The nRF54L15 DK is a development kit designed to evaluate the wireless SoCs of the nRF54L15, nRF54L10, and nRF54L05 wireless SoCs. These SoCs support multiple wireless protocols, including Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and 2.4GHz proprietary protocols, with data rates of up to 4Mbps. The kit integrates the nRF54L15 SoC and provides emulation capabilities for the nRF54L10 and nRF54L05, enabling flexible testing and development across the nRF54L Series.
The nRF54L series SoCs differ in memory configurations to meet various application requirements. The nRF54L15 includes 1.5 MB of non-volatile memory (NVM) and 256 KB of RAM for high-performance applications. The nRF54L10 features 1.0 MB of NVM and 192 KB of RAM for mid-range use cases, while the nRF54L05 offers 0.5 MB of NVM and 96 KB of RAM for entry-level designs requiring fewer resources. The kit is supported by the nRF Connect SDK and tools, providing access to software libraries and modules for exploring wireless communication and protocol integration in IoT, smart home, and industrial automation applications.
Nordic nRF54L15 DK (Development Kit) specifications:
- SoC – nRF54L15 wireless SoC
- CPU
- Arm Cortex-M33 @ up to 128 MHz with up to 1.5 MB Flash + 256 KB SRAM
- RISC-V coprocessor for “software-defined peripheral”
- Wireless
- Bluetooth 5.4 LE with direction-finding, Bluetooth mesh, etc… Ready for future Bluetooth releases
- 802.15.4 radio for Thread, Matter
- NFC
- Proprietary 2.4 GHz up to 4 Mbps
- -96 dBm RX sensitivity @ 1 Mbps for Bluetooth LE
- Up to 8 dBm TX power
- Security
- Designed for PSA Certified Level 3 IoT security standard
- TrustZone isolation, side-channel protection, and tamper detection
- Package – QFN48 (6×6 mm)
- CPU
- Storage – 64Mbit external flash memory supporting SPI and QSPI
- Antenna – 2.4 GHz and NFC antenna connector (connected to P1.02/NFC1 and P1.03/NFC2)
- USB – USB Type-C port for power and programming
- Serial ports – 2x UART interfaces through virtual serial ports
- Expansions – Access to the nRF54L15 GPIOs are available from connectors P0, P1, and P2
- Debug
- SEGGER J-Link OB programmer/debugger with nRF5340 Dual-Core Multiprotocol SoC
- SWF RF connector for direct RF measurements
- Debug in and Debug out port
- Pins for measuring power consumption
- Misc
- 4x User programmable LEDs
- 4x User programmable buttons
- 1x Reset button
- Power switch
- Oscillators
- High-frequency 32 MHz crystal oscillator (HFXO)
- Low-frequency 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator (LFXO)
- Power supply
- 5V DC in via USB Type-C port
- nPM1300 PMIC providing 1.8 V to 3.3 V
- Dimensions – 117 x 64 mm
The board and SoC are designed for applications such as PC accessories, gaming controllers, remotes, virtual and augmented reality, smart homes (including Matter), medical devices, and industrial IoT.
The nRF54L15 DK supports development for nRF54L15, nRF54L10, and nRF54L05 SoCs with tools like the nRF Connect SDK for wireless protocol development, nRF Connect for Desktop for testing and programming, and nRF Connect for VS Code for debugging. It features a SEGGER J-Link Onboard debugger and configurable board controller managed via the nRF Connect Board Configurator.
The nRF54L15 DK (PCA10156) comes with hardware, preprogrammed firmware, documentation, hardware schematics, layout files, and an NFC antenna. Its product page provides access to hardware design files, including schematics, PCB layouts, a bill of materials, and Gerber files.
Nordic’s nRF54L15 DK (Development Kit) is now available through distributors like Mouser, DigiKey, and Symmetry Electronics, priced at $39.00.
Sayantan Nandy, an electronics engineer with over four years of hands-on experience in PCB design, circuit development and power electronics, is proficient in EAGLE CAD, Ki-Cad, and Altium. He has a proven track record of delivering efficient and effective systems. His expertise extends from R&D, and prototyping to production support, making him a valuable asset to any engineering team.
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Unlike some of the nRF52 or nRF53 chips, power supply is 1.7V to 3.6V only, so the nRF54L15 won’t run directly out of a lithium battery, requiring an external PMIC like their bulky and pricey nPM1300
When an MCU needs a PMIC, something has gone seriously wrong in the hardware development process.
Not really. Most applications probably use a coin cell, so no PMIC needed.
If you want to use a rechargeable battery you have to implement a charging circuit anyway.
The mentioned nRF52 or nRF53 chips have USB interface and integrated 5V power supply. The successor of these are the upcoming nRF54H series which probably also have 5V PS.