STMicroelectronics Launches Its 64-Bit STM32MP23 AI-Accelerating Processors, Starting Under $9
Lower-end lower-cost alternatives to the STM32MP25 family, still including optional 3D acceleration and a 0.6 TOPS NPU, now available.
STMicroelectronics has announced general availability for its STM32MP23 microprocessor family, a somewhat confusingly-named 64-bit entry in the traditionally 32-bit STM32 range — and a lower-cost alternative to the STM32MP25 chips it launched last year, while still boasting optional on-board machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML and AI) acceleration.
"Combining diverse processing resources and optimized on-chip features, the STM32MP23 series fulfills numerous sensing, processing, and data-handling roles throughout smart factories, smart cities, and smart homes," claims STMicro's Amelie Ackermann of the new parts. "With the neural engine, bringing AI and machine-learning capabilities, these MPUs handle intuitive and adaptive HMIs, vision-based interaction, and predictive maintenance."
The STM32MP23 family was originally announced alongside the STM32MP25 back in March last year, taking the traditionally 32-bit STM32 product line to 64-bit for the first time through the integration of Arm Cortex-A35 cores. The STM32MP23 parts include either two or, in the STM32MP231, one Arm Cortex-A35 cores running at up to 1.5GHz and a single real-time Cortex-M33 core running at up to 400MHz, plus in the range-topping STM32MP235 a neural network coprocessor with a claimed 0.6 tera-operations per second (TOPS) compute capability at minimum precision and a 3D graphics processor.
What STMicro hasn't announced is a dedicated evaluation board for the new parts; instead, it recommends users pick up the STM32MP257 Discovery Kit — which comes complete with software designed to emulate any model in the STM32MP23 range on the STM32MP257 chip. The company also says it is targeting, though has not yet achieved, SESIP3 and PSA Level 3 certifications for the new chips. For software, the company is recommending its OpenSTLinux distribution — now featuring five years' support in each release, up from two.
More information on the full STM32MP2x range is available on the STMicro website; the company has confirmed all chips are now shipping in volume, with pricing starting at $8.46 per unit in 1,000-unit tray quantities.
