Renesas introduces 64-bit RZ/G3L and RZ/G3SE MPUs for HMI and IoT systems

Renesas Electronics has expanded its RZ/G Series with two new 64-bit general-purpose microprocessors (MPUs), the RZ/G3L and RZ/G3SE, aimed at human-machine interface (HMI) and IoT edge applications. The two chips are pin-compatible with each other, meaning they can physically drop into the same circuit board layout, and support a broad range of industrial and consumer HMI, IoT gateway, and home gateway systems that need strong processing performance combined with fast network connectivity.

The RZ/G3L integrates a graphics processing unit (GPU) for rendering 3D graphics, along with an H.264 video codec, making it well suited for applications like smart retail terminals and medical HMI devices that need rich graphics and video capabilities. The RZ/G3SE, by contrast, is designed for IoT devices with more basic display needs, such as EV chargers and industrial gateway devices that mainly need status indicators and simple configuration screens. Because the two chips are pin-compatible, developers can reuse a single circuit board design across multiple product variants, simplifying development and reducing time to market.

Both chips deliver strong processing performance through a CPU cluster with up to four Arm Cortex-A55 cores running at up to 1.2 GHz, paired with a Cortex-M33 coprocessor running at 200 MHz. At the same time, this third generation of the RZ/G Series uses a proprietary power management design that significantly cuts standby power consumption, allowing the chips to drop to roughly 1 mW in deep standby mode. In that state, they can retain the Linux operating system in memory and resume operation quickly when needed, features well suited to industrial and IoT devices that need to stay connected at all times while minimizing power draw.

The new MPUs also include high-speed connectivity options such as PCIe, TSN-capable Gigabit Ethernet, and USB, letting developers add application-specific features and connectivity as needed. PCIe support enables connections to 5G communication modules, Wi-Fi 6 modules, and even external AI accelerator chips. TSN-capable Gigabit Ethernet, meaning Ethernet supporting Time-Sensitive Networking, provides the low-latency, highly reliable communication required in industrial networks where real-time performance is critical.

Hari Pendurty, vice president of the Edge AI and Application Processors Business Division at Renesas, said that as industrial and IoT devices become more sophisticated, customers need to balance performance, power consumption, connectivity, and design scalability. He said the RZ/G3L and RZ/G3SE were developed to help customers meet these evolving requirements and scale products more efficiently by using a shared hardware platform across different applications.

To support development, Renesas offers ten ecosystem solutions spanning GUI development environments, operating systems, software, and system-on-modules (SoMs), with plans to continue expanding this ecosystem over time. GUI development partners include LVGL, Embedded Wizard, Slint, Candera, Spyrosoft, and Qt Group. Operating system partners include Zephyr RTOS and Atmark Techno. SoM partners include Embedded Artists, a Virtium company, and Advanet, with additional partners listed through the Renesas Partner Program.

On additional specifications, the main CPU is available in quad-core or dual-core configurations. The chips come in 14mm square, 400-pin LFBGA or 17mm square, 368-pin LFBGA packages. They include error checking and correction (ECC) on both on-chip memory and the external DDR memory interface, along with a comprehensive set of security features, including Renesas' own Secure IP, secure boot, Arm TrustZone, and tamper detection. They operate across a wide temperature range from -40°C to +125°C, and their Verified Linux Package is compliant with the Civil Infrastructure Platform (CIP), supporting long-term software maintenance.

Renesas has also paired the new MPUs with other compatible components from its broader portfolio to create complete reference designs, including a Mode3 AC EV charger wallbox with high-level power line communication built on the RZ/G3L, and an AI-enabled smart home security hub built on the RZ/G3SE, which supports advanced monitoring through integration with cameras, microphones, sensors, and cloud connectivity.

The RZ/G3L and RZ/G3SE are available now, along with an evaluation board kit for each device consisting of a SMARC v2.1 module board and a carrier board.