MEC1521H-B0-I/SZ

Application Specific Microcontrollers Overview

The MEC1521H-B0-I/SZ is a low-power embedded controller from the MEC152x family, designed for notebook PC applications. It integrates an ARM Cortex-M4 processor operating up to 48 MHz with 256 KB of total SRAM (224 KB code, 32 KB data) and 64 bytes of battery-backed storage. The device features an Intel eSPI host interface supporting Master and Slave Attached Flash Sharing, alongside security accelerators for AES-256, ECDSA, and SHA-384. Operating voltages are 1.8 V and 3.3 V, with an industrial temperature range of -40°C to +85°C.

Application Specific Microcontrollers Feature Summary

• ARM Cortex-M4 core with 48 MHz clock and 256 KB SRAM
• Intel eSPI compliant host interface with SAFS/MAFS support
• Hardware cryptographic accelerators (AES, RSA, ECC, SHA)
• Integrated peripherals including 3 UARTs, 5 SMBus controllers, and PS/2 interfaces

Application Specific Microcontrollers Applications

• Notebook PC Embedded Controllers
• ACPI S0-S5 Power Management Systems
• Secure Boot Firmware Platforms

Application Specific Microcontrollers Procurement Notes

Verify the specific suffix 'SZ' against the manufacturer's current product identification system to confirm package type and pinout compatibility. Confirm that the required peripheral features, such as the 8042 keyboard controller or internal flash, align with the MEC1521 variant specifications rather than other family members like MEC1523 or MEC1527.

Application Specific Microcontrollers Selection Notes

Select this component for designs requiring an Intel eSPI interface and robust security features in a notebook environment. Ensure the design supports both 1.8 V and 3.3 I/O voltage domains. Verify that the 144-pin WFBGA package fits the board layout constraints and that the 256 KB SRAM allocation meets firmware size requirements.

Application Specific Microcontrollers Part Context

This part belongs to the MEC152x family of mixed-signal I/O controllers. Other variants in the series include MEC1523 and MEC1527, which differ in integrated memory options such as internal SPI Flash or EEPROM. The MEC1521 specifically provides the core processing and I/O capabilities without these additional on-chip storage components.

Application Specific Microcontrollers Replacement Considerations

Direct replacements within the same package and feature set may include other MEC1521 variants with different suffixes (e.g., I/Z2, I/TF) if pin compatibility is maintained. Cross-family substitution with MEC1523 or MEC1527 requires verification of peripheral availability and memory differences.