NXP Semiconductors MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA

Overview

MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA from NXP Semiconductors is an UltraLite Dual i.MX 8M Nano applications processor featuring dual Arm® Cortex®-A53 cores (1.4 GHz), one Cortex®-M7 core (750 MHz), no GPU, and no MIPI DSI interface. It supports LPDDR4-3200/DDR4-2400 memory, USB 2.0 OTG, Gigabit Ethernet with IEEE 1588, and five SAI audio interfaces - deployed in compact consumer edge devices requiring low-power multimedia processing.

For engineers reviewing the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA datasheet, MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA pinout, MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA application, or MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA equivalent, key selection criteria include its 11 × 11 mm FCBGA306 package, absence of GPU/MIPI DSI, dual-A53 + M7 architecture, 0–95°C consumer temperature grade, and support for eMMC 5.1, QuadSPI XIP, and hardware-accelerated security via CAAM.

Technical Context

The MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA implements a heterogeneous dual-core compute architecture: two Cortex-A53 cores share a 512 KB L2 cache and execute at up to 1.4 GHz, while the Cortex-M7 runs at up to 750 MHz with 256 KB TCM for real-time tasks. Its memory subsystem includes dedicated controllers for LPDDR4-3200, DDR4-2400, and DDR3L-1600, plus three uSDHC interfaces compliant with MMC 5.1 and SD/SDIO 3.0 standards.

Security is enforced through Arm TrustZone®, Resource Domain Controller (RDC), High Assurance Boot (HAB), and CAAM supporting RSA/ECC, AES, 3DES, RNG, and DRM ciphers. Audio processing leverages five SAI modules (including one with 4 Tx/4 Rx lanes) and ASRC handling 32 channels across 8 kHz–384 kHz sample rates - all without GPU or MIPI display/camera interfaces per its UltraLite Dual configuration.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: FCBGA306 (11 × 11 mm, 0.5 mm pitch). Pin assignments are defined in Section 5.2 ("11 x 11 mm package information") and Table 8 ("Recommended connections for 11 x 11 mm package unused signal contacts/interfaces") of IMX8MNCEC Rev. 5.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar applications processor applications.

Compared with MIMX8MN3DVTJZAA, the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA saves board space and cost by omitting GPU/MIPI DSI, while versus MIMX8MN5DVPIZAA it trades quad-core capacity for lower power and thermal envelope - making it optimal for balanced edge intelligence where display and heavy parallelism are unnecessary.

Availability

MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for smart home hubs, industrial gateways, portable media players, and POS terminals requiring stable component supply across production lifecycles.

Supply support for MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA 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 leader specializing in secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and IoT markets, with over 40 years of microcontroller and application processor innovation.

The i.MX 8M Nano product line targets cost-sensitive, power-efficient edge computing applications - delivering Linux-capable performance with integrated security, audio, and connectivity in minimal form factors.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the Cortex-A53 cores in the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA?

The MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA features dual Arm Cortex-A53 cores rated for operation up to 1.4 GHz. This frequency is guaranteed under specified voltage (VDD_ARM = 1.0 V ± 3%) and junction temperature (0–95°C) conditions per IMX8MNCEC Rev. 5, Section 3.1. The actual sustained frequency depends on thermal design and power delivery stability - dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is supported via the CCM module to optimize performance versus power.

Does the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA support LPDDR4 memory, and what is the maximum data rate?

Yes, the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA supports LPDDR4-3200 memory, achieving up to 3200 MT/s (1600 MHz clock) on its 16-bit wide interface. This is documented in Table 1 (Features) and Section 3.9 (External peripheral interface parameters) of the IMX8MNCEC datasheet. The DDRC controller also supports DDR4-2400 and DDR3L-1600 for design flexibility, with full timing compliance verified across temperature and voltage corners.

Can the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA execute code directly from external QuadSPI flash?

Yes, the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA supports Execute-in-Place (XIP) from QuadSPI flash via its FlexSPI module - specifically enabling the Cortex-M7 core to run firmware directly from external NOR flash in low-power modes. This capability is confirmed in Section 1.1 (Block diagram) and Table 1 (Features) of IMX8MNCEC Rev. 5, reducing reliance on internal RAM and accelerating wake-from-sleep sequences.

What security features are implemented in hardware on the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA?

The MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA integrates multiple hardware security blocks: Arm TrustZone for memory isolation, Resource Domain Controller (RDC) for DDR region protection, Cryptographic Acceleration and Assurance Module (CAAM) supporting AES-256, RSA-4096, ECC-384, SHA-256, and RNG, High Assurance Boot (HAB) with signed image verification, and Secure Non-Volatile Storage (SNVS) with tamper detection - all detailed in Sections 1.1, 1.2, and Table 1 of IMX8MNCEC Rev. 5.

Is the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA pin-compatible with other i.MX 8M Nano variants in the same package size?

No, the MIMX8MN3DVPIZAA is not pin-compatible with other i.MX 8M Nano variants even within the same 11 × 11 mm FCBGA306 package. Pin functions differ significantly across sub-families (e.g., MIMX8MN5DVPIZAA enables different I/O mux options and power domains), and Table 8 of IMX8MNCEC Rev. 5 confirms unique ball assignments for unused interfaces. Board-level compatibility requires validation against each variant's specific contact assignment table.