On November 4th, GigaDevice, a leading domestic semiconductor design enterprise, officially announced the launch of its new 32-bit general-purpose microcontrollers (MCUs) — the GD32F503/505 series based on the Arm Cortex-M33 core. As a flagship addition to GigaDevice’s GD32 MCU family, this series not only fills the gap of domestic mid-to-high-end general-purpose MCUs in the fields of high clock frequency and flexible memory configuration but also provides localized chip solutions for emerging sectors such as digital power supplies, industrial automation, and humanoid robots, relying on its core advantages of high integration and robust security. Currently, the application channels for sample procurement and development board trials of this MCU series have been opened. Mass production is scheduled to officially start in December 2024, enabling large-scale supply by then.
In terms of core performance, leveraging the technological advantages of the Arm v8-M architecture, the GD32F503/505 series boosts the core clock frequency to 280MHz. Compared with other Cortex-M33 products of the same category, it achieves an approximately 15% improvement in computing efficiency, easily meeting the real-time processing requirements of complex algorithms in industrial control. For instance, in motor control scenarios, it can realize millisecond-level precise speed regulation of servo motors to reduce operational errors; in the field of digital power supplies, it can quickly respond to load changes, increasing power conversion efficiency to over 95%.
The flexibility of memory configuration is another prominent feature of this series. GigaDevice equips it with a maximum of 1024KB Flash memory and 192KB SRAM, supporting the scatter loading technology. Users can independently allocate the capacity ratio among Code-Flash (code storage area), Data-Flash (data storage area), and SRAM (running memory) according to actual application scenarios. For example, industrial automation equipment that needs to store large volumes of historical operation data can expand the Data-Flash capacity; while consumer electronic devices like floor sweepers, which prioritize code running speed, can optimize the ratio of Code-Flash to SRAM to avoid resource waste.
In terms of security, the series integrates multiple security protection mechanisms, including a hardware-level AES-256 encryption module, CRC-32 data verification function, and Memory Protection Unit (MPU). These features can effectively prevent firmware tampering and data leakage, meeting the high-security demands of scenarios such as industrial control and Battery Management Systems (BMS). Particularly in the BMS of new energy vehicles, it can ensure the security of battery data transmission and storage, reducing potential safety hazards.
The GD32F503/505 series demonstrates strong adaptability in application scenarios. Beyond traditional fields like digital power supplies, industrial automation, and motor control, it can also support the operation of path-planning algorithms for floor sweepers and the precise control of joint motors in humanoid robots. A relevant person in charge of GigaDevice stated that the R&D of this series fully addressed the pain points of downstream customers. For example, to meet the miniaturization needs of chips in humanoid robots, it adopts compact packages such as LQFP48 and LQFP64. While reducing the PCB board space occupation, it ensures that the pin layout is compatible with mainstream design schemes, lowering the cost of secondary development for customers.
From an industrial perspective, the launch of the GD32F503/505 series coincides with a critical period for the accelerated replacement of domestic MCUs. Data shows that in 2023, over 60% of the domestic mid-to-high-end general-purpose MCU market was dominated by international manufacturers such as STMicroelectronics and Renesas. The new product of GigaDevice matches international counterparts in performance and boasts more competitive pricing and delivery cycles, which is expected to further enhance the market penetration rate of domestic MCUs.
In response to GigaDevice’s GD32F503/505 series MCUs, ICgoodFind has simultaneously launched a sample docking channel, providing downstream customers with a one-stop service combining sample trials and technical consultation. Meanwhile, the platform has secured mass production supplies in advance to ensure rapid response to customers’ bulk procurement needs after the start of mass production in December. In addition, ICgoodFind will integrate the development tools and application cases of this MCU series, helping customers shorten the product R&D cycle and accelerate the application of domestic mid-to-high-end MCUs in various fields.
