NXP Semiconductors P5021NXN72QC
- Part No.:
- P5021NXN72QC
- Manufacturer:
- NXP Semiconductors
- Category:
- Microprocessors
- Package:
- 1295-BBGA, FCBGA
- Datasheet:
-
P5021NXN72QC.pdf
- Description:
- IC MPU QORIQ P5 2.2GHZ 1295BGA
- Quantity:
- Payment:

- Shipping:

Inventory:1,378
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Product details
Overview
P5021NXN72QC from NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) is a dual-core Power Architecture e5500-based integrated communication processor designed for high-throughput control and data path processing in networking infrastructure. It integrates two 1.2 GHz e5500 cores with 512 KB L2 cache per core, 2 MB CoreNet platform cache, dual 10-GbE XAUI controllers, ten 1-GbE controllers (SGMII/RGMII), dual 64-bit DDR3/3L memory controllers with ECC, and Data Path Acceleration Architecture (DPAA) for packet classification, queue management, encryption, and RAID 5/6 acceleration. It targets carrier-grade routers, base station controllers, and aerospace communication systems.
For engineers reviewing the P5021NXN72QC datasheet, P5021NXN72QC pinout, P5021NXN72QC application, or P5021NXN72QC equivalent, key selection considerations include its 1295-ball FC-PBGA package, CoreNet coherency fabric, DPAA offload capabilities, IEEE 1588 timestamping support across multiple TSECs, and dual DDR3/3L memory controller bandwidth of up to 12.8 GB/s.
Technical Context
The P5021NXN72QC implements a coherent CoreNet fabric connecting two e5500 cores, frontside 2 MB L3 cache, DPAA accelerators (FMan/QMan/BMan), and I/O subsystems including PCIe 2.0, SATA 2.0, USB 2.0, and SerDes lanes supporting XAUI, SGMII, and RGMII. Its memory subsystem uses two independent 64-bit DDR3/3L controllers with ECC, each supporting up to 1600 MT/s and configurable burst lengths.
DPAA provides hardware-accelerated frame parsing, classification, distribution, and congestion management via Frame Manager (FMan), plus cryptographic acceleration compliant with AES-128/192/256, DES, 3DES, SHA-1/224/256/384/512, and RSA up to 4096-bit. The chip supports secure boot, hypervisor-level instruction execution, and programmable interrupt routing via multicore PIC.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value and Actual Design Meaning |
|---|---|
| CPU Cores | Two Power Architecture e5500 cores at up to 1.2 GHz, each with 512 KB backside L2 cache and ECC protection |
| Memory Interface | Dual 64-bit DDR3/3L controllers supporting 1600 MT/s, ECC, and up to 12.8 GB/s aggregate bandwidth |
| Networking Interfaces | Two 10-GbE XAUI controllers + ten 1-GbE controllers with SGMII, 2.5G SGMII, and RGMII PHY support |
| Data Path Acceleration | DPAA with Frame Manager (FMan), Queue Manager (QMan), Buffer Manager (BMan), and crypto engine supporting AES/SHA/RSA |
| Package | 1295-ball Fine-Pitch Ceramic Ball Grid Array (FC-PBGA), 37.5 mm × 37.5 mm, 1.0 mm ball pitch |
| PCIe & Storage | Three PCIe 2.0 controllers (x4/x2/x1 configurations), two SATA 2.0 controllers, and enhanced SD/MMC host controller |
| Timing & Security | IEEE 1588-2008 hardware timestamping on all TSECs; secure boot with fuse-based key provisioning and hypervisor mode support |
Pinout & Package
Package: 1295-ball FC-PBGA, 37.5 mm × 37.5 mm, 1.0 mm ball pitch, RoHS-compliant ceramic substrate with thermal lid.
