Silicon Labs Unveils Z‑Wave 800 Series SoCs & Modules: Long‑Range, Ultra‑Low Power, and Next‑Gen Security

Silicon Labs has released the Z‑Wave 800 series system‑on‑chip (SoC) and module lineup—EFR32ZG23 (ZG23) SoCs and ZGM230S modules—expanding its Series 2 platform. These sub‑GHz solutions support both Z‑Wave Mesh and Z‑Wave Long‑Range, making them ideal for smart‑home, multi‑dwelling unit, hospitality, and lighting deployments, and they can serve as either end devices or gateways.

The Z‑Wave 800 Series delivers secure, ultra‑low‑power wireless connectivity for battery‑powered IoT devices, with battery life improvements exceeding 50 % over the previous Z‑Wave 700 series.

Low Power, Long Range, and Security

ZG23 is a single‑die solution featuring a 78 MHz ARM Cortex‑M33 core and remarkably low radio consumption—25.4 mA during TX at +14 dBm and 4.0 mA during RX (915 MHz, 100 kbps). Its RF performance (+20 dBm transmit, −110 dBm receive at 915 MHz, 100 kbps O‑QPSK) allows end nodes to achieve ranges exceeding 1.5 miles.

ZGM230S modules leverage the same low‑power RF performance while offering a compact 6.5 mm × 6.5 mm footprint. These modules can operate on a single coin‑cell battery for up to 10 years of life.

Both solutions incorporate Z‑Wave 800 standard S2 security and Silicon Labs Secure Vault™ for PSA Level 3 certification, providing the highest security for wireless devices.

Accelerated Development with Unify SDK

The Unify SDK’s protocol controller delivers a ‘design‑once, support all’ approach, offering ready‑made protocol translations for Z‑Wave and a unified data‑model API. This streamlines development of common IoT services such as device addition, update, and removal.

Jake Alamat, Vice President and GM of IoT Home & Life, said, "The Unify SDK Z‑Wave controller will simplify future‑proofing our smart‑home products for multiple protocols, including Matter."

Silicon Labs will demonstrate a Z‑Wave‑to‑Matter bridge using Unify SDK at CES 2022.

Discover more at Silicon Labs.