Renesas Unveils First Wi‑Fi 6 and Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth LE Combo MCUs for IoT and Connected-Home Uses
TOKYO, Japan — Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a leading developer of advanced semiconductor solutions, today introduced the RA6W1 dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6 wireless MCU, alongside the RA6W2 MCU that combines Wi‑Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). These connectivity devices are designed to meet the rising demand for always‑on, ultra‑low‑power IoT devices in smart homes, industrial settings, medical applications, and consumer electronics. Renesas also announced fully integrated modules that speed development with built‑in antennas, wireless protocol stacks, and pre‑validated RF connectivity.
Ultra‑low‑power operation for always‑connected IoT
Modern IoT devices require continuous connectivity to enhance usability and responsiveness while minimizing power use to extend battery life or comply with eco‑friendly standards. The Wi‑Fi 6 MCUs from Renesas include features such as Target Wake Time (TWT), enabling longer sleep durations without sacrificing cloud connectivity or efficiency. This is especially important for environmental sensors, smart locks, thermostats, surveillance cameras, and medical monitors where real‑time control, remote diagnostics, and over‑the‑air (OTA) updates matter.
Both MCU families are optimized for ultra‑low power consumption, drawing as little as 200 nA to 4 μA in sleep and under 50 μA in DTIM10. The sleepy‑but‑connected Wi‑Fi approach keeps devices online with minimal energy use, aligning with contemporary energy‑efficiency standards.
Scalable RA MCU architecture with full software support
The MCUs are built around the Arm Cortex‑M33 core running at 160 MHz and include 704 KB of SRAM, enabling engineers to create cost‑effective, standalone IoT solutions with built‑in interfaces and analog peripherals, without requiring an external host MCU. Customers can also pair the RA6W1 or RA6W2 with a host MCU from Renesas’ broad RA lineup and use the wireless MCU as the connectivity and networking layer. Both RA6W1 and RA6W2 are designed to work with Renesas’ Flexible Software Package (FSP) and the e² studio IDE. As the RA portfolio’s first Wi‑Fi MCUs, they provide a scalable platform that facilitates software reuse across the entire RA family.
High‑performance dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)
These MCUs support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, delivering strong throughput, low latency, and reduced power draw. The dual‑band capability dynamically selects the best channel based on real‑time conditions, ensuring stable, fast connections even in crowded environments. Features like OFDMA and TWT boost performance and energy efficiency, making these devices ideal for dense urban deployments and battery‑powered applications.
Robust security and Matter‑certified interoperability
RA6W1 and RA6W2 come with advanced built‑in security, including AES‑256 encryption, secure boot, secure key storage, true random number generator (TRNG), and XiP with on‑the‑fly decryption to protect data. The RA6W1 is RED certified (Radio Equipment Directive), aiding future‑proofing for designers. The devices are Matter‑ready and certified with Matter 1.4, ensuring compatibility across smart home ecosystems. Renesas backs both MCUs and modules with its Product Longevity Program, offering 15 years of MCU support and 10 years for modules.
“We’re giving customers flexibility to design with a standalone Wi‑Fi device, a Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth LE combo, or fully integrated modules depending on their needs,” said Chandana Pairla, VP of Renesas’ Connectivity Solutions Division. “These wireless solutions reduce power usage, simplify system design, and lower BOM costs. With options for hosted or hostless implementations, customers can confidently embark on wireless onboarding and seamlessly integrate into next‑generation connected systems.”
Two module formats simplify design: Wi‑Fi 6 (RRQ61001) and Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth LE combo (RRQ61051). These modules integrate certified RF components and wireless stacks that comply with global standards, including FCC (US), IC (Canada), ANATEL (Brazil), CE/RED (Europe), UKCA (UK), Telec (Japan), KCC (South Korea), SRRC (China), and NCC (Taiwan). By handling connectivity at the system level, these modules reduce development effort and speed time to market.
Winning combinations and ecosystem support
Renesas highlights numerous complementary devices in its portfolio to form “Winning Combinations”—pre‑validated system architectures that minimize risk and accelerate product launches. The company offers more than 400 Winning Combinations to help customers bring products to market faster. Learn more at renesas.com/win.
Availability
The RA6W1 MCU is now available in FCQFN and WLCSP packages, along with the RRQ61001 and RRQ61051 modules. The RA6W2 MCU (BGA package) is expected in Q1/2026. Development resources include the Flexible Software Package (FSP), e² studio, an evaluation kit, and an SDK that provide pre‑loaded firmware, embedded antennas, connectors, and an power‑analyzer for detailed power measurements. Renesas also provides robust software tools and the Production Line Tool (PLT) for production testing of wireless MCUs.
About Renesas Electronics Corporation
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) is a leading global provider of microcontrollers, combining expertise in embedded processing, analog, power, and connectivity to deliver complete semiconductor solutions. The company enables billions of connected, intelligent devices across automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications. Learn more at renesas.com and follow Renesas on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.
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