microcontroller suggestions for a new STM32 project ?

[gianlucamilani]

I’m choosing a microcontroller for a new STM32 design and I’d appreciate some recommendations.
I don’t have particular requirements for compute performance, memory size, or ultra‑low power — just solid peripheral support and a Nucleo board available for development.

Required peripherals:

• 1 × FDCAN (CAN FD)

• 3 × SPI (in practice only 1 SPI with multiple CS likely)

• 3 × I2C 

Constraints:

• Prefer MCU in LQFP / QFN (no BGA)

• Compact (48 pins) 

• Development on a Nucleo board 

I’ve looked at parts like STM32C552VET6 and STM32L552CCT6 as potential targets, but I can’t find a dedicated Nucleo board for them.

 

Any suggestion?

thank you,

 

best regards,

 

Gianluca

[Andrew Neil]

There are just too many different STM32 chips for there to be a dedicated board for every single one!

If you go to the Product Page for a particular chip, the 'Tools & software' tab will show you the nearest ST board.

eg, for STM32C552VET6: NUCLEO-C542RC, or NUCLEO-C562RE, or NUCLEO-C5A3ZG
via: https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32c552ve.html#tools-software

 

 

Generally, the boards tend to feature the "biggest" member of a family,  as that can be used to develop for any of the "smaller" family members - just don't use resources which won't be present on your intended target.

[Andrew Neil]

---

@Andrew Neil wrote:

There are just too many different STM32 chips for there to be a dedicated board for every single one!

---

Apparently, it currently stands at 4926 STM32 part numbers!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicolasfillon_time-for-a-little-refresh-on-the-stmicroelectronics-activity-7437899564747116544-niNK

[TDK]

> 3 × I2C

> Compact (48 pins)

According to STM32CubeMX, there are no nucleo boards in an LQFP48 package that have 3x I2Cs.

Download STM32CubeMX and use the product selector to sort through chips and available board.

 

If you relax this to only 2x I2C, there are quite a few:

 

Any will work. The STM32U0 series is a good balance of new/simple, in my opinion

 

Advice: Stay far away from STM32C5 until it has good support. Stick with STM32CubeMX-compatible chips.

[Andrew Neil]

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@gianlucamilani wrote:

• 3 × SPI (in practice only 1 SPI with multiple CS likely)

• 3 × I2C 

---

So why three I2C ?

The whole point of the addressing on I2C is to allow many slaves to exist on just one bus - so, especially on a compact design, why just throw away all those pins?

[mƎALLEm]

Hello @gianlucamilani and welcome to the ST community,

STM32H503 could be a condidate for your requirements as shown below with CubeMx:

1 x FDCAN

2 x I2C

2 x I3C that you can use them in I2C mode

3 x SPI

You can use them in parallel:

There is a NUCLEO board for that part number: NUCLEO-H503 board with LQFP64 package. There is no NUCLEO with LQFP48 package for any STM32.

If you need LQFP48 for your final project, that package allows you the same confguration in parallel:

Please bear in mind, the ST boards including Nucleo boards are not intended to be integrated in final projects. They are only provided for product evaluation.

Please refer to this document.

Hope that helps.

[TDK]

> There is no NUCLEO with LQFP48 package for any STM32.

There are a few on the STM32C0 family. Here is one:

NUCLEO-C051C8 | Product - STMicroelectronics

 

My filters must not have been set right in my first reply. In my previous screenshot, those aren't all LQFP48.

[mƎALLEm]

---

@TDK wrote:

There are a few on the STM32C0 family. Here is one:

NUCLEO-C051C8 | Product - STMicroelectronics

---

Indeed. I was not aware of that configuration. 

But unfortunately that doesn't fit the OP requirements:

[gianlucamilani]

Thank you very much everybody for all the useful answers. 

I am considering NUCLEO-H503.

I also had a look at STM32G491CE + NUCLEO-G491RE . What do you think about it?

thanks a lot,

best regards

Gianluca

[mƎALLEm]

Hello,

Yes it could be an option but you need to consider the price (G4 is almost double price or > double price of H5), the memory size (G4 has more memory than H5), the performance (H5 is more faster than G4) etc..

Is up to you to decide according to your needs..

[gianlucamilani]

Thank you 

 

best regards

 

Gianluca

[gianlucamilani]

I have another question. 

Which is the suggested way to start the design of the schematic for a custom board using H5 or G49 MCU in easy way? I am struggling a bit in finding documentation for quick setup and apllication examples of the hardware design and pin assignment (how to power the MCU, selecting GPIOs for communication, set up the crystal, the programming pins, etc). Do you suggest me to start with :

- MCU datasheet 

- CubeMX configurator (but there are not guidelines for power programming etc)

- NUCLEO schematic docs

- some documentation such as  AN4488 hardware guidelines (but related to H5 or G49 famililies)

- other?

 

thank you

[mƎALLEm]

Hello @gianlucamilani ,

This post is closed and you previous post that you have asked the same question was moved in a separated thread here. We've already provided answers there.

We need to separate topics in the community: one question/topic by thread.

Thank you for your understanding.