Family Comparison

So you’ve decided on using a PSoC microcontroller, but what from what family? They all have their advantages/disadvantages…

PSoC 1

• PSoC 1 is the oldest PSoC device
• The cheapest PSoC family!
• They also come in really small packages, a useful thing when needing something for a small project, and this is something the other PSoC families do not offer.

PSoC 3

• In general, the chips are much cheaper than the PSoC 5 (US$2-10 compared to US$8-20, as of 2012)
• Uses the cheap but not so fast 8051 core.
• Higher accuracy IMO (±2% compared to ±5%, both at 3MHz)
• Some PSoC’s with 32kB or more of flash support USB
• Maximum of 64kB flash
• More production ready than PSoC 5 (overall, there are less bugs)
• More sleep functionality than PSoC 5 (sleep current is lower, wake-up times are faster, and wakeup sources are greater)

PSoC 4

• PSoC 4 is the newest family in the PSoC range.
• Uses the low-power ARM Cortex-M0 core (slightly less feature-packed version of the Cortex-M3).
• In terms of price/features, it is higher than PSoC 3 but lower than PSoC 5/5LP.

PSoC 5

• Faster maximum clock speed (67MHz vs. 50MHz)
• Uses the very popular ARM Cortex-M3 core.
• Better compiler (IMO, GCC is much better than Keil)
• More flash and ROM
• More UDB (Universal Digital Blocks)
• More features (a big one being the Sigma-Delta ADC)
• Maximum of 256kB flash

PSoC 5LP

• Same maximum clock speed as PSoC 5 (67MHz). It was initially spec’d at 80MHz but was revised to 67MHz when the 5LP family was released.
• The LP family fixed most of the known silicone errors with the original PSoC 5. Designed to eventually replace the PSoC 5.
• Much lower sleep power usage, and added sleep functionality (the LP stands for “low power”)
• Like the PSoC 5, uses the ARM Cortex-M3 core.
• You can get the PSoC 5LP micro in space saving 0.40mm pitch QFN packages.