SPI NOR Flash Memory Chips for Embedded Firmware Storage
Product Specifications
Product Overview
Serial NOR flash holds the boot code, the application image and the calibration data on most embedded boards, and it is usually programmed on the line through SPI. Because the driver in the firmware and the footprint on the board are fixed early in a project, a shortage of one density or one package is one of the most disruptive things that can happen to a build.
This page covers the two families requested most often: Winbond W25Q and Macronix MX25L. Densities run from 16Mbit for a small boot loader to 512Mbit where the application image, a file system and logging all live in the same device. Both 3 V (2.7 V to 3.6 V) and 1.8 V families are included, because 1.8 V flash is the normal choice next to a low voltage SoC or FPGA.
All models are grouped into this single product, so one enquiry can cover the flash, the pull up resistors and the level shifting parts for the same board.
Electrical Specifications
| Parameter | 3 V SPI NOR | 1.8 V SPI NOR |
|---|---|---|
| Supply voltage | 2.7 V to 3.6 V single supply | 1.65 V to 1.95 V single supply |
| Densities | 16Mbit, 32Mbit, 64Mbit, 128Mbit, 256Mbit | 64Mbit, 128Mbit |
| Interface | Standard SPI, Dual SPI, Quad SPI, QPI, DTR (on JV/W25Q parts) | Standard SPI, Dual SPI, Quad SPI |
| Clock frequency | Up to 133 MHz, equivalent 532 MHz in Quad SPI fast read | Up to 104 MHz, 416 MHz equivalent in Quad SPI |
| Sector architecture | 4 kB uniform sectors, 32 kB and 64 kB block erase | 4 kB uniform sectors |
| Program / erase time | 3 ms typical page program, 45 ms typical 4 kB sector erase (128Mbit part) | 3 ms page program typical |
| Endurance / retention | 100,000 erase and program cycles per sector, 20 year data retention | 100,000 cycles, 20 year retention |
| Packages | SOIC-8 208 mil, SOIC-16 300 mil, WSON 6x5 mm, TFBGA 8x6 mm | SOIC-8, WSON 6x5 mm |
Included Models and Order Codes
Order codes below are given with package letter and temperature code, because those two characters decide whether the part fits the footprint and the temperature profile of the board.
| Model | Density | Voltage | Interface / Speed | Package | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W25Q16JVSSIQ | 16Mbit (2 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI, 133 MHz | SOIC-8 208 mil | Boot loader and small application images |
| W25Q32JVSSIQ | 32Mbit (4 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI, 133 MHz | SOIC-8 208 mil | Firmware plus configuration data |
| W25Q64JVSSIQ | 64Mbit (8 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI, 133 MHz | SOIC-8 208 mil | Most common density in industrial controllers |
| W25Q128JVSIQ | 128Mbit (16 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI, DTR, 133 MHz | SOIC-8 208 mil | Application image plus file system, -40 C to +85 C |
| W25Q128JWSIQ | 128Mbit (16 MB) | 1.65 V to 1.95 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI | SOIC-8 208 mil | 1.8 V version for low voltage SoC and FPGA designs |
| W25Q256JVEIQ | 256Mbit (32 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI, 133 MHz | WSON-8 6x5 mm | Data logging and larger images |
| W25Q256JWEIQ | 256Mbit (32 MB) | 1.65 V to 1.95 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, QPI | WSON-8 6x5 mm | 1.8 V high density option |
| W25Q64FVSSIG | 64Mbit (8 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, 104 MHz | SOIC-8 208 mil | Earlier generation part still specified on long life designs |
| MX25L3233FM2I-08G | 32Mbit (4 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, 133 MHz | SOP-8 200 mil | Second source where W25Q pin out is not mandatory |
| MX25L6433FM2I-08G | 64Mbit (8 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, 133 MHz | SOP-8 200 mil | Second source, 4 kB sector architecture |
| MX25L51245GMI-08G | 512Mbit (64 MB) | 2.7 V to 3.6 V | SPI, Dual, Quad, 133 MHz | SOP-16 300 mil | Highest density in this group, multi I/O |
| MX25V1006FM1I | 1Mbit (128 kB) | 2.5 V to 3.6 V | SPI, up to 33 MHz | SOP-8 | Small configuration and parameter storage |
Key Features
Wide Density Coverage – 16Mbit to 512Mbit in the same product line, so a board family can be scaled up without changing the flash vendor or the driver.
1.8 V And 3 V Families – Low voltage parts for modern SoCs and FPGAs, 3 V parts for existing designs, both available in the same order.
Quad SPI Read – Quad and QPI modes with fast read instructions, which supports execute in place from flash on memory constrained controllers.
Uniform 4 kB Sectors – Sector erase granularity that matches file system and parameter storage use, so logging does not have to burn a whole 64 kB block.
Security And Protection – Software and hardware write protection, sector protection registers and one time programmable lockable areas for boot code.
Package Options For Tight Boards – SOIC-8 for standard layouts, WSON 6x5 mm and TFBGA for boards where the flash sits under a shield or beside an FPGA.
Long Life And Second Sources – Both Winbond and Macronix listed where the footprint allows, so a shortage on one brand does not stop the build.
Applications
Typical uses for these flash parts: Because firmware storage sits on the same board as the controller, the flash is usually quoted together with the SUPERB PCB and SUPERB PCBA work we support rather than on its own.
Boot And Firmware Storage – Bootloader, application image and vendor calibration data on industrial controllers, motor drives, instruments and networking equipment.
FPGA And SoC Configuration – Configuration bitstream and parameter storage on FPGA boards, including 1.8 V parts next to low voltage FPGA banks.
Data Logging And Parameter Storage – Event logs, meter reading and setup data on equipment that has to keep records across power cycles.
Wireless And IoT Modules – Firmware plus over the air update staging on modules where the radio stack and the application share one small device.
Sourcing and Cross-Reference
Flash is usually the easiest part on the board to cross reference, because the two main vendors share the same SPI command set and a very similar pin out. The differences that matter are the device ID returned by the read identification instruction, the erase and protection register maps, and the timing of the fast read instruction. We supply the flash together with those three points when a substitute is proposed, and we keep the same command set family wherever possible so the existing firmware driver works unchanged.
When a density is short, the practical options are normally a larger part in the same package (which the firmware usually sees as more address space), a different package in the same density, or a second source with a modified device ID table in the driver. Where the substitute needs a firmware change we say so before the order, not after.
SUPERB Assembly support covers the SMT build where the boards are assembled in volume.
Q: Can you cross reference a W25Q part against an equivalent SPI NOR flash with the same command set?
A: Yes. Send the density, the package and the quantity, and the SUPERB Tech sales team will confirm availability and the second source option with the same SPI command set.
Why Source SPI NOR Flash from Superb Automation?
- Embedded Storage Focus: Serial flash, SDRAM and eMMC parts handled as one commodity group, with the package and temperature code read from the order string.
- Programmed And Unprogrammed Parts: Flash can be supplied as blank sealed stock for your own programming step, which keeps your firmware under your control.
- Second Source Guidance: Winbond and Macronix alternatives listed with the command set and device ID differences stated.
- Shortage Handling: When a density is on allocation we propose the size, package and second source options in one reply instead of a single unavailable line.
- Incoming Quality Control: Marking, packing and condition stated on the quote, which matters for a part that is often counterfeited in this market.
- One Quote For The Board: Flash, memory, MCU and passives for the same design can be quoted together to match your BOM structure.
Related Product Families
This page is part of the component range we supply for industrial, telecom, medical and defence builds. Continue with: Multi-Function ICs, Components, MCU and Embedded Processors, Component Sourcing and Supply.