Six general generations of MSP430 processors exist. In order of development, they are: '3xx generation, '1xx generation, '4xx generation, '2xx generation, '5xx generation, and '6xx generation. The digit after the generation identifies the model (generally higher model numbers are larger and more capable), the third digit identifies the amount of memory included, and the fourth, if present, identifies a minor model variant. The most common variation is a different on-chip
analog-to-digital converter. The 3xx and 1xx generations are limited to a 16-bit address space. In the later generations this was expanded to include '430X' instructions that allow a 20-bit address space. As happened with other processor architectures (e.g. the processor of the
PDP-11), extending the addressing range beyond the 16-bit word size introduced some peculiarities and inefficiencies for programs larger than 64 KB. In the following list, it helps to think of the typical 200 mA·Hr capacity of a
CR2032 lithium
coin cell as 200,000 μA·Hr, or 22.8 μA·year. Thus, considering only the CPU draw, such a battery could supply a 0.7 μA current draw for 32 years. (In reality, battery
self-discharge would reduce this number.) The significance of the
RAM retention vs the
real-time clock mode is that in real time clock mode the CPU can go to sleep with a clock running which will wake it up at a specified future time. In RAM retention mode, some external signal is required to wake it, e.g.,
input/output (I/O) pin signal or SPI slave receive interrupt.
MSP430x1xx series The MSP430x1xx Series is the first generation with flash memory. They are generally more capable than the '3xx generation, but without an embedded
LCD controller. These flash- or ROM-based ultra-low-power MCUs offer 8 MIPS, 1.8–3.6 V operation, up to 60 KB flash, and a wide range of analog and digital peripherals. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**0.7 μA real-time clock mode :**200 μA / MIPS active :**Features fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 6 μs. :*Device parameters :**Flash options: 1–60 KB :**ROM options: 1–16 KB :**RAM: 128 B–10 KB :**GPIO options: 14, 22, 48 pins :**ADC options: Slope, 10 & 12-bit SAR :**Other integrated peripherals: 12-bit DAC, up to 2 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, brown-out reset, SVS, USART module (UART, SPI), DMA, 16×16 multiplier, Comparator_A, temperature sensor
MSP430F2xx series The MSP430F2xx Series are similar to the '1xx generation, but operate at even lower power, support up to 16 MHz operation, and have a more accurate (±2%) on-chip clock that makes it easier to operate without an external crystal. These flash-based ultra-low power devices offer 1.8–3.6 V operations. It includes the very-low power oscillator (VLO), internal pull-up/pull-down resistors, and low-pin count options. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**0.3 μA standby mode (VLO) :**0.7 μA real-time clock mode :**220 μA / MIPS active :**Feature ultra-fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 1 μs :*Device parameters :**Flash options: 1–120 KB :**RAM options: 128 B – 8 KB :**GPIO options: 10, 11, 16, 24, 32, and 48 pins :**ADC options: Slope, 10 & 12-bit SAR, 16 & 24-bit Sigma Delta :**Other integrated peripherals: operational amplifiers, 12-bit DAC, up to 2 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, brown-out reset, SVS, USI module (I²C, SPI), USCI module, DMA, 16×16 multiplier, Comparator_A+, temperature sensor
MSP430G2xx series The MSP430G2xx Value Series features flash-based Ultra-Low Power MCUs up to 16 MIPS with 1.8–3.6 V operation. It includes the Very-Low power Oscillator (VLO), internal pull-up/pull-down resistors, and low-pin count options at lower prices than the MSP430F2xx series. :*Ultra-Low Power, as low as (@2.2 V): :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**0.4 μA Standby mode (VLO) :**0.7 μA real-time clock mode :**220 μA / MIPS active :**Ultra-Fast Wake-Up From Standby Mode in <1 μs :*Device parameters :**Flash options: 0.5–56 KB :**RAM options: 128 B–4 KB :**GPIO options: 10, 16, 24, 32 pins :**ADC options: Slope, 10-bit SAR :**Other integrated peripherals: Capacitive Touch I/O, up to 3 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, brown-out reset, USI module (I²C, SPI), USCI module, Comparator_A+, Temp sensor
