NXP Semiconductors LS1026AXN8MQA

Overview

LS1026AXN8MQA from NXP is a quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 processor with integrated packet processing acceleration, 10 GbE dual-port MACs, PCIe Gen3 (x4/x2/x1), SATA 3.0, USB 3.0, and DDR4 memory controller - deployed in enterprise routers, network-attached storage, and security appliances requiring deterministic low-latency packet handling and hardware-accelerated IPsec/SSL.

For engineers reviewing the LS1026AXN8MQA datasheet, LS1026AXN8MQA pinout, LS1026AXN8MQA application, or LS1026AXN8MQA equivalent, key selection criteria include verified 10 GbE PHY interface support, SEC engine throughput for IPsec at line rate, L2 cache coherency across four A72 cores, and pin-compatibility with LS1023A/LS1043A for scalable board reuse.

Technical Context

The LS1026AXN8MQA implements a coherent interconnect (CCI-400) linking four Cortex-A72 cores sharing 2 MB L2 cache, with dedicated hardware accelerators for packet parsing, classification, queue management, and buffer allocation - offloading these tasks from CPU cores to sustain >32,000 CoreMarks® while maintaining sub-10 W power at 1.2 GHz.

It integrates a dual-port 10 GbE MAC with XFI/SGMII support, three PCIe Gen3 controllers (configurable as x4/x2/x1), a SATA 3.0 host controller, and a Security Engine (SEC) supporting IPsec, SSL/TLS, DTLS, IKE, and XOR RAID acceleration - all managed under ARM TrustZone and NXP QorIQ trust architecture for secure boot and tamper-resistant key storage.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

LS1026AXN8MQA is housed in a 23 mm × 23 mm, 780-pin PBGA package (RoHS-compliant, 0.8 mm pitch) with thermal lid and exposed thermal pad. Pin mapping follows NXP's LS1026A reference layout, optimized for signal integrity on high-speed SERDES lanes (10 GHz), DDR4 routing, and ESD-protected I/O banks.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar networking and embedded processing applications.

Compared with LS1046AXN8MQA and LS1023AXN7MQA, the LS1026AXN8MQA delivers optimal balance of 10 GbE capability, quad-core A72 performance, and SEC throughput for mid-tier networking appliances - avoiding over-provisioning while ensuring hardware-accelerated encryption and packet forwarding at line rate.

Availability

LS1026AXN8MQA is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for enterprise routers, network-attached storage systems, and industrial firewall appliances requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle assurance, and traceable sourcing from authorized NXP channels.

Supply support for LS1026AXN8MQA includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

NXP Semiconductors is a global semiconductor company headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, specializing in secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and networking markets.

The QorIQ LS1026A product line targets high-performance embedded networking applications - delivering scalable ARM-based SoCs with hardware-accelerated packet processing, security, and high-speed I/O for next-generation edge infrastructure.

FAQ

What is the maximum DDR4 speed supported by the LS1026AXN8MQA?

The LS1026AXN8MQA supports DDR4-2400 (1200 MHz) with ECC, configured via programmable timing registers and calibrated during boot. This enables sustained 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth for large-scale packet buffering and session table storage in firewall and router applications. The LS1026AXN8MQA DDR4 controller includes on-die termination, write leveling, and read-leveling support to ensure signal integrity across 64-bit wide interfaces.

Does the LS1026AXN8MQA include hardware support for virtualization?

Yes, the LS1026AXN8MQA includes hardware-assisted virtualization features including ARMv8-A virtualization extensions, I/O MMUs for PCIe and USB peripherals, and CCI-400 coherency support - enabling secure resource partitioning between Linux containers and KVM guests. This allows the LS1026AXN8MQA to host multiple isolated VNFs in vCPE deployments while maintaining strict latency and bandwidth guarantees per service instance.

What Ethernet PHY interfaces are natively supported by the LS1026AXN8MQA?

The LS1026AXN8MQA integrates dual 10 GbE MACs with native XFI and Quad SGMII support, plus one 2.5 GbE and four 1 GbE MACs. It does not include embedded PHYs but provides fully compliant electrical interfaces to external PHYs such as Marvell Alaska 88X3310 (10GBASE-T), Broadcom BCM54616 (SGMII), or Microchip LAN8814 (2.5GBASE-T). The LS1026AXN8MQA SERDES lanes are calibrated for IEEE 802.3bj/802.3by compliance.

How does the Security Engine (SEC) in the LS1026AXN8MQA differ from software-based crypto?

The LS1026AXN8MQA Security Engine delivers deterministic 10 Gbps IPsec ESP/AH and 2.5 Gbps TLS 1.2 handshake offload - bypassing CPU instruction cycles entirely. Unlike software crypto, the SEC operates in parallel with packet forwarding pipelines, maintains constant latency under load, and supports AES-GCM, SHA-2, RSA-2048, and ECC-384 without memory bus contention. This makes the LS1026AXN8MQA suitable for wire-speed encrypted backhaul in 5G transport and SD-WAN edge nodes.

Is the LS1026AXN8MQA pin-compatible with other QorIQ LS10xx processors?

Yes, the LS1026AXN8MQA shares the same 780-pin PBGA package, ball map, and core peripheral pinout with LS1023A and LS1043A - enabling PCB reuse across dual-A53, quad-A53, and quad-A72 performance tiers. Critical signals including DDR4, PCIe, SGMII, and USB3 are mapped identically; only optional functions like third PCIe controller or extra UARTs differ in routing. This compatibility is documented in NXP AN5445 and LS1026A Hardware Design Checklist.