# Atmega328p alternative MCUs with \>64KB PROGMEM **URL:** \ **Category:** General Guidance\ **Created:** [January 21, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398 "2021-01-21T18:51:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lukapetko2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6f9a4e/32.png) [@lukapetko2](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/lukapetko2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/1 "2021-01-21T18:51:42Z")
Hello! I'm seeking some Atmega328p alternatives as I'm definitely running out of its 32KB PROGMEM. Atmega1284 would've been a great alternative if it was not for 50$ shipping. Besides more PROGMEM, I need the power saving capabilities of Atmega328p. My project is running off batteries. Teensy++ would do it for me, but, as far as I know, it requires a lot more power to run. I don't need beefier specs, I just need more program memory. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Railroader](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/railroader/32/274550_2.png) [@Railroader](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Railroader)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/2 "2021-01-21T18:58:23Z")
Pay a visit to www.arduino.cc and search for technical data for the controllers. I'm sure You will find progmem among the given data. ---
**Author:** ![lukapetko2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6f9a4e/32.png) [@lukapetko2](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/lukapetko2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/3 "2021-01-21T19:00:49Z")
**Railroader** Neither satisfy my needs. I can't use the whole boards as they are very power hungry. I must use bare MCUs. ---
**Author:** ![missdrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@missdrew](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/missdrew)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/4 "2021-01-21T19:03:05Z")
Then use 2x328s ---
**Author:** ![Railroader](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/railroader/32/274550_2.png) [@Railroader](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Railroader)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/5 "2021-01-21T19:08:49Z")
I think power save, sleep mode current ought to be found there as well. Look for memory and sleep current. That would indicate which MCUs You could use. Search among MCUs..... ---
**Author:** ![hzrnbgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/90db22/32.png) [@hzrnbgy](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hzrnbgy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/6 "2021-01-21T19:31:28Z")
> Then use 2x328s Wow, this is like > - I need a Honda Civic with a bigger gas tank > - Get two Honda Civics ---
**Author:** ![hzrnbgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/90db22/32.png) [@hzrnbgy](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hzrnbgy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/7 "2021-01-21T19:37:15Z")
You can always try the bigger brothers Atmega644A or Atmega1284P > **[ATmega164A\_PA-324A\_PA-644A\_PA-1284\_P\_Data-Sheet-40002070B.pdf](https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/ATmega164A_PA-324A_PA-644A_PA-1284_P_Data-Sheet-40002070B.pdf)** > > 4.41 MB ---
**Author:** ![missdrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@missdrew](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/missdrew)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/8 "2021-01-21T19:46:09Z")
> - I need a Honda Civic with a bigger gas tank > - Get two Honda Civics not at all, its like i need to carry 2 cars worth of stuff, so I'll use 2 cars, but I can put one to sleep using uA when I'm not using it. I've used 2 328's in a couple of projects, I2C for connection on one, Serial on another, putting the chips to sleep when I did not need them, I got weeks of battery life on the projects. ---
**Author:** ![hzrnbgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/90db22/32.png) [@hzrnbgy](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hzrnbgy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/9 "2021-01-21T19:50:37Z")
> not at all, its like i need to carry 2 cars worth of stuff, so I'll use 2 cars, but I can put one to sleep using uA when I'm not using it Well, you need another driver for the other car. An SUV/truck would be easier ---
**Author:** ![Blackfin](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/blackfin/32/238871_2.png) [@Blackfin](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Blackfin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:21pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/10 "2021-01-21T20:21:52Z")
What are you storing in PROGMEM? Can you use alternate means of storage, such as an SD card or an external I2C EEPROM such as the Microchip 24LC515-I/SM? ---
**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/11 "2021-01-21T20:26:58Z")
> lukapetko2: > Hello! I'm seeking some Atmega328p alternatives as I'm definitely running out of its 32KB PROGMEM. Atmega1284 would've been a great alternative if it was not for 50$ shipping. If your faced with paying 50$ shipping for microcontrollers from your chosen supplier then surely your going to be paying the same shipping price for alternatives ? This is all guesswork, since you dont seem to have revealed where in the World you are, but if your are prepared to reveal your location you might just get useful comments. The ATmega1284P is probabbly what you want and I can get them for £5, postage free if I order 5. And 5 off ATmega1284P for £22 on Alliexpress from China shipped to the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Railroader](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/railroader/32/274550_2.png) [@Railroader](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Railroader)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/12 "2021-01-21T20:29:06Z")
