Sp3232 Vs Max3232 [extra Quality] Jun 2026

The most significant real-world difference is Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection.

| Parameter | SP3232 | MAX3232 | |-----------|--------|---------| | | MaxLinear (ex-Sipex) | Analog Devices (ex-Maxim) | | Supply Current (typ) | 300 µA (shutdown: 1 µA) | 300 µA (shutdown: 1 µA) – similar, but SP3232 has tighter limits | | Driver Output Slew Rate | 6 V/µs – 30 V/µs | 6 V/µs – 30 V/µs (same range) | | Receiver Hysteresis | 400 mV typ | 500 mV typ | | Receiver Input Voltage Range | -25V to +25V | -25V to +25V | | Guaranteed Min. Data Rate at 3.0V | 250 kbps (full load) | 120 kbps (full load, some variants) | | Charge Pump Frequency | ~120 kHz | ~200 kHz | | Shutdown/Enable Pin | Yes (SHDN) | Yes (SHDN, on some variants) | | Auto-Powerdown | Available on SP3232E (wake-up from receiver activity) | Not on standard MAX3232; on MAX3235 variant | | Typical Applications | Battery-powered, low-power, industrial | General-purpose, legacy designs | sp3232 vs max3232

Both chips solve the same problem: generating ±5.4V to ±6.5V RS-232 output signals from a low DC supply using a charge pump consisting of four external capacitors. industrial | General-purpose