Renesas releases its first Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE combo MCUs for IoT and connected home applications

**Renesas Unveils First Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE Combo MCUs for IoT and Connected Home Applications** Renesas Electronics Corporation, a leading semiconductor solutions provider, has introduced its first Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE combo wireless microcontrollers (MCUs), specifically designed for IoT and connected home applications. The new MCUs, RA6W1 and RA6W2, address the growing demand for always-connected, ultra-low-power IoT devices across various smart home, industrial, medical, and consumer applications. **Ultra-Low Power Operation for IoT Devices** Today's IoT devices require always-on connectivity to improve usability and response time while maintaining the lowest possible power consumption to extend battery life or meet eco-friendly regulations. Renesas' Wi-Fi 6 MCUs offer features such as Target Wake Time (TWT), which enables extended sleep times without compromising cloud connectivity and power consumption. This is critical for applications such as environmental sensors, smart locks, thermostats, surveillance cameras, and medical monitors, where real-time control, remote diagnostics, and over-the-air (OTA) updates are essential. **Scalable RA MCU Architecture with Full Software Support** Built on the Arm Cortex-M33 CPU core running at 160 MHz with 704 KB of SRAM, the MCUs enable engineers to develop cost-effective, standalone IoT applications using integrated communication interfaces and analogue peripherals, without the need for an external MCU. Customers also have the option to design with a host MCU that can be selected from Renesas' broad RA MCU offerings and attach the RA6W1 and RA6W2 as connectivity and networking add-ons. Both RA6W1 and RA6W2 are designed to work with Renesas' Flexible Software Package (FSP) and e² studio integrated development environment. As the first Wi-Fi MCUs in the RA portfolio, they offer a scalable platform that supports seamless software reuse across the RA family. **High-Performance Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 with 2.4 and 5 GHz Connectivity** With support for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, both MCUs deliver superior throughput, low latency, and reduced power consumption. The dual-band capability dynamically selects the most suitable band based on real-time conditions, ensuring a stable and high-speed connection even in environments with many connected devices. Advanced features such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and TWT boost performance and energy efficiency, making these solutions well-suited for dense urban environments and battery-powered devices. **Robust Security and Matter-Certified Interoperability** The RA6W1 and RA6W2 devices offer advanced built-in security, including AES-256 encryption, secure boot, key storage, TRNG, and XiP with on-the-fly decryption, to keep data safe from unauthorized access. The RA6W1 is RED certified, making it easier for developers to future-proof their design. Additionally, the device is Matter ready and certified with Matter 1.4, and is compatible across smart home platforms. Renesas supports both MCUs and modules through the Renesas Product Longevity Program, offering 15-year support for MCUs and 10 years for modules. **Comprehensive Solutions for IoT and Connected Home Applications** Renesas offers a wide range of solutions, including "Advanced Low-Power Wireless HMI for Household Appliances" and "Automatic Pet Door & Tracking System," which combine the new Wi-Fi 6 MCU and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE MCU with numerous compatible devices from its portfolio to offer a wide array of Winning Combinations. Winning Combinations are technically vetted system architectures from mutually compatible devices that work together to bring an optimized, low-risk design for faster time to market. **Availability** The RA6W1 MCU is now available in FCQFN and WLCSP packages, along with the RRQ61001 and RRQ61051 modules. The RA6W2 MCU (BGA package) will be available in Q1/2026. The devices are supported by the FSP, e² studio, evaluation kit, and software development kit (SDK) that include flash memory, PCB trace antennas, connectors, and embedded power profiler for power consumption analysis. **Conclusion** Renesas' new Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth LE combo MCUs address the growing demand for always-connected, ultra-low-power IoT devices across various smart home, industrial, medical, and consumer applications. With their scalable RA MCU architecture, high-performance dual-band Wi-Fi 6, robust security, and comprehensive software support, these MCUs offer a wide range of solutions for IoT and connected home applications.