Siemens S7-1500 series products receive a major update: performance leap across the board.

Siemens S7-1500 Series Receives Major Update: Comprehensive Performance Leap, Expanding the Boundaries of Industrial Intelligence

—New Product Matrix Enhances Communication and Control Performance, Injecting Core Power into Complex Industrial Scenarios

December 26, 2025 — Siemens, a global leader in industrial automation, recently launched a significant and intensive update to its flagship PLC product line, the SIMATIC S7-1500 series. This update is not a simple iteration, but rather encompasses a comprehensive performance leap from standard CPUs to high-end communication CPUs, and even the ET 200SP series of distributed controllers. It aims to provide a stronger hardware foundation for addressing the increasingly complex demands of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), high-precision motion control, and large-scale network interconnection.

Core Upgrade: Standard CPU Performance Doubled, Price-Performance Ratio Enhanced

The most notable upgrade in this update is the replacement of the standard CPUs 1511-1 PN and 1513-1 PN (including the fail-safe F series). The new products achieve a truly "disruptive" performance improvement while maintaining the same price.

Table: Key Performance Comparison of New and Old Standard CPUs

In addition to the features listed in the table, the new CPU significantly improves communication data throughput for protocols such as OPC UA by enabling a second processor core dedicated to communication tasks, and reduces user program execution jitter, resulting in more stable and deterministic control system operation. Furthermore, its display function is fully integrated into the CPU firmware, simplifying the maintenance process.

Network Enhancement: A Qualitative Leap in S7-1500-3PN Communication Capabilities

To meet the stringent requirements of high-end applications for real-time communication and massive device connectivity, Siemens has significantly upgraded the PROFINET interface of the S7-1500-3PN series CPUs.

Among these upgrades, the number of IRT (Isochronous Real-Time) devices supported by the X1 interface has increased dramatically from 64 to 256. This significant leap is attributed to support for DLR (Distributed Link Redundancy) or DLP (Data Link Layer Protocol) functions in the PROFINET V2.3 standard. This technology can package data from multiple devices into a single frame for transmission, greatly improving network efficiency and bandwidth utilization. Simultaneously, the X2 interface adds support for IRT communication and can share the same clock master with the X1 interface, enabling complete isochronous real-time control across interfaces and laying a solid foundation for high-precision synchronization applications.

Family Expansion: Siemens Welcomes High-Performance New Member, CPU 1514SP, to the ET 200SP PLC controller family designed for distributed architectures.

Siemens has added the CPU 1514SP, a high-performance member, to its ET 200SP PLC controller family. Its biggest difference from its predecessor is the inclusion of two independent PROFINET interfaces (X1 and X2), allowing for easy deployment in multi-network architectures. X1 supports high-performance IRT communication.

Its performance is based on the new standard CPU 1515, surpassing the older standard CPU 1515 in both memory capacity and processing speed. Some performance indicators even rival the higher-end CPU 1516. This model is also available in four versions: Standard, Fail-Safe (F), Process (T), and Process-Safe (TF). The T/TF versions, combined with TIA Portal V18 software, better meet the needs of mid-range motion control applications.

Market Applications: Becoming a Core Engine for Industrial Upgrading

The powerful performance of the S7-1500 series makes it the first choice for upgrading and retrofitting traditional industrial equipment. Recently, the S7-1500 has played a core role in several large-scale industrial projects in China:

At Ansteel Bayuquan, the world's first complete migration of the main control system of a 5.5-meter wide and thick plate rolling mill from the old Siemens TDC platform to the new TIA S7-1500 platform was achieved. The transformation was completed and put into operation in just six months, setting a new benchmark for intelligent transformation in the industry.

At Xining Special Steel, its refining furnace renovation project adopted the S7-1500 PLC as the core of the automatic control for electrode lifting. After the renovation, the system's stability and process control accuracy were significantly improved, and it is estimated that nearly 4.7 million yuan can be saved annually.

Industry Observation: Responding to Market Challenges with Deep Localization This multi-point update of the S7-1500 series is part of Siemens' "market defense war" against the rise of local Chinese automation brands. By launching products with stronger performance, better compatibility, and optimized for the needs of the Chinese market, Siemens is shifting from a technology exporter to an ecosystem co-builder. Their strategy goes beyond simply providing a single product; it's about building a low-migration-cost automation ecosystem, allowing customers to enjoy high performance while seamlessly integrating existing equipment with future expansion.

Looking ahead, with the launch of this series of fully-equipped S7-1500 products, Siemens further solidifies its leadership in high-end industrial control. These products will provide stronger and more efficient underlying control support for manufacturing's move towards flexibility, intelligence, and digitalization, driving the future of industry.