MSP430x3xx series The MSP430x3xx Series is the oldest generation, released between 1995 and 1998. The MSP430 was designed as a successor to TSS400 for battery-powered metering instruments. All MSP430x3xx had an embedded LCD controller and also a digital controlled oscillator (DCO) with
frequency-locked loop (FLL) which provided a stable system clock (1 to 4 MHz) using a low-frequency crystal (32 kHz). This generation does not support
EEPROM memory, only mask ROM and UV-eraseable and one-time programmable
EPROM. Later generations provide only flash memory and
mask ROM options. These devices offer 2.5–5.5 V operation, up to 32 KB ROM. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**0.9 μA real-time clock mode :**160 μA / MIPS active :**Features fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 6 μs. :*Device parameters: :**ROM options: 2–32 KB :**RAM options: 512 B–1 KB :**GPIO options: 14, 40 pins :**ADC options: Slope, 14-bit SAR :**Other integrated peripherals: LCD controller, multiplier
MSP430x4xx series The MSP430x4xx Series are similar to the '1xx generation, but include an integrated LCD controller, and are larger and often more capable. These flash or ROM based devices offers 8–16 MIPS at 1.8–3.6 V operation, with FLL, and SVS. Ideal for low power metering and medical applications. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**0.7 μA real-time clock mode :**200 μA / MIPS active :**Features fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 6 μs. :*Device parameters: :**Flash/ROM options: 4 – 120 KB :**RAM options: 256 B – 8 KB :**GPIO options: 14, 32, 48, 56, 68, 72, 80 pins :**ADC options: Slope, 10 & 12-bit SAR, 16-bit Sigma Delta :**Other integrated peripherals: SCAN_IF, ESP430, 12-bit DAC, Op Amps, RTC, up to 2 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, basic timer, brown-out reset, SVS, USART module (UART, SPI), USCI module, LCD Controller, DMA, 16×16 & 32x32 multiplier, Comparator_A, temperature sensor, 8 MIPS CPU Speed
MSP430x5xx series The MSP430x5xx Series are able to run up to 25 MHz, have up to 512 KB flash memory and up to 66 KB RAM. This flash-based family features low active power consumption with up to 25 MIPS at 1.8–3.6 V operation (165 uA/MIPS). Includes an innovative power management module for optimal power consumption and integrated USB. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**2.5 μA real-time clock mode :**165 μA / MIPS active :**Features fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 5 μs. :*Device parameters: :**Flash options: up to 512 KB :**RAM options: up to 66 KB :**ADC options: 10 & 12-bit SAR :**GPIO options: 29, 31, 47, 48, 63, 67, 74, 87 pins :**Other optional integrated peripherals: 12-bit DAC, High resolution PWM, 5 V I/O's, USB, backup battery switch, up to 4 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, Real-Time Clock, brown-out reset, SVS, USCI module, DMA, 32x32 multiplier, Comp B, temperature sensor
MSP430x6xx series The MSP430x6xx Series are able to run up to 25 MHz, have up to 512 KB flash memory and up to 66 KB RAM. This flash-based family features low active power consumption with up to 25 MIPS at 1.8–3.6 V operation (165 uA/MIPS). Includes an innovative power management module for optimal power consumption and integrated USB. Many 6xx series devices are pin-compatible with an analogous 5xx series device except that the 6xx device adds USB support. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**0.1 μA RAM retention :**2.5 μA real-time clock mode :**165 μA / MIPS active :**Features fast wake-up from standby mode in less than 5 μs. :*Device parameters: :**Flash options: up to 512 KB :**RAM options: up to 66 KB :**ADC options: 12-bit SAR :**GPIO options: 74 pins :**Other integrated peripherals: USB, LCD, DAC, Comparator_B, DMA, 32x32 multiplier, power management module (BOR, SVS, SVM, LDO), watchdog timer, RTC, Temp sensor
