XR79203EVB - XR79203 40V 3A Sync Buck COT Eval Board | MaxLinear
MPN: XR79203EVB ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $75 | $75.00 |
| 5 | $67.5 | $337.50 |
| 10 | $60 | $600.00 |
| 25 | $54 | $1,350.00 |
| 50 | $48 | $2,400.00 |
XR79203EVB Overview
A DC-DC switching power module is a self-contained synchronous buck converter that combines the controller IC, power stage, magnetic components, and input/output capacitors into one compact surface-mount package. Power modules sit hierarchically below discrete buck converters and above bare controller ICs in the power management taxonomy, simplifying PCB design by eliminating the need to lay out high-di/dt switching loops, select inductors, or stabilize a feedback loop.
Key features of the XR79203EVB include MaxLinear's proprietary emulated current-mode COT control scheme, which delivers extremely fast line and load transient response using only ceramic output capacitors. The control topology requires no external loop compensation, reducing overall component count and time-to-market. The XR79203 device behind the board achieves 0.1% load regulation and 0.2% line regulation while maintaining constant operating frequency across load and line variations.
The XR79203 module combines controller, drivers, inductor, passive components, and MOSFETs in a single package. The COT architecture emulates current-mode behavior digitally, allowing ceramic output capacitors that would otherwise destabilize a traditional voltage-mode buck converter. By removing the compensation network, designers avoid the iterative stability tuning that typically extends buck regulator development cycles.
Typical applications include industrial 24V bus point-of-load regulation, distributed power architectures in factory automation, communications infrastructure such as base station auxiliary rails, and any embedded system requiring a compact 3A step-down rail from a wide 5V to 40V DC input. The board lets engineers evaluate the XR79203 module without spinning a custom PCB.
Design considerations include ensuring adequate input capacitance to limit switching ripple and observing the module's thermal limits when operating at the upper end of the 40V input range at full 3A load. The evaluation board exposes the feedback resistors, soft-start, and enable pins for rapid prototyping.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric context, and practical application notes for the XR79203EVB that go beyond what is printed on the manufacturer evaluation board user guide.
Drop-in alternatives for XR79203EVB — 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:
XR79206EVB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
XR79103EVB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
XR79120EVB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
XR79203EVB Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation Board / Development Kit |
| Target Device | XR79203 (40V 3A Synchronous Buck COT Power Module) |
| Input Voltage Range | 5 V to 40 V |
| Number of Outputs | 1 (non-isolated) |
| Topology | Synchronous Step-Down (Buck) |
| Control Scheme | Emulated Current-Mode Constant On-Time (COT) |
| Output Current (Max) | 3 A |
| Output Voltage | Adjustable |
| Output Capacitor Type | Ceramic compatible (no loop compensation required) |
| Load Regulation | 0.1 % |
| Line Regulation | 0.2 % |
| Switching Behavior | Constant frequency across line/load |
| Converter Function | DC/DC, Step Down |
| Module Integration | Controller + drivers + MOSFETs + inductor + passives in one package |
| Mounting Type | Through-hole terminal headers on PCB |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
XR79203EVB Interfaces & Connectors
XR79203EVB exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: Power Input. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| Power Input | 5 V to 40 V |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Power & Thermal Characteristics
| Power Input | 5 V to 40 V |
Power input and thermal parameters for XR79203EVB as published by the manufacturer.
Typical Applications
XR79203EVB is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial 24V Bus Point-of-Load Regulation, Communications Infrastructure Auxiliary Rails, Factory Automation Controller Power, Embedded Computing Single-Board Computers, Test and Measurement Equipment, Portable and Battery-Powered Industrial Devices, LED Driver and Display Backlight Rails.
Industrial 24V Bus Point-of-Load Regulation
The XR79203EVB is well-suited to industrial 24V bus point-of-load rails because the underlying XR79203 module accepts 5V to 40V input and delivers 3A continuously. With MaxLinear's emulated current-mode COT control the board achieves 0.1% load regulation and 0.2% line regulation, which keeps downstream microcontrollers, sensors, and analog front-ends accurately powered as factory loads switch. Designers drop the EVB onto a bench, set the feedback resistors, and verify hold-up and transient behavior on real 24V plant power before committing to a PCB layout.
Recommended
Communications Infrastructure Auxiliary Rails
Base-station and small-cell auxiliary rails commonly derive 5V, 3.3V, or 1.8V from a nominal 24V or 36V telecom bus, and the XR79203EVB covers this input window natively with its 5V to 40V range. The COT control scheme delivers fast line and load transient response with ceramic output capacitors only, which minimizes PCB area compared to traditional buck designs that need larger ESR capacitors or compensation networks. The 3A output comfortably supplies FPGA housekeeping, PHY ICs, and fan controllers on a typical small-cell board.
Recommended
Factory Automation Controller Power
Factory automation PLCs and distributed I/O modules require compact, rugged 24V-input buck converters to power logic, isolation, and analog front-ends. The XR79203EVB exposes the XR79203 module's wide 5V-40V input and COT-controlled fast transient response, which together cope with the noisy 24V factory bus and sudden load steps from relays or motor pre-drivers. Ceramic-only output capacitors reduce long-term drift and field failures compared to electrolytic-based designs, and the integrated inductor cuts EMI loop area on dense PLC boards.