No code, no wiring, no useful information, and no useful advice... ---
**Author:** ![CrossRoads](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/crossroads/32/214033_2.png) [@CrossRoads](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/CrossRoads)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/13 "2021-01-21T21:30:12Z")
Can you use one of these? 2560 system module. $11.21 [https://www.amazon.com/SongHe-ATMEGA2560-16AU-Pinheaders-Compatible-Mega2560/dp/B07TGF9VMQ/ref=sr\_1\_3](https://www.amazon.com/SongHe-ATMEGA2560-16AU-Pinheaders-Compatible-Mega2560/dp/B07TGF9VMQ/ref=sr_1_3)? Cheaper than buying a 1-lot of just the processor. 128K memory. ![Mega2560 Pro Mini.JPG](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/4/a/b/4abbdb22fa557df9b8c6e46e866b978c9d4be4d2.jpeg) ![Mega2560 Pro Mini.JPG](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/4/a/b/4abbdb22fa557df9b8c6e46e866b978c9d4be4d2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![lukapetko2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6f9a4e/32.png) [@lukapetko2](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/lukapetko2)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 8:10am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/14 "2021-01-22T08:10:32Z")
**hzrnbgy** > You can always try the bigger brothers > > Atmega644A or Atmega1284P This is what I thought as well, and it'd be the best solution, but the shipping for both is ~$60. **Blackfin** Well, just the program. I need to store a large amount of strings, and that's what's taking a lot of space. No, I can't, I'm afraid of power consumption going up. **srnet** No, not really. For an example, I could find Atmega328p with free shipping, but all 1284s and 644s have \>$50 shipping. I'm in Serbia. Couldn't find either here. And, even if I could, all prices are 3 times higher than what they should be. **CrossRoads** No, not really. I chose bare Atmega328p exactly for its low power consumption. Stuff that's on that board consumes a lot of power. **Railroader** Why would you need my code/wiring for this? Those are completely irrelevant for this topic. ---
**Author:** ![6v6gt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/6v6gt/32/225488_2.png) [@6v6gt](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/6v6gt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 8:29am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/15 "2021-01-22T08:29:46Z")
Post your code anyway. You may be doing something which can be optimized to bring the flash memory usage back under 32k. What electronic suppliers are available to you where you get a selection of micro controllers reasonable shipping costs ? That board which @crossroads suggested can be modified for low power consumption by removing the voltage regulators, power led and ch340 chip. You’d then use an external programmer. An esp8266, incidentally, has 4MB of flash memory and low power options . ---
**Author:** ![Wawa](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/wawa/32/1211303_2.png) [@Wawa](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Wawa)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 9:35am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/16 "2021-01-22T09:35:38Z")
> lukapetko2: > but all 1284s and 644s have \>$50 shipping. > I'm in Serbia. Shipping from where... Did you try big electronics parts suppliers, like "RS components". They do free shipping where I live (NZ). Leo.. ---
**Author:** ![lastchancename](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/lastchancename/32/215426_2.png) [@lastchancename](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/lastchancename)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/17 "2021-01-22T22:28:13Z")
I just looked at 1284 pricing, and since my last ebay order (mid 2020), the price has doubled ! I was buying 10 pcs per order. If you want to buy decent quantities, microchip direct used to be a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![dlloyd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/dlloyd/32/751911_2.png) [@dlloyd](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/dlloyd)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/18 "2021-01-22T23:08:48Z")
- Atmega4808 or 4809 using[MegaCoreX](https://github.com/MCUdude/MegaCoreX), 48K, \<$2 each, shipping?? - AVR128DA28 using [DxCore](https://github.com/SpenceKonde/DxCore), 128K, \<$2 each, shipping?? ---
**Author:** ![Railroader](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/railroader/32/274550_2.png) [@Railroader](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Railroader)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/19 "2021-01-23T00:28:37Z")
> lukapetko2: > **hzrnbgy** > > **Railroader** > Why would you need my code/wiring for this? Those are completely irrelevant for this topic. It's a nasty habit I have to 1. judge if my knowledge can be useful here. 2. what the project is about, if it is doable at all or I should use my time for other members. 3. if the project have a chance to get fished in a life time. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/atmega328p-alternative-mcus-with-64kb-progmem/692398/20 "2021-05-23T00:29:13Z")
Closed on May 23, 2021, 12:29am UTC This topic was automatically closed 120 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.