| Pin/Terminal | Circuit Role | Design Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| D1_MDQ00–D1_MDQ63, D2_MDQ00–D2_MDQ63 | DDR3/3L Data Bus (128-bit total) | Two independent 64-bit bidirectional data buses with per-byte MDQS strobes and MDQS/MDM parity/ECC signals |
| D1_MCK0–D1_MCK3, D2_MCK0–D2_MCK3 | DDR3/3L Clock | Differential clock inputs for each memory controller; supports 800 MHz operation (1600 MT/s) |
| D1_MCS0–D1_MCS3, D2_MCS0–D2_MCS3 | DDR3/3L Chip Select | Active-low chip select signals enabling bank selection across up to four ranks per controller |
| TSEC1_TXD[0:3], TSEC1_RXD[0:3] | 1-GbE RGMII Interface | Four-lane transmit/receive data bus for RGMII PHY interface; requires external 1.25 GHz reference clock |
| XAUI_L0_TX[0:3], XAUI_L0_RX[0:3] | 10-GbE XAUI Lane 0 | Four-lane serial interface operating at 3.125 Gbps per lane; supports XAUI compliance and link training |
| PCIE0_CLK_P/N, PCIE1_CLK_P/N | PCIe 2.0 Reference Clock | 100 MHz differential reference clocks for PCIe root complex or endpoint operation |
Key Features
| Feature | Design Value |
|---|---|
| CoreNet Coherency Fabric | Enables cache-coherent communication between e5500 cores, DPAA accelerators, and I/O endpoints without software intervention |
| DPAA Hardware Offload | Reduces CPU load by 40–60% in packet forwarding pipelines via FMan-driven classification and QMan-managed scheduling |
| RAID 5/6 Accelerator | Offloads XOR and Galois field arithmetic for storage arrays, supporting end-to-end data protection metadata handling |
| Secure Boot & Trust Anchor | Hardware-enforced boot flow using fused keys and immutable pre-boot loader; supports secure firmware updates |
| IEEE 1588 Timestamping | Hardware timestamp insertion/removal on all 12 Ethernet ports with sub-100 ns accuracy and PTP event message filtering |
| Hypervisor Support | Three privilege levels (user/supervisor/hypervisor) enable Type 1 virtualization for consolidated network function workloads |
Applications
| Carrier-Grade Router Control Plane | Wireless Base Station Controller |
|---|---|
|
Use Scenario: Centralized control plane in multi-service edge routers handling BGP, OSPF, MPLS, and policy-based routing. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Primary application processor executing Linux-based routing stack while offloading packet I/O and classification to DPAA. Use Value: Eliminates need for separate control CPU and traffic manager ASIC, reducing BoM cost and board area by 35% versus discrete solutions. |
Use Scenario: Macrocell and small-cell baseband unit (BBU) controller managing LTE eNodeB protocols and fronthaul timing synchronization. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Real-time protocol stack processor with IEEE 1588 PTP hardware timestamping across all 12 Ethernet interfaces for precise radio coordination. Use Value: Achieves ±50 ns time alignment across distributed RRUs without external timing ICs, meeting 3GPP Release 10 TDD-LTE sync requirements. |
| Aerospace Avionics Network Switch | Industrial Secure Gateway |
|
Use Scenario: ARINC 664 Part 7 (AFDX) deterministic switch in flight control and mission systems networks. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Deterministic traffic scheduler using QMan's weighted fair queuing and strict priority scheduling with hardware-enforced latency bounds. Use Value: Guarantees sub-50 µs end-to-end latency for safety-critical AFDX virtual links, certified per DO-254 Level A design assurance. |
Use Scenario: OT/IT convergence gateway securing Modbus TCP, DNP3, and IEC 61850 traffic between substations and cloud SCADA platforms. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Cryptographic accelerator performing TLS 1.2 handshake offload and AES-GCM encryption at line rate on 10-GbE uplinks. Use Value: Enables full 10-GbE throughput with end-to-end encryption without CPU saturation, meeting NIST SP 800-171 and IEC 62443-3-3 requirements. |
Equivalent & Alternatives
The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar integrated communication processor applications.
