28-pin FRAM memory chip: the save that survives a dead battery

On an arcade board or a retro project, saved data depends on a lithium battery soldered in thirty years ago. The day it gives out, settings, high scores and configuration go with it. FRAM is non-volatile memory that retains data without a battery and is written at SRAM speed: it is the component fitted in place of the original memory in so-called battery-less mods.

What it does

• Retains data without power: no lithium battery, no backup capacitor to keep an eye on, no save lost after months in storage.
• Writes like an SRAM: immediate parallel access, with no write cycle or programming sequence as on an EEPROM or Flash, and with far higher write endurance.
• Three part numbers to choose from: FM1808-70 (5 V, 32 K × 8), FM18W08 (2.7 to 5.5 V, 32 K × 8), FM16W08 (2.7 to 5.5 V, 64 K × 8). Order the one your board expects.

What it doesn't do

• It is not a bypass chip: it is a standard memory component, with no embedded software and no unlocking function.
• It cannot be fitted without soldering: a 28-pin surface-mount component, supplied bare, with no socket or adapter board.
• It does not recover a save that has already been lost: after replacement, the board restarts with blank memory that must be reconfigured.
• The supplier states an SSOP-28 package while the original listing says SOP-28: the exact package width remains to be confirmed, so compare your board's footprint before ordering.
• The manufacturer and markings are not guaranteed: component of Chinese origin, sold without a certificate of authenticity.

Compatibility

Intended for boards that use a battery-backed 28-pin parallel memory: arcade boards, retro computing builds, DIY projects. Compatibility is checked against your board's schematic, with the pinout and supply voltage to hand. Does not replace an I²C or SPI serial memory, a program EPROM or Flash, or a through-hole DIP-28 package: the format sold here is a surface-mount package.

Skill level required

Experienced. You need to desolder the original chip and fit the new one: hot air station or fine-tip iron, flux, desoldering braid, isopropyl alcohol and an anti-static wrist strap. A magnifier or stereo microscope helps a lot with a 28-pin pitch. If you have never done SMD work, practise on a scrap board before touching yours.

In the box

• 1 28-pin FRAM memory chip, in the selected part number (FM1808-70-SG, FM18W08-SG or FM16W08-SG).
• Sold individually: no socket, cable or printed documentation.

Listing verified on 19 August 2026. Delivery in 10 to 18 days · ships within 3 to 5 days · 2-year legal guarantee · 14-day returns.

Read before ordering: Retro peripherals