Renesas Electronics has launched the RX74M and RX74N flagship 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs), the first devices in its RX Family manufactured using a 22nm process and featuring embedded MRAM. The new MCUs operate at up to 600 MHz, delivering more than twice the performance of their 240 MHz predecessors, the RX72M and RX72N. The RX74N targets industrial applications including HVAC systems, smart meters and power conditioners, while the RX74M is designed for factory automation equipment.
Both microcontrollers feature a 600 MHz RXv3e core, 1 MB of MRAM, 256 KB of zero-wait-state tightly coupled memory (TCM) and 1.5 MB of SRAM. MRAM enables data writing without a prior erase operation, reducing programming times and supporting faster code and data updates. The architecture is designed for low-jitter real-time processing in applications involving frequent interrupts and branches.
The RX74M integrates an EtherCAT slave controller, a TSN-capable Gigabit Ethernet switch and CAN FD on a single chip. It supports industrial communication protocols including EtherCAT, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP, along with TSN-based deterministic communication and redundant network configurations such as EtherNet/IP Device Level Ring (DLR).
Both devices incorporate ProtectZone technology to separate secure and non-secure regions within the MCU. Renesas Secure IP (RSIP) supports authenticated encryption, additional hash algorithms and security implementations including post-quantum cryptography. These capabilities address emerging security requirements associated with regulations such as the Cyber Resilience Act.
Renesas also offers 300 MHz variants with more than 20% lower power consumption. The devices support supply voltages from 1.62 V to 3.6 V and junction temperatures from −40°C to +125°C (−40°F to +257°F). Additional features include external Octa Flash execute-in-place support, on-the-fly decryption and compatibility with the Flexible Software Package (FSP). Renesas has also developed a Smart HVAC Control with Integrated Slave Actuator solution combining the new MCUs with compatible devices from its portfolio.
“By integrating these requirements into a single chip, the new products simplify the design of increasingly complex industrial equipment and support the evolution of industrial automation,” said Yoshi Ishikawa, Senior Director of the EP Advanced MCU Business Division at Renesas. The RX74M and RX74N are available now, with evaluation boards and product information provided through Renesas.
