Texas Instruments lists the LM3S301-EQN20-C2T as NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs). Existing production runs and field-service spares can still be sourced — availability and current pricing confirmed per RFQ through independent distribution channels.
Core and memory — what 16 KB flash buys
ARM Cortex-M3 core at 20 MHz — the 32-bit single-core architecture delivers around 1.25 DMIPS/MHz, so the throughput ceiling is roughly 25 DMIPS before flash wait-states factor in. 16 KB on-chip flash and 2 KB SRAM suit sensor nodes, simple motor control loops, or protocol-bridge firmware where the application image fits under 12 KB and the stack uses under 1.5 KB. Program memory is flash, not OTP or EPROM — field updates are viable within the write endurance budget of the Stellaris family.
I/O and peripherals — what is on-chip
33 general-purpose I/O lines, with brown-out detect, power-on reset, PWM, and a watchdog timer integrated — no external supervisor needed for basic fault monitoring. Serial connectivity covers Microwire, SPI, SSI, and UART/USART — enough for a single sensor bus plus a debug/field-update UART. Three-channel 10-bit ADC samples analog inputs at the internal oscillator rate — adequate for reading potentiometers, thermistors, or 0-10 V scaled signals through a divider.