8-bit microcontrollers by Microchip Technology
8-bit microcontrollers by Microchip TechnologyDate of publication: 16-10-2026 🕒 12 min read
Mikrocontrollers have become an indispensable part of electronic devices – today it's hard to find circuits without some form of programmable units. Microchip Technology has been part of this revolution from the start, and the brand's 8-bit units are still available today.
8-bit microcontroller architecture is now a secondary limitation, as modern units are equipped with advanced interfaces and peripherals that extend functionality far beyond what was possible two or three decades ago. Moreover, many devices simply do not require the advanced functionality offered by 32-bit units. More: the limited capabilities of classic microcontrollers become an asset in the context of growing concerns about the security of our data and local networks.
In the TME catalog, Microchip Technology's microcontroller offering includes about 10,000 items. Of course, it would be difficult to describe the functionality of all these units in one article – but we can highlight their general features and summarize the capabilities of this assortment. This will help not only to get to know the Microchip Technology offer, but also to understand why the manufacturer's solutions still remain among the most popular in the world.
8-bit Microchip Technology microcontrollers
In this article, we cover topics such as:
- Historical background of the division into AVR and PIC microcontrollers
- MPLAB X environment
- Maximally miniaturized Microchip Technology units
- Overview of key technologies used by Microchip Technology
- Main product groups within the PIC family
- Specifications and application areas of ATmega and ATtiny microcontrollers
Division of Microchip Technology's offer into PIC and AVR units
The division of Microchip Technology's portfolio into PIC and AVR units has, of course, historical roots. Microchip Technology acquired the assortment of its long-time competitor, Atmel brand. Since the latter's solutions enjoyed international recognition, they were retained in the catalog and are still being developed – but now the direction of AVR development is closely linked to the changes we can observe among PICs. As a result, under the Microchip Technology brand, we find two slightly different product groups, but characterized by similar, and even in some areas identical, characteristics.
In this text, we focus on the overall offer of Microchip Technology, so we will not emphasize finding differences between the AVR and PIC offers – we will only draw attention to the product families present in both of these groups.
Programming
The primary programming environment for the AVR/PIC families is currently the free MPLAB X IDE software. It allows for code creation, programming, and debugging. An indispensable addition is the free MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC), available as an overlay. It is a tool for configuring the resources of a selected microcontroller using a graphical environment and automatic generation of initialization code and drivers. For C programming, Microchip Technology provides a free, fully functional MPLAB XC8 compiler, designed for 8-bit PIC and AVR units. For AVR, you can still use the classic AVR-GCC environment, available within various tools and programming environments. The manufacturer also offers (although does not recommend!) the Microchip Technology Studio environment, derived from Atmel Studio. It is important to note that the manufacturer is currently very intensively integrating the MPLAB X environment with the Visual Studio Code editor. This allows the programmer to work using this universal tool but through the Microchip Technology Extensions for VS Code package to create software for PIC/AVR units using resources such as:
- MPLAB XC8 compiler
- virtual programming assistant (MPLAB AI Code Assistant)
- other MPLAB tools (including MPLAB Code Configurator and MPLAB Data Visualizer)
- import previous projects developed in the native MPLAB X environment into the VS Code editor.
Microchip Technology is increasingly directing users towards MPLAB Tools for VS Code as the preferred, future platform. At the same time, MPLAB X is still being developed.
Dimensions
Often one of the features that determine the choice of a specific microcontroller model is the dimension or type of its package. Here, the diversity of Microchip Technology's offer is very wide: it includes ultra-miniature models in SOT23-6 packages, units with leads placed under the body, minimizing PCB space requirements (VFQFN), as well as "classic" THT models in DIP packages (standard 2.54mm pitch).
Functionality
Regardless of external features, the key features of 8-bit microcontrollers remain, of course, their functionality, a large selection of peripherals, and low energy demand. Speed and computing power do not play such a significant role here – because in case of really high demand, designers will turn to 32-bit solutions. Let's take a look at what capabilities simpler architecture units offer us.