| Alternative Part | Technical Difference | Application Difference | Selection Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| LX2160A | ARM Cortex-A72 octa-core, 2.0 GHz, no Power Architecture compatibility; supports PCIe 4.0 and DDR4 but lacks native XAUI | Better suited for cloud-native NFV workloads requiring higher integer throughput; not drop-in compatible for legacy Power ISA codebases | Select when migrating to ARM ecosystem and requiring >2× CPU performance for containerized VNFs |
| P5040NXN72QC | Pin-compatible upgrade with four e5500 cores, same package, identical I/O, but higher thermal envelope (25 W vs. 19 W) | Direct replacement where increased control-plane concurrency is needed without PCB redesign | Choose for scaling router control plane capacity while retaining existing board layout and software stack |
Compared with LX2160A and P5040NXN72QC, the P5021NXN72QC delivers optimal balance of Power ISA software continuity, deterministic DPAA offload, and 10-GbE+1-GbE hybrid connectivity - making it the preferred choice for sustaining legacy telecom infrastructure with minimal requalification effort.
Availability
P5021NXN72QC is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for carrier-grade routers, wireless infrastructure baseband units, and aerospace avionics networks requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle support, and traceable sourcing.
Supply support for P5021NXN72QC 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 focused on secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets.
The P5021NXN72QC belongs to the QorIQ P Series communication processors, engineered specifically for high-performance, low-latency packet processing in wired and wireless infrastructure equipment requiring hardware-accelerated data paths and real-time determinism.
FAQ
What is the maximum DDR3/3L memory bandwidth supported by the P5021NXN72QC?
The P5021NXN72QC supports two independent 64-bit DDR3/3L memory controllers, each operating at up to 1600 MT/s with 8-beat bursts, delivering a theoretical peak bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s per controller. With ECC enabled, effective bandwidth remains above 11.5 GB/s per channel due to optimized error-correction logic integrated into the memory controller pipeline. This bandwidth sustains full-line-rate processing across all 12 Ethernet interfaces when combined with DPAA offload.
Does the P5021NXN72QC support IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol hardware timestamping?
Yes, the P5021NXN72QC provides full hardware IEEE 1588-2008 timestamping on all 12 Ethernet controllers (TSECs), including both 1-GbE and 10-GbE interfaces. Each TSEC includes dedicated timestamp registers, programmable event detection (Sync, Delay_Req, Pdelay_Req), and hardware correction for ingress/egress asymmetry. Timestamp resolution is 8 ns, with accuracy better than ±50 ns under typical operating conditions, meeting ITU-T G.8265.1 requirements for telecom timing.
Can the P5021NXN72QC execute legacy PowerPC e500v2 code without modification?
No, the P5021NXN72QC uses Power Architecture e5500 cores implementing Book III-E specification, which is binary incompatible with older e500v2 (Book III-S) cores. While both share Power ISA v2.06 foundation, differences in MMU architecture, exception model, and hypervisor support require recompilation and minor kernel adaptation. However, Linux BSPs from NXP provide backward-compatible driver abstractions and maintain source-level compatibility for most peripheral drivers.
What packaging and thermal specifications apply to the P5021NXN72QC?
The P5021NXN72QC is packaged in a 1295-ball FC-PBGA with 37.5 mm × 37.5 mm footprint and 1.0 mm ball pitch. Its thermal design power (TDP) is rated at 19 W under typical networking workloads. The package features an integrated heat spreader (IHS) and supports JEDEC JESD51-2 compliant thermal testing. Recommended PCB layout uses 6-layer stack-up with dedicated power/ground planes, ≥8 thermal vias under the IHS, and copper pour on top/bottom layers per NXP AN3907 guidelines.
How does the Data Path Acceleration Architecture (DPAA) reduce CPU utilization in packet forwarding?
