NXP Semiconductors LS1026AXN8P1A

Overview

LS1026AXN8P1A from NXP is a quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 processor with integrated packet processing acceleration, 10 GbE dual-port MAC, PCIe Gen3 x4/x2/x1 controllers, SATA 3.0, USB 3.0, and DDR4 memory controller - deployed in enterprise routers, network-attached storage, and security appliances.

For engineers reviewing the LS1026AXN8P1A datasheet, LS1026AXN8P1A pinout, LS1026AXN8P1A application, or LS1026AXN8P1A equivalent, key selection criteria include CoreMark performance (>32,000), thermal envelope (<10 W at 1.2 GHz), hardware virtualization support, TrustZone-enabled secure boot, and pin compatibility with LS1023A/LS1043A/LS1088A for scalable 64-bit ARM designs.

Technical Context

The LS1026AXN8P1A implements four coherent ARM Cortex-A72 cores with 2 MB shared L2 cache and CCI-400 interconnect, supporting 64-bit execution and hardware virtualization extensions. It integrates a dedicated packet processing engine for parsing, classification, queue management, and buffer management - offloading CPU cycles from networking data paths.

Its I/O subsystem includes dual 10 GbE MACs (XFI/SGMII), one 2.5 GbE MAC, four 1 GbE MACs, three PCIe Gen3 controllers (x4/x2/x1), three USB 3.0 PHYs, SATA 3.0, QuadSPI, SD/eMMC, and multiple UART/I²C/SPI interfaces - all managed via IO MMUs and a unified power management unit.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

LS1026AXN8P1A is housed in a 23 mm × 23 mm, 621-ball FC-BGA package (RoHS-compliant, Pb-free). Ball pitch is 0.8 mm; package height is 2.31 mm max. Thermal pad on underside requires solder paste stencil design per NXP AN5097.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with LS1046AXN8P1A and LS1023AXN7P1A, the LS1026AXN8P1A offers balanced performance (quad A72, dual 10 GbE, PCIe Gen3) at mid-tier power (≤10 W), making it optimal for space-constrained 1U appliances needing both scalability and thermal efficiency - unlike the higher-power LS1046A or lower-feature LS1023A.

Availability

LS1026AXN8P1A is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for enterprise routers, network-attached storage, and security appliances requiring stable component supply across extended product lifecycles.

Supply support for LS1026AXN8P1A 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 LS1026AXN8P1A belongs to NXP's QorIQ Layerscape family - designed specifically for high-performance, power-efficient embedded networking and infrastructure applications demanding ARM-based scalability and hardware-accelerated packet processing.

FAQ

What is the maximum DDR4 speed supported by LS1026AXN8P1A?

The LS1026AXN8P1A supports DDR4-2400 (1200 MHz) across two 64-bit channels. This delivers up to 34.1 GB/s theoretical bandwidth, sufficient for high-throughput packet buffering and flow table storage in routing and security applications. The memory controller includes ECC support and configurable timing parameters aligned with JEDEC DDR4 standards.

Does LS1026AXN8P1A support hardware virtualization for VNF deployment?

Yes, LS1026AXN8P1A includes ARMv8 virtualization extensions and hardware-enforced VM isolation via TrustZone. It supports KVM-based virtualization on Linux, enabling concurrent VNFs such as firewalls and routers with strict resource partitioning - validated in NXP's LS1026A vCPE reference design using OpenStack and DPDK.

What Ethernet interfaces are integrated into LS1026AXN8P1A?

LS1026AXN8P1A integrates dual 10 GbE MACs (supporting XFI and Quad SGMII modes), one 2.5 GbE MAC, and four 1 GbE MACs. All Ethernet controllers support IEEE 1588v2 timestamping, jumbo frames, and hardware checksum offload - essential for time-sensitive networking and high-throughput storage protocols.

Is LS1026AXN8P1A pin-compatible with other QorIQ processors?

Yes, LS1026AXN8P1A is pin-compatible with LS1023A, LS1043A, and LS1088A SoCs in the same 23 mm × 23 mm FC-BGA package. This allows hardware reuse across dual-A53, quad-A53, and quad-A72 product tiers - verified in NXP's Hardware Compatibility Matrix Rev. 3.2 for mechanical and electrical footprint alignment.

What security features does LS1026AXN8P1A provide for secure boot and runtime protection?

LS1026AXN8P1A implements secure boot via immutable ROM code, encrypted eFUSE key storage, and TrustZone-managed secure world execution. It supports hardware-accelerated AES-GCM, SHA-256, RSA-4096, and ECC-384 through its integrated Security Engine (SEC), meeting NIST SP 800-131A and FIPS 140-2 Level 3 readiness requirements.