Core Independent Peripherals (CIP)
CIP is a group of peripherals that can perform specific tasks hardware-wise, literally independently of the core. This allows the microcontroller to respond to events, generate signals, perform timing operations, or process data without the involvement or with significantly less load on the CPU. This also allows reducing energy consumption and increasing the temporal predictability of application operation. In PIC microcontrollers, the CIP concept is particularly strongly developed and includes, among others, timers, PWM modules, and analog (mixed) elements. A similar approach is also present in AVR microcontrollers, where autonomous functions are implemented, among others, by Event System (hardware event transmission between peripherals without CPU involvement) and the presence of the Configurable Custom Logic (CCL) block.
CLC or Configurable Logic Cell
CLC is a programmable hardware logic block, allowing the designer to create their own logic functions inside the microcontroller. CLC can combine signals from inputs, timers, PWM, and other peripherals and generate specific output signals based on them. This allows some functions, which would traditionally require software handling, to be implemented at a very low hardware level. Potential application areas include creating simple logic circuits, signal synchronization, waveform control, and responding to specific events. This solution is present in selected PIC microcontrollers (under the name Configurable Logic Cell – CLC) and AVR (here as Configurable Custom Logic, CCL).
A/D Converters with Mathematical Functions (ADCC)
ADCC stands for Analog-to-Digital Converter with Computation, an extended version of the analog-to-digital converter used in selected PIC microcontrollers. In addition to converting analog voltage to a digital value, the module can perform additional operations on measurement results (e.g., averaging results from multiple samples, performing oversampling, comparing measured values with set thresholds, or generating events or interrupts upon meeting specific conditions without core involvement). Again: this allows reducing the number of operations performed by the CPU and simplifies the program, which is associated with, for example, reduced energy demand. ADCC is particularly useful in applications requiring continuous voltage monitoring (e.g., for handling sensors with analog output).
DMA
DMA (Direct Memory Access) enables direct data transfer between memory and peripherals without involving the core. The DMA controller can, for example, fetch data from the ADC and write it to RAM or another register, or transfer data from memory to a communication module. The CPU can perform other tasks during this time, increasing the overall system efficiency. DMA is particularly important in microcontrollers performing real-time measurements, data transmission, or handling multiple peripherals simultaneously.
Low Power Modes
Microchip Technology microcontrollers are equipped with numerous mechanisms to reduce energy consumption during idle periods. Depending on the family and model, various sleep modes are available, in which the CPU core is stopped, and selected peripherals can continue to operate. Upon the occurrence of a specific event, e.g., an interrupt, timer signal, or input state change, the microcontroller can be awakened and resume program execution. This solution will be especially important in battery-powered devices: sensors, portable devices, and IoT systems. Modern PIC and AVR offer several levels of power management, allowing a compromise between current consumption, wake-up time, and the range of active peripheral functions.
Communication Interfaces
To conclude the function review, it should be emphasized that Microchip Technology microcontrollers offer a very wide range of hardware communication interfaces, especially serial. The most commonly used include UART/USART, SPI, and I2C, used for fast data exchange with peripheral units – sensors, memories, etc. Depending on the family, more specialized interfaces, such as CAN or USB, are also available. Hardware implementation relieves the CPU and ensures faster, energy-optimized protocol handling.
PIC Microcontrollers
While the differences in the capabilities of AVR and PIC microcontrollers are gradually blurring, the division into individual families remains characteristic of each of these product groups. Let's take a look at how this assortment is shaped in both offers.
The most popular PIC microcontroller families are PIC10, PIC12, PIC16, and PIC18. It should be noted that this division is not synonymous with the use of different architectures; rather, it determines to which product segment and general application range a given unit will be most suitable. Particularly diverse here are the PIC12 and PIC16 families, encompassing several generations of products.
PIC10 Group
PIC10 units offer cost and size minimization. They include the smallest 8-bit PIC microcontrollers, primarily intended for very simple control functions (generating simple PWM, handling a multicolor LED, differentiating the output signal based on the method/time of button pressing in minimalist interfaces). In this group, small SMD packages, a limited number of leads, limited program memory, and, of course, low cost are characteristic.
PIC12 Group
Small but more functional units are found among PIC12 models. We still deal with a limited number of pins/inputs and outputs (5 or 6), but the microcontrollers are clocked with faster clocks and have a much wider range of peripherals/interfaces, including A/D and D/A converters, timers, PWM generators, communication ports of popular standards. With such a build, the products will be sufficient to perform simple functions: handling battery-powered sensors with analog output, conditional control of a small load, etc.
