VOOZH about

URL: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-organization-architecture/difference-between-avr-and-pic/

⇱ Difference between AVR and PIC - GeeksforGeeks

  • Courses
  • Tutorials
  • Interview Prep

Difference between AVR and PIC

Last Updated : 15 Jul, 2025

A microcontroller is a single Integrated Circuit (IC) which is comparable to a little stand alone computer and it is designed to perform the specific tasks of embedded systems. A microcontroller contains processing unit and small amount of memory (ROM, RAM etc.), few I/O ports for peripherals, timer etc. AVR and PIC comes under the family of micro-controller. PIC micro-controller and AVR micro-controller differs from each other in terms of different architecture and different sets of instruction, speed, cast, Memory, Power Consumption, Bus Width etc. Now let's understand in detail how they differs from each other. 

AVR Micro-Controller

AVR micro-controller is manufactured by Atmel corporation in the year 1996. It is based on RISC Instruction set Architecture (ISA) and also called as Advanced Virtual RISC. AT90S8515 was the initial micro-controller belongs to AVR family. AVR micro-controller is most popular category of controller and it is cheap. It is used in many robotic applications. 

Advantages of AVR

  • Ease of Programming: AVR microcontrollers are comparatively easier to program, courtesy to the Arduino Integrated Development Environment, so they can be used by novices as well.
  • Fast Execution: Owing to the RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) architecture AVR microcontrollers are faster for some applications since most of the instructions are executed in a cycle clock.
  • Low Power Consumption: AVR microcontrollers are specifically designed to consume low power which is very vital for battery operated devices.
  • Large Community Support: Microcontrollers in AVR are well documented with available libraries and codes thus making it easy to look for a tutorial or help on it.

Disadvantages of AVR

  • Limited Peripheral Support: While comparing PIC microcontrollers with AVR’s, the latter lacks some of built-in peripherals which can restrict its utility in some complicated applications.
  • Higher Cost: AVR microcontrollers are relatively costly as compared with other microcontrollers of the same level as PIC.

PIC Micro-Controller

PIC stands for Peripheral Interface Controller. PIC micro-controller was developed by Microchip. This micro-controller is a very fast simple micro-controller in implementation and performance point of view. This micro-controller is easy to program and also it easy to interface with other peripherals. 

Advantages of PIC

  • Wide Range of Options: There are several types of PIC microcontrollers available with different specifications in order to be completely specific with the kind of model that would be suitable to the given project.
  • Rich Peripheral Set: PIC microcontrollers have enhanced and omnipresent inbuilt peripherals like ADC, PWM and communicational peripherals which can minimize the utilization of peripheral units.
  • Cost-Effective: PIC microcontrollers are in most cases cheaper than AVR which makes them the better option for those who are looking for a microcontroller which is cheap to acquire.
  • Stable Performance: PIC is characterized by its stellar durability even when working within specific unfavorable conditions, and thus is perfect for industrial use.

Disadvantages of PIC

  • Complex Programming: Programming of PIC microcontrollers also seems a bit challenging than that of AVR and may involve some certain level of learning for starters.
  • Lower Clock Speed: Some of the PIC microcontrollers have lower clock frequency ratings than AVRs which could make a difference in terms of performance particularly in time-sensitive applications.

Difference between AVR and PIC

S. No.AVRPIC
01.AVR stands for Advanced Virtual RISC micro-controller.PIC stands for Peripheral Interface Controller micro-controller.
02.AVR micro-controller bus width is 8/32-bit.PIC micro-controller bus width is 8/16/32-bit.
03.It supports UART, USART, SPI, I2C communication protocol.It supports PIC, UART, USART, LIN, CAN, Ethernet, SPI communication protocol.
04.Its speed is 1 clock/ instruction cycle.Its speed is 4 Clock/instruction cycle.
05.AVR micro-controller is based on RISC instruction set architecture.PIC micro-controller is based on some features of RISC instruction set architecture.
06.It is based on Harvard architecture.It is based on modified Harvard architecture.
07.AVR families include Tiny, Atmega, Xmega, special purpose AVR.PIC families include PIC16, PIC17, PIC18, PIC24, PIC32.
08.Manufacturer of AVR micro-controller is Atmel.Manufacturer of PIC micro-controller is Microchip.
09.It is very cheap and effective micro-controller.It is very cheap micro-controller.
10.Popular micro-controllers are Atmega8, 16, 32, Arduino Community.Popular micro-controllers are PIC18fXX8, PIC16f88X, PIC32MXX.

Conclusion

Each of the AVR and PIC microcontrollers has its own advantages and disadvantages and that is why, they are used in quite different applications. AVR microcontrollers are best suited for the projects that you need to code, get executed fast, and have a good community support. On the other hand, PIC microcontrollers are more suitable for industrial applications where concerns with cost, availability of a variety of peripherals and general performance is emphasized. Thus, whether consumers should go for AVR or PIC microcontrollers should be determined by the project requirements, and the cost of the specific microcontroller as well as ease in the programming of the microcontroller.

Comment

Explore