EP20K200EFI484-2X - APEX 20KE FPGA 200K Gates 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP20K200EFI484-2X ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $262 | $2,620.00 |
| 50 | $245 | $12,250.00 |
| 100 | $230 | $23,000.00 |
| 500 | $215 | $107,500.00 |
EP20K200EFI484-2X Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable logic device that combines configurable logic blocks, programmable interconnect, and embedded memory resources into a single semiconductor die. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and discrete glue logic, providing a programmable alternative for prototyping, low-volume production, and applications requiring late-stage design flexibility. The APEX 20KE family specifically introduced MultiCore architecture integrating look-up-table logic and embedded ESB (Embedded System Block) memory for system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) integration.
Key features include 376 user I/O pins supporting multiple I/O standards, embedded SRAM blocks totaling 106,496 bits for distributed data buffering, on-chip PLLs for clock multiplication and skew management, and JTAG-compliant IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test support. The FineLine BGA-484 thermally enhanced package provides mechanical robustness for demanding industrial environments and offers improved thermal dissipation versus standard BGA packaging.
The APEX 20KE architecture combines Look-Up Table (LUT) based logic elements with embedded system blocks (ESBs), enabling designers to implement register-rich datapaths, FIFO memories, and dual-port RAM alongside conventional state machines. The MultiCore interconnect fabric delivers predictable timing closure, while the 0.22 µm CMOS process provides the speed grade headroom required for high-performance telecommunications and networking infrastructure designs.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card glue logic, industrial control and automation backplanes, ASIC prototyping for system validation, high-speed data acquisition front-ends, and military/aerospace signal-processing subsystems. The APEX 20KE family's wide I/O voltage tolerance and high pin count make it particularly suitable for bus-bridging applications where multiple legacy voltage domains must interoperate within a single board.
When designing with this device, ensure proper decoupling of the 1.8 V core supply with bulk and high-frequency ceramic capacitors near the package. Configuration storage should use a serial or parallel PROM sized to the bitstream, and unused I/O pins must be configured as tri-stated inputs with pull-ups to avoid floating inputs on the board.
This page synthesizes distributor stock and pricing data, pin-compatible APEX 20KE family alternatives, and practical design notes not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet front page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K200EFI484-2X — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP20K200EFI484-2X (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Family, Propagation Delay.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K200EFC484-2X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$54.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200EFC484-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200EFC484-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$165 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200EFC484-1N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$290 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200EFC484-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$68.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200EBC484-1X
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K200EFI484-2X Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KE |
| Series | EP20K200E |
| System Gates | 200,000 |
| Logic Elements | 8,320 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 106,496 |
| User I/O Pins | 376 |
| Maximum Frequency | 205 MHz |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS |
| Propagation Delay | 1.97 ns |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (TJ) |
| Architecture | MultiCore (LUT + Embedded System Blocks) |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) + Serial/Parallel PROM |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+ (per APEX 20KE family datasheet) |
EP20K200EFI484-2X 484-ball fineline bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K200EFI484-2X (484-ball fineline bga package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP20K200EFI484-2X.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K200EFI484-2X is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Automation Backplane Controller, ASIC Prototyping and System Validation, High-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Legacy Migrations and Long-Life Industrial Systems.
Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic
The EP20K200EFI484-2X is well suited to telecommunications line cards where 200K system gates and 376 user I/O pins provide ample capacity for bus-bridging, framing, and protocol-conversion glue logic between network processors and physical-layer PHYs. With 106,496 bits of embedded RAM, the device can buffer cells, packets, or framing data without external FIFOs, reducing board complexity. Its industrial -40C to +100C temperature grade makes it reliable in central-office and outdoor-cabinet environments where ambient swings are common.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Backplane Controller
The EP20K200EFI484-2X serves industrial backplanes by providing programmable glue logic that adapts multiple legacy voltage domains (5 V, 3.3 V, 2.5 V) through its configurable I/O banks. The MultiCore LUT/ESB architecture supports register-heavy datapath designs such as motor-control encoders, sensor aggregators, and PLC coprocessors. The 484-ball FineLine BGA package gives robust mechanical and thermal performance suitable for factory-floor vibration and -40C to +100C thermal cycling, and 8,320 logic elements allow mid-complexity state machines and arithmetic units to be implemented without resorting to a larger device.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and System Validation
ASIC prototyping teams have long used the EP20K200EFI484-2X to validate mid-complexity ASIC RTL before taping out, leveraging 200K system gates and 376 user I/O pins to map design partitions. The APEX 20KE architecture's predictable MultiCore interconnect simplifies timing closure compared to earlier FPGA families, and 106,496 embedded RAM bits provide local memory for FIFO and register-file emulation. With JTAG-based configuration and Altera Quartus II design support, prototype bring-up can occur in hours rather than weeks, and the 484-FBGA package supports high I/O counts required for full system validation.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End
The EP20K200EFI484-2X fits data-acquisition designs that aggregate multiple ADC/DAC channels into a single processing pipeline, with 376 user I/O pins supporting wide parallel data buses and 205 MHz operation handling real-time sample rates. Embedded ESB memory blocks (106,496 bits total) implement sample buffers, look-up tables for calibration coefficients, and small DSP-style FIR/IIR filters without external SRAM. The industrial -40C to +100C temperature range and FineLine BGA thermal performance allow deployment in vibration-prone and thermally variable test and measurement racks.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
Defense and aerospace programs have historically used the EP20K200EFI484-2X for radar preprocessing, avionics databuses, and electronic-warfare subsystems that demand 376 I/O pins, industrial-grade -40C to +100C operation, and long-term component traceability. The MultiCore LUT/ESB architecture supports vector-matrix operations and pulse-Doppler processing pipelines, while embedded RAM serves as a fast corner-turn memory for radar returns. The 484-FBGA thermally enhanced package provides mechanical robustness under vibration and thermal-cycling profiles typical of MIL-STD-810 environments, and the APEX 20KE silicon has flight heritage across multiple platforms.