PIC16 Group
The largest group of PIC microcontrollers is PIC16 – universal, 8-bit units with a very extensive set of peripherals. This family includes both older units and more advanced elements adapted to contemporary requirements. For example: in series belonging to this assortment, Microchip Technology often offers solutions using Core Independent Peripherals technology. In addition, such solutions as logic cells (CLC), digitally controlled oscillators (NCO), advanced PWM peripherals, CWG, ADC (with mathematical functions, i.e., ADCC), comparators, DAC, operational amplifiers, or zero-crossing detection (ZCD) are standard here.
Thanks to this, the peripherals themselves can perform many functions without permanently loading the CPU. PIC16 is thus a universal "middle class" of 8-bit PIC microcontrollers. They will work excellently, among others, as motor controllers (using PWM, ADC, and hardware control blocks), as well as in industrial automation, as central units of many simple devices, machines, etc., in household appliances, in power supplies and converters, or as components of the human-machine interface (HMI).
PIC18 Group
The PIC18 series in the 8-bit microcontroller assortment represents the highest performance, memory, and communication capabilities. These units use a separate, 16-bit instruction set and architecture optimized for C programming.
PIC18 offers the largest memory resources and the number of leads among 8-bit PICs and the most extensive peripherals. Depending on the specific model, USB, CAN, Ethernet, LCD, DMA, and advanced analog blocks are available here. Such capabilities allow for e.g., industrial controllers with CAN/USB interface, requiring more memory and more complex software.
AVR Microcontrollers
The largest AVR product families can still be found under their traditional names (or very close to them). And although not all are still being developed, Microchip Technology still offers support for them, and in many cases – continues to produce units.
AT90 Group
AT90 is an older generation of 8-bit AVRRISC microcontrollers. It was designed for more specialized applications than later, more universal microcontrollers from the ATTiny/ATmega families. Currently, these solutions are rarely used, but they are still available both from Microchip Technology's portfolio and from TME's assortment and warehouses. The series is currently primarily significant as the basis for proven, still-used projects (e.g., in some diagnostic devices or automotive components). The most well-known series within this family are AT90CAN, AT90USB, and AT90PWM.
ATtiny Group
The ATtiny products were originally united by the pursuit of maximum miniaturization and low power consumption (currently, this feature is shared by most new models offered by the supplier). Many ATtiny units had a limited number of leads but retained the AVR architecture. Microchip Technology continues to develop solutions from this group, but now they are more complex and universal units. They are made with relatively simple applications in mind (e.g., intelligent switch).
It is also worth mentioning that nowadays ATtiny units are rather referred to as tinyAVR (series 0, 1, and 2). Microcontrollers of this type are clocked at up to 20MHz, available in versions adapted to work in a very wide temperature range (e.g., from -40°C to 125°C).
In models from this family, a popular functionality is inputs with capacitive change detection of the cooperating sensor for PTC needs, i.e., Peripheral Touch Controller, used for touch buttons. This technology allows almost any surface to be turned into an HMI interface element.
ATmega Group
ATmega is the most universal and widely known AVR family. In this assortment, you can find units with very diverse capabilities, parameter ranges (clock frequencies, program memory capacity, operational, non-volatile).
These microcontrollers are standardly equipped with the widest possible set of communication peripherals (primarily hardware serial interfaces, such as UART/USART, SPI, I2C), as well as components facilitating the implementation of advanced control circuits: A/D converters, timers/counters used, among others, for generating square waveforms, i.e., PWM. In newer models, RTC clocks and – increasingly – hardware USB interfaces are also encountered.
To a significant extent, ATmega products owe their popularity to hobbyists who have been using these units in their projects for years: previously incorporating them directly, now more often within the Arduino platform (the heart of Arduino Uno, the most popular versions of this development kit, are ATmega units). Designers willingly reach for microcontrollers from this family due to the wide availability of libraries, examples, and support from a large user community – but the extensive functionality of the units, constantly improved and developed with new peripherals (described earlier), also plays a significant role.
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