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ADC Resolution Calculator
Calculate LSB voltage, SNR, dynamic range, and timing specifications for ADC configurations.
| Resolution | LSB @ Vref | SNR |
|---|
ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) translates continuous analog voltages into discrete digital steps.
Formulas:
- LSB (Step Size):
Vref / 2^Resolution - Theoretical SNR:
6.02 * Resolution + 1.76 dB - Conversion Time:
(Sampling Cycles + SAR Cycles) / ADC_Clock
Usage: Use this calculator to find the voltage resolution (LSB) and conversion time for your MCU. Higher oversampling improves effective resolution (ENOB) at the cost of conversion speed.
When you need it: Working out the smallest voltage an ADC can resolve (one LSB), estimating the ideal signal-to-noise ratio, or choosing how many bits you need to cover a sensor's range with margin.
Worked example: A 12-bit ADC with Vref = 3.3 V has LSB = 3.3 / 4096 = 0.806 mV. Its ideal SNR is 6.02 × 12 + 1.76 = 74 dB, and a 10 mV signal spans about 10 / 0.806 ≈ 12 codes.
Tips & gotchas:
- Effective number of bits (ENOB) is always below the nominal count once you include noise, INL/DNL and reference error — treat the datasheet's ENOB, not the bit count, as real resolution.
- Oversampling and averaging buys ~½ extra bit per 4× samples, but only if there is at least 1 LSB of noise to dither against.
- Give the sample-and-hold enough acquisition time for your source impedance, or the reading droops; add a small buffer/cap for high-impedance sensors.
- Ratiometric measurement (sensor and ADC share the same reference) cancels Vref drift entirely.