nRF7120 Wireless Chipset by Nordic Semiconductor
The nRF7120 from Nordic Semiconductor is a Multiprotocol Wi-Fi 6 Wireless SoC that operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. It is designed to provide low-power wireless connectivity for battery-operated IoT devices. This SoC integrates a 20 MHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6 radio, an independent 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio, a 256 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 application processor, and a 256 MHz RISC-V coprocessor for real-time tasks and peripheral emulation. It has 4 MB of non-volatile memory and 1 MB of RAM, allowing wireless protocol stacks and customer applications to run without a separate host MCU.
The nRF7120 supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, Zigbee, Matter, and proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols. Its proprietary 2.4 GHz radio supports data rates of up to 4 Mbps for low-latency applications. The SoC delivers Wi-Fi transmit output power of up to +22 dBm and BLE transmit output power of up to +10 dBm, with BLE receiver sensitivity of −99 dBm. It also incorporates Arm TrustZone, CRACEN hardware cryptographic acceleration, and tamper detection to protect applications and sensitive data.
The nRF7120 supports Target Wake Time and Wi-Fi power-saving operation using a dedicated low-power receiver. It requires a supply voltage of 2.8 to 5.5 V and draws 14 µA (2.4 GHz mode) & 8 µA (5 GHz mode) of current. This SoC can be controlled via USB and serial peripheral interfaces. It is available in a WLCSP package measuring 4.9 × 4.6 mm.
Key Highlights
- Multi-Protocol Versatility: Full support for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax), Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, Zigbee, Matter, and high-throughput 2.4 GHz proprietary protocols up to 4 Mbps.
- Dual-Core Architecture: 256 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 application processor paired with a 256 MHz RISC-V coprocessor for peripheral emulation and real-time operations.
- On-Chip Memory: 4 MB non-volatile memory alongside 1 MB RAM.
- Advanced Low-Power Modes: Features Target Wake Time (TWT) and a dedicated ultra-low-power receiver, drawing just 14 µA (2.4 GHz) and 8 µA (5 GHz) in power-saving operation.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: Integrated Arm TrustZone, CRACEN hardware crypto engine, and physical tamper detection.
Technical Specifications
|
Parameter |
Specification |
|
Part Number |
nRF7120 |
|
Manufacturer |
Nordic Semiconductor |
|
Wireless Technologies |
Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Thread, Zigbee, Matter, 2.4 GHz Proprietary |
|
Wi-Fi Bands |
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz (Dual-Band, 20 MHz channel size) |
|
Wi-Fi Standards |
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
|
Proprietary Data Rate |
Up to 4 Mbps |
|
RF Output Power |
Wi-Fi: Up to +22 dBm | BLE: Up to +10 dBm |
|
BLE Sensitivity |
-99 dBm |
|
Processors |
256 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 + 256 MHz RISC-V coprocessor |
|
Memory |
4 MB NVM / 1 MB RAM |
|
Supply Voltage |
2.8 V to 5.5 V |
|
Power Consumption |
14 µA (2.4 GHz mode), 8 µA (5 GHz mode) |
|
Digital Interfaces |
PWM, PDM, ADC, SPI, QSPI, TWI, UART, QDEC, USB |
|
GPIO Count |
Up to 65 |
|
Security |
Arm TrustZone, CRACEN Crypto Acceleration, Tamper Detection |
|
Package / Dimensions |
WLCSP (4.9 × 4.6 mm) |
|
Operating Temperature |
-40 °C to +85 °C |
Get in touch for orders or any queries: sales@rfdesign.co.za / +27 21 555 8400
Courtesy of Nordic Semiconductor