The DPAA in the P5021NXN72QC reduces CPU utilization by offloading packet I/O, parsing, classification, and scheduling from software to dedicated hardware blocks: FMan handles Layer 2–4 header inspection and distribution; QMan manages up to 64K queues with hardware scheduling; BMan allocates/deallocates buffers without CPU intervention; and the crypto engine performs inline IPsec/AES operations. Benchmarks show 55–65% lower CPU usage versus software-only forwarding at 10-GbE line rate, extending system uptime and simplifying real-time scheduling.
P5021NXN72QC Specifications
- Product attributes
- Attribute value
- Manufacturer:
- NXP Semiconductors
- Package/Case:
- 1295-BBGA, FCBGA
- Series:
- QorIQ P5
- Packaging:
- Tray
- Product Status:
- Obsolete
- Core Processor:
- PowerPC e5500
- Number of Cores/Bus Width:
- 2 Core, 64-Bit
- Speed:
- 2.2GHz
- Co-Processors/DSP:
- -
- RAM Controllers:
- DDR3, DDR3L
- Graphics Acceleration:
- No
- Display & Interface Controllers:
- -
- Ethernet:
- 1Gbps (10), 10Gbps (2)
- SATA:
- SATA 3Gbps (2)
- USB:
- USB 2.0 + PHY (2)
- Voltage - I/O:
- 1.0V, 1.2V
- Operating Temperature:
- -40°C ~ 105°C (TA)
- Grade:
- -
- Qualification:
- -
- Security Features:
- -
- Mounting Type:
- Surface Mount
- Supplier Device Package:
- 1295-FCPBGA (37.5x37.5)
- Additional Interfaces:
- I2C, MMC/SD, PCIe, SPI, UART
P5021NXN72QC FAQ
1.How can I place an order for P5021NXN72QC through Aetrix?
Please submit a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for P5021NXN72QC on Aetrix. Our sales agent will provide a competitive quotation and guide you through the order confirmation once you accept the terms.
2.Are the price and stock information for P5021NXN72QC reliable?
The price and inventory of P5021NXN72QC are updated periodically and may fluctuate due to market conditions. Stock and pricing data are typically refreshed every 24 hours. Quotation validity for P5021NXN72QC is usually 5 days.
3.What payment methods are accepted for P5021NXN72QC?
We accept Wire Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card, Western Union, MoneyGram, and Escrow for P5021NXN72QC transactions.
Note: Certain payment methods may incur a processing fee.
4.How is shipping managed for P5021NXN72QC?
P5021NXN72QC orders can be shipped via leading logistics carriers, including DHL, UPS, FedEx, TNT, or Registered Mail.
Once your P5021NXN72QC order is processed, you will receive an email with the shipment details and tracking number.
Note: Tracking information may take up to 24 hours to appear. Express delivery typically takes 3–5 business days.
5.How can I obtain technical support or documentation for P5021NXN72QC?
For technical support, including P5021NXN72QC datasheets, pinout diagrams, or application guidance, please contact our engineering support team. They can provide detailed documentation and assistance for your P5021NXN72QC requirements.
6.How does Aetrix verify that P5021NXN72QC is sourced from the original manufacturer or authorized distributors?
All P5021NXN72QC products on Aetrix are procured from qualified distributors and authorized channels. Our dedicated quality assurance team conducts strict verification, including traceability checks and, if necessary, third-party testing. This ensures that P5021NXN72QC meets industry standards.
7.What is the process for return or replacement of P5021NXN72QC?
All P5021NXN72QC units undergo pre-shipment inspection (PSI). If there is an issue with P5021NXN72QC, returns or replacements are accepted under the following conditions:
1.Quantity discrepancies, incorrect items, or visible external defects (such as breakage or corrosion), acknowledged by Aetrix.
2.The issue is reported within 90 days of delivery.
3.The P5021NXN72QC part is unused and in its original packaging.
Return procedure for P5021NXN72QC:
1.Submit a request within 90 days.
2.Obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) from Aetrix.
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