Recommended
Legacy Migrations and Long-Life Industrial Systems
Many long-life industrial systems designed in the early 2000s still use the EP20K200EFI484-2X as their primary logic engine, and field-replacement programs rely on remaining channel stock plus drop-in APEX 20KE family variants for repairs. The same 484-ball FineLine BGA footprint allows maintenance technicians to use EP20K200EFC484-2X or EP20K200EFC484-1X when the original part is unavailable, provided the temperature grade is acceptable for the deployed environment. With 200K gates, 8,320 logic elements, and 376 user I/O pins, the device remains adequate for many legacy control, monitoring, and instrumentation functions decades after initial design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K200EFI484-2X — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K200EFC484-2X | EP20K200EFC484-2N | EP20K200EFC484-1X | EP20K200EFC484-1N | EP20K200EFC484-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA | 484-ball FineLine BGA - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Family | APEX 20KE | APEX 20KE | APEX 20KE | APEX 20KE | APEX 20KE | APEX 20KE |
| System Gates | 200,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 |
| Logic Elements | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 106,496 | 106,496 | 106,496 | 106,496 | 106,496 | 106,496 |
| User I/O Pins | 376 | 376 | 376 | 376 | 376 | 376 |
| Speed Grade | -2 (faster) | -2 | -2 | -1 (slower) | -1 (slower) | -1 (slower) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
Key Differentiators
- Largest logic capacity in EP20K200E family on 484-FBGA with industrial temperature grade (vs EP20K200EFC484-2X)
- Higher speed grade for tighter timing budgets (vs EP20K200EFC484-1X)
- Embedded ESB memory for distributed buffering (vs Discrete FIFO + glue-logic alternative)
Design Notes
Decouple the 1.8 V VCCINT core supply with a combination of bulk tantalum or polymer capacitors (>=47 uF) and high-frequency ceramic capacitors (0.1 uF plus 10 nF) placed as close as possible to the package. Each VCCIO bank requires its own decoupling network sized to the number of switching I/O pins in that bank. Per the APEX 20KE datasheet, in-rush current during configuration can briefly exceed steady-state operating current, so ensure the upstream regulator can source at least 1.5x the steady-state load during power-up.
The 484-ball FineLine BGA package uses a thermally enhanced substrate that dissipates heat more effectively than a standard BGA, but thermal vias under the central ball array are still recommended for improved theta-JA. For designs with sustained high toggle rates across many I/O banks, place a continuous ground plane on inner PCB layers directly beneath the BGA to spread heat laterally. At 205 MHz operation with all 376 I/O toggling, the device can dissipate several watts; verify junction temperature remains below 100C TJ under worst-case ambient using the APEX 20KE thermal model.
Use 0.5 mm ball pitch escape routing with microvia stacks (laser-drilled or built-up) on a high-Tg FR-4 or mid-loss PCB stack-up; the 484-ball FineLine BGA cannot be escape-routed on 2-layer boards. Match trace lengths within each I/O bank to within the skew tolerance specified in the APEX 20KE datasheet for the targeted I/O standard (PCI and GTL+ are particularly skew-sensitive). Place configuration PROMs (EPC16 or EPC2 family) within 2-4 inches of the JTAG/PS configuration pins and route DCLK away from noisy signals.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP20K200EFI484-2X include: (1) assuming a 5 V tolerant I/O when VCCIO is set to 3.3 V - exceeding the VCCIO supply will permanently damage the I/O cell; (2) leaving nCONFIG or nSTATUS floating - these active-low pins must be tied to VCC through a 10 kohm pull-up; (3) using the wrong configuration mode bit - the MSEL pins select between serial, parallel, or JTAG-only configuration and must match the chosen EPC PROM type; (4) forgetting to set unused I/O pins to tri-state inputs with weak pull-ups in the Quartus II pin assignment file, which can cause excessive current draw on unconnected board nets.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status not confirmed in the verified distributor data as of 2026-09-07; designers should request the official Intel/Altera material declaration for the specific date code. AEC-Q100 is not applicable because this is a programmable logic device, not an automotive-qualified IC in the AEC-Q100 sense; verify PPAP documentation separately if automotive use is intended.