Recommended
Embedded Computing Single-Board Computers
Single-board computers and edge-compute modules often accept 12V to 28V input and must produce clean 5V and 3.3V rails for SoCs, DDR, and PMICs. The XR79203EVB's adjustable output and 3A rating support these rails directly from a wide DC source, and the 0.1% load regulation keeps the SoC's power-good and DVFS thresholds honest under bursty compute loads. The COT topology's lack of loop compensation removes a common tuning burden for embedded designers iterating quickly on Linux images and power-management firmware.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Test and measurement instruments require low-noise, well-regulated internal rails to preserve ADC accuracy and analog front-end performance. The XR79203EVB drives these rails with 0.2% line regulation, holding output voltage stable as the wide 5V to 40V input sags under electronic load transients. The synchronous buck architecture minimizes conducted EMI compared to non-synchronous designs, and the integrated module reduces stray inductance that would otherwise couple switching noise into sensitive measurement paths.
Recommended
Portable and Battery-Powered Industrial Devices
Industrial handhelds, barcode scanners, and battery-backed controllers step down from multi-cell Li-ion or 12V/24V sources and benefit from the XR79203EVB's wide 5V to 40V input window. The COT control scheme provides fast load-step response when the device wakes from sleep and turns on radios, motors, or LEDs, preventing MCU brownouts. Ceramic-only output capacitors reduce board weight and improve long-term reliability versus electrolytic-based buck solutions, which matters for portable equipment exposed to vibration and temperature cycling.
Recommended
LED Driver and Display Backlight Rails
Industrial HMIs, signage controllers, and small display panels need constant, low-noise DC rails for LED strings, backlight drivers, and TFT timing controllers. The XR79203EVB delivers 3A from a 5V to 40V source, and its 0.1% load regulation prevents visible LED brightness shifts as the display refresh load changes. The integrated module keeps the buck loop compact and well-shielded, which reduces conducted emissions that could otherwise couple into nearby analog video or touch-sensing paths.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for XR79203EVB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | XR79206EVB | XR79103EVB | XR79120EVB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | Evaluation Board (XR79203 module) | Evaluation Board (XR79206 module) | Evaluation Board (XR79103 module) | Evaluation Board (XR79120 module) |
| Brand | MaxLinear | MaxLinear | MaxLinear | MaxLinear |
| Input Voltage Range | 5 V to 40 V | 5 V to 40 V | 5 V to 40 V | 5 V to 40 V |
| Control Scheme | Emulated current-mode COT | Emulated current-mode COT | Emulated current-mode COT | Emulated current-mode COT |
| External Compensation Required | No | No | No | No |
| Output Capacitor Type | Ceramic compatible | Ceramic compatible | Ceramic compatible | Ceramic compatible |
| Load Regulation | 0.1 % | 0.1 % | 0.1 % | 0.1 % |
| Line Regulation | 0.2 % | 0.2 % | 0.2 % | 0.2 % |
| Topology | Synchronous Buck (Step-Down) | Synchronous Buck (Step-Down) | Synchronous Buck (Step-Down) | Synchronous Buck (Step-Down) |
Key Differentiators
- Emulated current-mode COT eliminates compensation design (vs Traditional discrete buck controllers (e.g. TPS54302))
- Ceramic-only output capacitors supported without ESR tricks (vs Legacy buck converters requiring ESR for stability)
- Fully integrated module reduces PCB area and EMI loop (vs Discrete buck with external inductor and FETs)
Design Notes
The XR79203EVB accepts 5V to 40V input. Ensure upstream input capacitance is sufficient to handle the 3A step-down load steps and any source impedance from long cables. According to the MaxLinear XR79203 module datasheet, ceramic-only output capacitors are supported thanks to the emulated current-mode COT control; do not substitute electrolytic capacitors without reviewing the loop stability section of the module datasheet.
At the upper end of the input range (40V) and a 3A load, the XR79203 module dissipates significant power in the integrated FETs and inductor. Estimated: with VIN=36V, VOUT=5V, IOUT=3A, the converter handles approximately 15W of input power and 15W of output power, so the dissipation budget is concentrated in the module. Provide adequate airflow or attach the EVB's copper pours to a heat-spreading plane during thermal evaluation. Refer to the XR79203 datasheet thermal section for the exact theta_JA values.
When transitioning from the XR79203EVB evaluation board to a production PCB, keep the input capacitor, output capacitor, and feedback divider as close to the XR79203 module's pins as possible. The COT control loop has no compensation network, so PCB layout discipline becomes the main stability lever. Use a four-layer board with a continuous ground plane under the module to minimize the high-di/dt switching loop area.
Do not exceed the 40V absolute maximum input voltage on the XR79203, including transients on industrial 24V buses. Use a TVS or input fuse when the EVB is wired to live plant power. Also avoid running the EVB without the XR79203EN enable signal pulled to a defined logic level; floating EN can cause intermittent startup. Finally, when probing the switching node, use a low-inductance ground-spring tip to avoid coupling noise into the COT feedback path.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance inferred from MaxLinear and distributor product listings; AEC-Q100 is not applicable for an evaluation board; REACH compliance assumed per MaxLinear's general policy. Halogen-free and conflict-mineral status not explicitly stated for the EVB.