports while the DDR3L controller holds large capture buffers. Software compatibility with NXP's QorIQ development ecosystem and CodeWarrior toolchain accelerates test equipment development. The hardware timestamping capabilities support RFC 2544 benchmarking and ITU-T Y.1564 service activation testing. The wide operating temperature range enables lab and field deployment in a single platform.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for T4160NXN7PQB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | T4240NXN7PQB | T4161NXN7PQB | T4080NXN7PQB | T4081NXN7PQB | T4241NXN7PQB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45 mm) | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45) - same | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45) - same | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45) - same | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45) - same | 1932-FCPBGA (45x45) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Cores / Threads | 8 cores / 16 threads | 12 cores / 24 threads | 8 cores / 16 threads | 4 cores / 8 threads | 4 cores / 8 threads | 12 cores / 24 threads |
| Core Frequency | 1.5 GHz | 1.5 GHz | 1.2 GHz (low-power) | 1.5 GHz | 1.2 GHz (low-power) | 1.2 GHz (low-power) |
| DDR3L Speed | 1.6 GT/s | 1.6 GT/s | 1.6 GT/s | 1.6 GT/s | 1.6 GT/s | 1.6 GT/s |
| 10 Gigabit Ethernet | 2x 10GE MACs | 2x 10GE MACs | 2x 10GE MACs | 2x 10GE MACs | 2x 10GE MACs | 2x 10GE MACs |
| Cryptography Engine | Disabled | Disabled (standard PQB SKU) | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C |
| Power Envelope | Standard TDP (~30W class) | Standard TDP (~45W class) | Low-power (~20W) | Standard TDP (~20W) | Low-power (~15W) | Low-power (~30W) |
Key Differentiators
- Mid-tier 16-thread performance in the pin-compatible T4 family (vs T4240NXN7PQB)
- Higher frequency than the low-power T4161 variant (vs T4161NXN7PQB)
- Twice the compute of T4080 in the same socket (vs T4080NXN7PQB)
Design Notes
The 1932-ball FCBGA at 0.9 mm pitch demands a high-density PCB stack-up of at least 8 layers with laser-drilled microvias. Per NXP's QorIQ T4 hardware design guide, signal routing under the BGA must escape through staggered microvia-in-pad structures. Trace impedance for DDR3L must be controlled to 50 ohm single-ended with matched-length matching within +/-25 mil across the byte lanes. Power plane decoupling requires 0402-size capacitors placed within 100 mil of each power ball pair.
Estimated: at full load with 16 threads active at 1.5 GHz, the T4160NXN7PQB dissipates approximately 30W of thermal power in a sealed chassis. The FCBGA-1932 package requires a heatsink with thermal interface material rated at 0.2 C/W or better. At +85C ambient and 1.5 GHz sustained operation, junction temperature can reach 110C - close to the +105C industrial limit. Forced airflow of 200 LFM or a larger heatsink is required for fanless industrial deployments.
SerDes lane routing for the dual 10GE interfaces requires careful length matching - differential pairs must be matched within 5 mil for the TX and RX paths per the QorIQ T4 SerDes reference manual. Use AC-coupled capacitors at the SerDes output, placed no more than 200 mil from the ball. Reference clock routing for the SerDes block must be guarded with ground vias to prevent coupling from adjacent high-speed signals. The 10GBase-KR protocol requires adaptive equalization - the reference clock quality directly impacts link margin.
Do not assume QorIQ T4 power-on sequencing matches T2/T3 series - the boot configuration pins have different default states and must be reviewed against the T4 datasheet. The hardware crypto engine is disabled in -PQB suffixes; if firmware attempts to invoke crypto operations, the boot sequence will halt. Ensure the RCW (Reset Configuration Word) in the flash matches the SKU exactly - using a T4240 RCW on a T4160 board may cause partial CoreNet initialization failures.
The T4160NXN7PQB requires a multi-rail power supply with separate 1.0V core, 1.5V DDR3L, 1.8V SerDes analog, and 3.3V I/O rails - all with tight sequencing requirements. Per NXP hardware specifications, the 1.0V core rail must ramp within 20 ms of the 1.5V DDR3L rail. Use a PMIC such as the NXP VR500 or VR510 with I2C monitoring. The core rail must support dynamic voltage scaling - firmware will request VID changes during low-power idle states to meet industrial power budgets.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per NXP product page. Lead-free FCBGA package. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a communications processor, not an automotive-qualified part. For automotive applications consult NXP's automotive-grade processor portfolio.
