Renesas has expanded its RA8 microcontroller family with two new groups, the RA8M2 and RA8D2, combining 1 GHz processing speeds with embedded MRAM and advanced peripheral sets. These devices continue the company’s move toward microcontrollers that overlap with entry-level application processors, bridging the gap between cost-efficient control and high-end computation.
Both series are based on the Arm Cortex-M85 core with optional Cortex-M33 co-processing for system partitioning and low-power housekeeping. The design pushes up to 7,300 CoreMarks, making it one of the fastest MCUs currently available. Built on a 22 nm ultra-low-leakage process, the devices balance speed with energy efficiency and are supported by Renesas’ Flexible Software Package (FSP), which simplifies migration across the entire RA family.
MRAM and Dual-Core Flexibility
A key change in the RA8M2 and RA8D2 is the use of embedded MRAM instead of flash memory. MRAM allows faster writes, higher endurance, and instant data storage without erase cycles. For industrial and IoT systems that log data continuously or perform over-the-air updates, this provides a real reliability advantage.
Each device integrates 1 MB of MRAM, 2 MB of SRAM, and optional system-in-package configurations with 4 MB or 8 MB of external flash. The dual-core architecture lets developers run background system tasks on the M33 core while keeping the M85 core asleep until heavy computation or AI inference is required, improving total system power efficiency.
Graphics and Connectivity Options
While the RA8M2 targets general-purpose embedded and industrial applications, the RA8D2 adds dedicated graphics and HMI capabilities. It includes a 2D drawing engine, display controller supporting up to 1280 × 800 resolution, and dual-lane MIPI CSI-2 and MIPI DSI interfaces for camera and display integration. Audio interfaces such as I²S and PDM support voice and sound-driven designs, while Gigabit Ethernet with TSN, CAN FD, USB 2.0, and I³C cover communication requirements.
Building a Modern Development Platform
The two MCU groups are supported by the same software ecosystem as the rest of the RA family. The FSP integrates drivers, middleware, and RTOS support, including FreeRTOS, Azure RTOS, and Zephyr, allowing engineers to reuse code and scale designs across multiple device classes.
Renesas also continues to offer its “Winning Combinations,” pairing MCUs with analog, power, and connectivity components to provide validated reference designs for faster prototyping.
Why It Matters
The RA8M2 and RA8D2 bring performance once reserved for application processors into a microcontroller form factor. Embedded MRAM, Helium DSP acceleration, and dual-core partitioning make these devices suitable for edge AI, industrial control, and advanced HMI projects that demand real-time response and high throughput without moving to a Linux-class processor.
For engineers, this release shows how far the boundary of the MCU has shifted, from simple control logic to full mixed-signal, graphics-capable platforms that can handle machine learning and deterministic control on the same silicon.
Learn more and read the original article on www.renesas.com
You may also like
