PSOCTM 4 vs PSOCTM 5LP - What is the difference?

Last Updated May 25, 2025

PSOCTM 4 offers reliable pressure support and oxygen therapy with straightforward controls, while PSOCTM 5LP introduces enhanced portability and longer battery life for greater convenience during travel or extended use. Explore the detailed comparison to determine which model best suits Your respiratory therapy needs.

Comparison Table

Feature PSOC(tm) 4 PSOC(tm) 5LP
Core ARM Cortex-M0 ARM Cortex-M3
Clock Speed Up to 48 MHz Up to 80 MHz
Flash Memory Up to 64 KB Up to 256 KB
RAM Up to 8 KB Up to 32 KB
Analog Blocks Up to 12 programmable analog blocks Up to 24 programmable analog blocks
Digital Blocks Up to 24 programmable digital blocks Up to 24 programmable digital blocks
Operating Voltage 1.71V to 5.5V 1.71V to 5.5V
Package Options Small form factors like QFN, TQFP More package variations including QFN, TQFP, WLCSP
Power Consumption Ultra-low power with various low power modes Optimized for low power with enhanced modes
Use Cases Entry-level IoT, wearables, sensors Advanced IoT, industrial control, motor control
Development Tools PSoC Creator, ModusToolbox ModusToolbox with extensive middleware

Introduction to PSoC™ 4 and PSoC™ 5LP

PSoC(tm) 4 and PSoC(tm) 5LP are families of programmable system-on-chip microcontrollers by Cypress, designed to offer flexible embedded solutions. PSoC(tm) 4 focuses on low power consumption and cost-effective applications with ARM Cortex-M0 cores, while PSoC(tm) 5LP provides higher performance using ARM Cortex-M3 cores and enhanced resources for complex designs. You can choose between these platforms based on your project's processing needs and peripheral integration requirements.

Key Architectural Differences

PSOC(tm) 4 utilizes an ARM Cortex-M0 core, optimized for low power and cost-sensitive applications, while PSOC(tm) 5LP features a more powerful ARM Cortex-M3 core, offering higher processing capabilities and advanced peripherals. PSOC(tm) 5LP integrates enhanced analog and digital blocks, including op-amps, comparators, and DACs, providing more flexibility in signal conditioning compared to the PSOC(tm) 4. The overall architecture of PSOC(tm) 5LP supports complex applications with greater memory size and performance, whereas PSOC(tm) 4 targets simpler embedded designs with efficient real-time control.

Performance Comparison

PSOC(tm) 5LP offers significantly enhanced performance over PSOC(tm) 4, featuring a faster ARM Cortex-M3 core running up to 80 MHz compared to PSOC(tm) 4's Cortex-M0/M0+ cores typically clocked lower. The increased CPU speed and improved memory architecture in PSOC(tm) 5LP enable more complex and demanding applications with reduced latency and higher throughput. Your choice of PSOC(tm) 5LP can result in better real-time processing and expanded capabilities for sophisticated embedded solutions.

Memory and Storage Capabilities

The PSOcTM 5LP offers enhanced memory and storage capabilities compared to the PSOcTM 4, featuring up to 256 KB Flash memory and 64 KB SRAM, while PSOcTM 4 provides up to 64 KB Flash and 12 KB SRAM. This expanded capacity in PSOcTM 5LP supports more complex applications and larger data storage, ideal for advanced embedded systems. You can leverage these improvements to optimize performance and enable more sophisticated memory-intensive functionalities.

Analog and Digital Integration

PSOC(tm) 4 and PSOC(tm) 5LP both offer robust analog and digital integration, but PSOC(tm) 5LP provides enhanced mixed-signal capabilities with higher analog resolution and more flexible digital routing. PSOC(tm) 5LP features advanced analog blocks such as 12-bit ADCs and DACs, enabling more precise sensor interfacing and signal processing compared to the PSOC(tm) 4's 10-bit ADCs. Your choice will depend on the complexity of analog-digital integration required for your application, with PSOC(tm) 5LP suited for more demanding mixed-signal designs.

Connectivity and Interface Options

PSOCTM 4 offers basic connectivity options including USB and Ethernet, suitable for standard industrial environments, while PSOCTM 5LP enhances interface flexibility with additional support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling seamless wireless communication. The PSOCTM 5LP's advanced connectivity options facilitate improved integration with modern IoT systems, boosting real-time data exchange and remote monitoring capabilities. Your choice between these models should consider the connectivity demands of your applications to optimize operational efficiency.

Power Consumption and Efficiency

PSOC(tm) 4 microcontrollers offer low power consumption with efficient Sleep and Deep Sleep modes suited for battery-operated devices, while PSOC(tm) 5LP devices deliver higher processing performance with moderately increased power use, balancing efficiency and computational demands. PSOC(tm) 4 typically operates at up to 48 MHz with ultralow power modes consuming only a few microamps, making it ideal for energy-critical applications. In contrast, PSOC(tm) 5LP runs up to 80 MHz, providing more processing power but with higher active current, optimized for applications requiring complex control and signal processing without sacrificing overall energy management.

Development Tools and Ecosystem

PSOC(tm) 4 offers a mature development ecosystem with the PSoC Creator IDE, enabling seamless hardware and firmware integration for flexible design. PSOC(tm) 5LP expands capabilities by supporting both PSoC Creator and ModusToolbox IDE, providing advanced debugging, middleware libraries, and broader third-party tool compatibility. The upgraded development tools in PSOC(tm) 5LP accelerate prototyping and production with enhanced support for complex applications and extensive software stacks.

Typical Applications and Use Cases

PSOCTM 4 excels in high-speed data acquisition and precision measurement applications, often used in industrial automation and real-time monitoring systems. PSOCTM 5LP offers enhanced processing power and low latency, making it ideal for advanced communication networks and complex signal processing tasks. Your choice depends on whether you prioritize high throughput and accuracy or require cutting-edge performance for next-generation connectivity solutions.

Choosing Between PSoC™ 4 and PSoC™ 5LP

PSoC(tm) 4 offers a low-power, cost-effective solution ideal for applications requiring efficient performance with fewer resources, whereas PSoC(tm) 5LP provides higher processing power and advanced analog/digital integration suitable for complex embedded systems. Developers should consider PSoC(tm) 4 for battery-powered devices and simple sensor interfaces, while PSoC(tm) 5LP is better for applications demanding extensive computational capabilities and enhanced peripherals. Evaluating project requirements such as processing speed, power consumption, and peripheral needs is critical in selecting between these two Cypress microcontroller families.

psoctm 4 vs psoctm 5lp Infographic

PSOCTM 4 vs PSOCTM 5LP - What is the difference?


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