RF SoC (CC430) series The RF SoC (CC430) Series provides tight integration between the microcontroller core, peripherals, software, and RF transceiver. Features <1 GHz RF transceiver, with 1.8 V–3.6 V operation. Programming using Arduino
integrated development environment (IDE) is possible via the panStamp API. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**1 μA RAM retention :**1.7 μA real-time clock mode :**180 μA / MIPS active :*Device parameters: :**Speed options: up to 20 MHz :**Flash options: up to 32 KB :**RAM options: up to 4 KB :**ADC options: 12-bit SAR :**GPIO options: 30 & 44 pins :**Other integrated peripherals: LCD Controller, up to 2 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, RTC, power management module (BOR, SVS, SVM, LDO), USCI module, DMA, 32x32 multiplier, Comp B, temperature sensor
FRAM series The FRAM Series from Texas Instruments provides unified memory with dynamic partitioning and memory write speeds 100 times faster than flash. FRAM is also capable of zero power state retention in all power modes, which means that writes are guaranteed, even in the event of a power loss. With a write endurance of over 100 trillion cycles, EEPROM is no longer required. Active power consumption at less than 100 μA/MHz. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**320 nA RAM retention :**0.35 μA real-time clock mode :**82 μA / MIPS active :*Device parameters: :**Speed options: 8 to 24 MHz :**FRAM options: 4 to 256 KB :**RAM options: 0.5 to 8 KB :**ADC options: 10 or 12-bit SAR :**GPIO options: 17 to 83 GPIO pins :**Other possible integrated peripherals: MPU, up to 6 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, RTC, power management module (BOR, SVS, SVM, LDO), USCI module, DMA, multiplier, Comp B, temperature sensor, LCD driver, I2C and UART BSL, Extended Scan Interface, 32 bit multiplier, AES, CRC, signal processing acceleration, capacitive touch, IR modulation
Low voltage series The Low Voltage Series include the MSP430C09x and MSP430L092 parts, capable of running at 0.9 V. These 2 series of low voltage 16-bit microcontrollers have configurations with two 16-bit timers, an 8-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, an 8-bit digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, and up to 11 I/O pins. :*Power specification overview, as low as: :**1 μA RAM retention :**1.7 μA real-time clock mode :**180 μA / MIPS active :*Device parameters: :**Speed options: 4 MHz :**ROM options: 1–2 KB :**SRAM options: 2 KB :**ADC options: 8-bit SAR :**GPIO options: 11 pins :**Other integrated peripherals: up to 2 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, brown-out reset, SVS, comparator, temperature sensor
Other MSP430 families More families within MSP430 include Fixed Function, Automotive, and Extended Temp parts. Fixed Function: The MSP430BQ1010 16-bit microcontroller is an advanced fixed-function device that forms the control and communications unit on the receiver side for wireless power transfer in portable applications. MSP430BQ1010 complies with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) specification. For more information, see Contactless Power. Automotive: Automotive MSP430 microcontrollers (MCUs) from Texas Instruments (TI) are 16-bit, RISC-based, mixed-signal processors that are AEC-Q100 qualified and suitable for automotive applications in environments up to 105 °C ambient temperature. LIN compliant drivers for the MSP430 MCU provided by IHR GmbH. Extended Temp: MSP430 devices are very popular in harsh environments such as industrial sensing for their low power consumption and innovative analog integration. Some harsh environment applications include transportation/automotive, renewable energy, military/space/avionics, mineral exploration, industrial, and safety & security. :*Device Definitions: :**HT: -55 °C to 150 °C :**EP: Enhanced products -55 °C to 125 °C :**Q1: Automotive Q100 qualified -40 °C to 105 °C :**T: Extended temperature -40 °C to 105 °C applications Note that when the flash size is over 64K words (128 KBytes), instruction addresses can no longer be encoded in just two bytes. This change in pointer size causes some incompatibilities with previous parts. ==References==