Arduino Portenta C33 Takes Its First Steps at Embedded World 2023

Hot news from Embedded World 2023: Arduino introduced a new Portenta sibling, the C33. As its name indicates, it features an ARM Cortex-M33 processor, a processor core suitable for IoT and embedded applications that require efficient security or digital signal control. In the case of the Portenta C33, the MCU is the R7FA6M5BH2CBG from Renesas. This processor core that can run at speeds of up to 200 MHz is supported by 512 KB SRAM and 2 MB of Flash memory. To enable secure applications, it supports Arm TrustZone and features Secure Crypto Engine 9.

Portenta C33 Connectivity

To this, the Portenta C33 adds a secure element from NXP (SE050C2) and 16 MB of QSPI Flash. On the connectivity side there is a 100 Mbit Ethernet interface (PHY), Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Of course, there are also the traditional interfaces like I²C, I²S, SPI, UART, GPIO, CAN, SDcard and more.

A USB-C High-Speed port can both power the board and power connected peripherals thanks to its Power Delivery (PD) support.

Portenta C33 is Easy to Deploy

The module’s form factor is compatible with the Portenta and MKR range of Arduino boards. Its castellated pins make it easy to mount the C33 on automatic assembly lines, while providing more efficient connections to other components at the same time.

Deploying AI-powered projects is easy with Portenta C33, as it can use the vast amount of software libraries and Arduino sketches available on the internet. Widgets for real-time data display on Arduino IoT Cloud-based dashboards are available too.

The Family

The Portenta family now consists of three modules: H7, X8 and C33. The latter offers a cost-effective option to users starting out with Industrial IoT or automation, or for those who don’t need the processing resources of the H7 or X8.

The Portenta C33 is not yet available, but interested developers can sign up on a waiting list. The board retails for $62.