Chip vs Chip

EFR32BG22 vs BlueNRG-LP

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Side-by-side comparison of EFR32BG22 and BlueNRG-LP BLE SoCs.

    
    

      
    

  


  
  
  

    
      

        A
        
EFR32BG22

      

      

    
    
      

        B
        
BlueNRG-LP

      

      

    
  

  

  
  

  






  
  

    
EFR32BG22 vs BlueNRG-LP: Low-Power BLE SoC Comparison


Overview


The Silicon Labs EFR32BG22 and ST's BlueNRG-LP are both purpose-built for low-power BLE applications, but they make different engineering trade-offs. The BlueNRG-LP uses an ARM Cortex-M0+ core — simpler, lower gate count, lower active power — while the EFR32BG22 uses a Cortex-M33, gaining DSP extensions, TrustZone-M security hardware, and higher compute throughput at the cost of slightly larger die area. Both support BLE 5.2, and both are explicitly aimed at healthcare, medical, and industrial sensing markets.


The BlueNRG-LP ("Low Power") is ST's evolution of the long-running BlueNRG product family. It features an exceptionally clean power architecture: the radio and CPU can power-gate independently at a granular level, delivering sleep currents below 1 µA with a 32 MHz crystal active. Its integrated power management unit (PMU) includes a DC-DC converter and LDO, enabling operation from an unregulated coin cell without external regulators. The 256 KB Flash and 64 KB RAM are tight but adequate for dedicated BLE peripheral profiles.


The EFR32BG22 brings Cortex-M33 compute power, Secure Vault Mid security (hardware root of trust, key wrapping, secure attestation), and a more comprehensive SDK — Silicon Labs' Simplicity SDK covers Bluetooth SIG profiles from HID to Mesh. The BG22 also integrates more peripherals (SPI, I2C, USART, PDM, and an ADC), reducing the need for companion ICs in more complex designs.




Key Differences


    

  • CPU core: BlueNRG-LP uses Cortex-M0+ (lower active power, simpler ISA); EFR32BG22 uses Cortex-M33 (DSP, TrustZone, higher compute throughput).
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  • Memory: BlueNRG-LP offers 256 KB Flash / 64 KB RAM; BG22 offers 352 KB Flash / 32 KB RAM — BlueNRG-LP has more RAM, BG22 has more Flash.
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  • Sleep current: Both achieve sub-1 µA in deepest sleep modes; BlueNRG-LP's integrated PMU with DC-DC converter can be an advantage when operating from unregulated batteries.
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  • Security: EFR32BG22 includes Secure Vault Mid (PUF, HSM-style key management, device attestation); BlueNRG-LP provides hardware AES-128/256 and a unique hardware ID but lacks equivalent key lifecycle management.
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  • Peripherals: BG22 integrates more analog and digital peripherals (ADC, PDM mic input, multiple USART); BlueNRG-LP is leaner, relying on I2C and SPI for external sensors.
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  • Ecosystem: BG22 benefits from Silicon Labs' mature Simplicity Studio IDE and pre-certified radio modules; BlueNRG-LP has a smaller but focused ecosystem around ST's cube.BlueNRG SDK.
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  • Package size: BlueNRG-LP is available in a 3.2×3.2 mm QFN32 — slightly smaller than BG22's 4×4 mm QFN32.
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Use Cases


BlueNRG-LP is ideal for:
- Healthcare wearables (glucose monitors, continuous monitoring patches) where the smallest possible board area and sub-µA sleep are critical
- Simple BLE peripheral roles (Health Thermometer, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure profiles) with moderate firmware complexity
- Applications powered by a single coin cell with no external power regulation circuitry


EFR32BG22 is ideal for:
- Medical and industrial designs requiring hardware-backed key attestation and device authentication (Secure Vault)
- Products integrating analog sensors directly (ADC inputs, PDM microphones) without companion ICs
- Applications where BLE Mesh or complex multi-profile ATT">GATT stacks demand more compute throughput




Verdict


The BlueNRG-LP is the cleaner choice for the most power-constrained, space-limited healthcare and wearable applications where BLE profile complexity is low and the M0+ compute floor is sufficient. The EFR32BG22 steps in when security certification requirements demand hardware root-of-trust, when the application firmware is complex enough to benefit from M33 compute power, or when richer peripheral integration eliminates external components.

  

  

  
  

  
  

    




  
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Our comparisons use verified datasheet specifications to create side-by-side tables. Each comparison includes a verdict explaining when to choose each option based on your project requirements.