Say Goodbye to Obsolete Op-Amps: A Guide to Modern Alternatives

2025-01-07

This article critiques the widely used but outdated LM741 and LM324/LM358 op-amps, recommending superior, user-friendly modern alternatives such as the Microchip MCP6272, MCP6022, and Texas Instruments OPA2323, TLV3542, and OPA2356. It details crucial parameters to consider when choosing an op-amp, including supply voltage range, maximum output current, rail-to-rail I/O (RRIO), input stage type (FET vs. bipolar), gain-bandwidth product, slew rate, and noise. The author emphasizes that many parameters are often overblown in hobbyist projects.