What Are Differences Between CC2340 BLE Modules?
Tags: cc2340, blemodule, cc2340r5, rfstar
Published: 2023-08-11 01:51:37

In the previous article, we talked about common parts of the CC2340 Bluetooth Module. There are a few similarities in the core, flash, RAM, multi-protocol capacity, maximum TX power, and so on, but each [CC2340 BLE module](https://www.rfstariot.com/2340_c0_ss) has its differences in these parts.

## RF Output Mode
The different RF output modes, such as **half-hole ANT RF pin and IPEX connector**, enable different needs of the applications with a wide range of choices on antennas. 

Both RF-BM-2340B1 and RF-BM-2340A2 BLE 5.3 modules based on TI CC2340R5 integrate a high-performance onboard **PCB antenna with different module SMT packages**,  which can minimize your project cost when purchasing the desirable wireless modules.

RF-BM-2340B1I and RF-BM-2340A2I modules with CC2340R5 MCU are designed for long transmission range, good signal directivity, and high efficiency with an external antenna that you can define. The metal shield also strengthens the high anti-interference capability. Therefore, if you are pursuing the radio signals in a particular direction, these CC2340R5 modules with IPEX connectors are the best for you.

Apart from the two antenna types, our CC2340R5 module RF-BM-2340C2 integrates a  superior ceramic chip antenna to have high reliability. Embedding the BLE module with the chip antenna, you can easily get a compact size. If the transmission coverage performance of the chip antenna is not satisfied by your design, you can remove the chip antenna and adopt the half-hole ANT RF pin with the final antenna design on your motherboard. The different RF output options are supplied due to the combined needs of a high transmission range and small size.

## Transmission Range
It is to be mentioned the transmission range of RF modules when it comes to antenna type. The different embedded antenna designs will affect the coverage of the RF signal.

As noted above, RF-star CC2340 BLE modules all support 1M PHY, 2M PHY, LE Code PHY (Bluetooth long range, 125 kbps and 500 kbps) (Because IEEE802.15.4 SDK of CC2340 is not released now, we don’t discuss it here). 

All transmission range discussion needs to be confirmed in a detailed application and environment. As we know, a high-performance PCB antenna may have a better transmission range than the chip antenna, while the external SMA antenna will have the best than the above two. Anyway, if you wanna implement a longer transmission range in your design, please choose these Bluetooth modules supporting the IPEX connector or half-hole ANT RF pin, eg. RF-BM-2340B1I, RF-BM-2340A2I and RF-BM-2340C2. According to your design requirements, the applicable external antenna can be chosen and RF-star can support you to confirm the antenna matching. 

For LoS details, please the comparison table below for the kind reference only.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/p8bfq020ck1vb9c80mnr.png)
[Comparison Table of RF-star CC2340 Bluetooth LE Modules](https://www.rfstariot.com/blog/what-are-similarities-differences-between-rf-star-cc2340-bluetooth-le-modules_b58)

## Rich Peripherals
Based on different CC2340 packages, the quantity of general-purpose input/output (GPIO) in our CC2340R5 modules may vary. RF-BM-2340B1 and RF-BM-2340B1I are developed at the 5*5 QFN40 package to provide 24 GPIOs, while RF-BM-2340A2, RF-BM-2340A2I, and RF-BM-2340C2 modules offer 12 GPIOs in the 4*4 QFN24 package. 

No matter what dimension they have, these modules all support rich peripherals such as **[UART, SPI, I2C, ADC](https://www.rfstariot.com/blog/quick-understanding-of-universal-peripheral-interfaces-in-embedded-systems-chapter_b46)**, etc. Pls note that CC2340’s peripherals are pointed to the specified IO. When you are developing your firmware (SPI or I2C) based on our module, refer to our hardware datasheets carefully. 

## Dimension & Package
Up to now, RF-star released CC2340R5 modules are produced in different sizes which have other RF-star BLE modules compatible with Hardware and Software parts. The RF-BM-2340Bx modules are available in a 22.5 mm x 15.55 mm x 2.1 mm stamp half-hole package, and the RF-BM-2340Ax modules offer two smaller sizes due to the antenna difference, but pin-2-pin compatible. The tiny size of RF-BM-2340C2 module with an 8 mm x 8 mm stamp half-hole package. No matter what needs you have, there will be one suitable module that makes your design more portable and easy to use. 

## Conclusion
All in all, our CC2340 BLE modules series are designed for different needs. If you want a desirable CC2340 BLE module, please think about these factors mentioned above and select the suitable one to satisfy your project and shorten the time to the market.

For more information about CC2340 modules, visit the official site: [www.rfstariot.com](https://www.rfstariot.com/)