From Silicon Labs: Silicon Labs Upgrades Wireless MCUs - The Linley Group Microprocessor Report

Recently, Tom R. Halfhill, a senior analyst at The Linley Group and a senior editor of Microprocessor Report, contributed a review of our new Wireless Gecko Series 2 SoCs in the June issue of Microprocessor Report. He analyzes key EFR32 Series 2 upgrades and how the next-generation portfolio compares with the EFR32 Series 1 family in areas such as wireless performance, security features, on-chip CPU and package size.

In this report, Halfhill highlights Series 2 security features such as secure boot with Root of Trust and Secure Loader (RTSL) in addition to hardware crypto accelerations with side-channel countermeasures that considerably strengthen resistance to adversary attacks. The report also compares key specifications of EFR32MG21 and EFR32BG21 SoCs, the first products in the Series 2 portfolio. EFR32MG21 supports multiprotocol, Zigbee®, Thread and Bluetooth® mesh networking, and EFR32BG21 is dedicated to Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth mesh connectivity.

Our Wireless Gecko Series 2 portfolio leads a growing crowd of wireless MCUs and SoCs for connected devices. Halfhill compares EFR32MG21 features and performance with several competing products from other large wireless MCU/SoC vendors:

• NXP’s Kinetis K32W0x
• ST Microelectronics’ STM32WB
• Texas Instrument’s SimpleLink CC1352R 

Halfhill acknowledges that our new Series 2 portfolio includes the lowest power wireless SoCs on the market while offering the tiniest footprint, boasting a 4 mm x 4 mm surface-mount QFN package with only 32 pins. The SoCs also offer the highest ambient temperature range, making them suitable for applications with extreme heat exposure such as connected LED lighting and various Industrial IoT applications. The latest Series 2 SoCs are ideal for a wide range of line-powered IoT products including gateways, hubs, lights, voice assistants and smart electric meters.

Series 1 customers can easily upgrade to the Series 2 platform. With IoT security threats increasing, Wireless Gecko Series 2 leads the pack in providing improved security features but comes at virtually no additional cost when upgrading to Series 2. The enhanced radios offer a +20 dBm option for longer range, allowing customers to choose the right power level and wireless range for each design. The Series 2 radio also offers better selectivity, which is helpful as more and more wireless devices use the crowded 2.4 GHz band.

Read the full Microprocessor Report: https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/white-papers/the-linley-group-microprocessor-report-silicon-labs-upgrades-wireless-mcus.pdf

Source: https://www.silabs.com/community/blog.entry.html/2019/08/27/silicon_labs_upgradeswirelessmcus-thelinleyg-NFIx

Looking to integrate Silicon Labs products with your design? Our Applications Engineers offer free design and technical help for your latest designs. Contact us today!