EP20K300EFC672-1N - 300K Gate APEX 20KE FPGA, 672-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP20K300EFC672-1N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $461.8 | $461.80 |
| 10 | $415.62 | $4,156.20 |
| 100 | $350 | $35,000.00 |
| 250 | $300 | $75,000.00 |
| 500 | $250 | $125,000.00 |
EP20K300EFC672-1N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that allows engineers to implement custom digital logic, memory blocks, and I/O via a hardware description language after PCB fabrication. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy: PLD -> FPGA -> programmable logic -> semiconductor IC. The APEX 20KE family pioneered MultiCore architecture combining logic elements (LEs), embedded system blocks (ESBs) for memory, and fast I/O, enabling system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) integration with PCI, LVDS, and other high-speed interfaces.
Key features include a maximum internal frequency of 160 MHz, propagation delay of approximately 1.68 ns per logic element, and a 1.71 V to 1.89 V core operating voltage. The device supports multi-voltage I/O standards including LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and GTL+, and integrates dedicated high-speed clock networks and PLL-like clock management for synchronous designs. Embedded memory supports dual-port RAM, ROM, and FIFO configurations, allowing efficient on-chip buffering for communications and DSP pipelines.
Architecture is built on a MultiCore fabric combining fine-grained look-up table (LUT) logic elements with coarse-grained embedded system blocks. The 0.22 um process delivers a balance of density and power, with each logic element containing a 4-input LUT, programmable register, and fast carry chain. The 672-FBGA 27x27 mm package exposes high pin count for I/O-rich designs.
Typical applications include telecommunications line cards, networking switches/routers, industrial automation controllers, military and aerospace signal processing, and legacy PCI/CompactPCI bus interfaces. The high gate count suits multi-channel protocol bridging, DSP front ends, and glue logic replacement.
When designing with this device, plan for 1.8 V core supply decoupling and ensure JTAG programming access is routed cleanly. This part is part of an obsolete product family (APEX 20KE), so long-term supply may require stocking or considering APEX II, Cyclone, or Cyclone II successors for new designs. The 27x27 mm BGA requires controlled-impedance PCB stackup and reflow profiling per JEDEC J-STD-020.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K300EFC672-1N — 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 EP20K300EFC672-1N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Series, Family, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K300EFC672-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K300EBC652-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$215 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K300EFC672-1N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KE |
| Series | APEX-20KE |
| System Gates | 300,000 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) / Cells | 11,520 |
| Macros | 1,152 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 147,456 bits |
| User I/O Pins | 408 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.71 V to 1.89 V (1.8 V nominal) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 um CMOS |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 160 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 1.68 ns |
| Package / Case | 672-BBGA (FineLine BGA, 27x27 mm) |
| Supplier Device Package | 672-FBGA (27x27) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +85 C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP20K300EFC672-1N 672-fbga (27x27) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K300EFC672-1N (672-fbga (27x27) 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 EP20K300EFC672-1N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K300EFC672-1N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Cards, Industrial Automation Controllers, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Legacy PCI and CompactPCI Bus Cards, Networking Switches and Routers (Legacy), Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecommunications Line Cards
The EP20K300EFC672-1N's 300K system gates and 408 user I/O pins make it well-suited for legacy telecommunications line cards requiring multi-channel protocol bridging, such as T1/E1 aggregation or ATM framing. The 160 MHz internal frequency supports 66 MHz PCI or 100 MHz Utopia interfaces typical of mid-1990s telecom designs. The 147 Kbit embedded memory block provides sufficient buffering for cell or packet FIFOs without external SRAM, reducing BOM cost. Compared with newer FPGAs, the APEX 20KE MultiCore architecture delivers predictable timing for voice and data path processing. Designers should ensure 1.8 V core decoupling per JEDEC J-STD-020 guidelines and account for I/O bank VCCIO grouping when routing mixed-voltage interfaces such as 3.3 V LVTTL alongside 2.5 V SSTL memory.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Controllers
In industrial automation, the EP20K300EFC672-1N is used as a glue-logic replacement and protocol bridge between motor controllers, encoders, PLC backplanes, and fieldbus networks. Its 408 I/O pins support 32+ channels of quadrature encoder input, multiple RS-485 transceivers, and dedicated servo-control timing. The 1.8 V core and 0.22 um CMOS process deliver industrial-grade thermal tolerance when paired with adequate PCB copper. The APEX 20KE architecture provides deterministic latency required for closed-loop motion control. Engineers designing industrial retrofits should pair this FPGA with galvanic isolation on I/O, plan for 24 V DC-DC converters, and consider TVS diodes on bus lines for IEC 61000-4-2/4 ESD compliance in factory environments.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP20K300EFC672-1N is deployed in legacy military and aerospace signal-processing platforms where its 408 user I/O and 300K-gate capacity support multi-channel DSP front ends and cryptographic engines. The commercial 0 C to +85 C temperature grade suits ground-station equipment; for avionics, designers may rely on industrial or military-screened variants of the APEX 20KE family. The MultiCore architecture enables parallel processing of radar returns, sonar arrays, or electronic-warfare pulse streams. Designers must select a screening level appropriate to MIL-STD-810 or DO-160 environments and verify traceable lot history from authorized distributors due to counterfeit risk on obsolete QML-grade parts.
Recommended
Legacy PCI and CompactPCI Bus Cards
The EP20K300EFC672-1N's 160 MHz fabric and 1.8 V core suit PCI 33/66 MHz and CompactPCI 6U/3U backplane designs from the late 1990s and early 2000s. With 408 I/O, designers can implement PCI-to-PCI bridges, custom DMA engines, or PCI-X target devices without external bridge ASICs. The 147 Kbit embedded memory serves as PCI target prefetch buffers, eliminating one or two external SRAMs. Engineers maintaining such systems must preserve the original Quartus II 4.2 or MAX+plus II compilation environment, plan for 5 V or 3.3 V signaling on the backplane, and ensure JTAG access remains routed for in-system reconfiguration or boundary-scan diagnostics.
Recommended
Networking Switches and Routers (Legacy)
The EP20K300EFC672-1N is suitable for low-to-mid port-count enterprise switches and edge routers where it implements MAC-layer bridging, VLAN tagging, and queue management. The 408 I/O pins accommodate 24+ 10/100 Ethernet MII/RMII interfaces plus management CPU bus, while the embedded memory buffers packet payloads efficiently. APEX 20KE's fast carry chains accelerate CRC computation and forwarding table lookups. Replacement designs should consider Altera Cyclone II EP2C8 or Cyclone III EP3C16 for new products. PCB layout must follow IEEE 802.3 signal-integrity rules for MII traces and provide solid ground planes under the BGA for thermal and EMI performance.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP20K300EFC672-1N enables custom test-and-measurement instruments such as protocol analyzers, logic-analyzer front ends, and ATE pin electronics where its 408 I/O and embedded memory allow parallel stimulus generation and capture. The deterministic timing of the MultiCore fabric is critical for precise window generation in timing tests and pattern generation. Designers can implement multi-standard stimulus (LVTTL/LVCMOS/SSTL) across multiple I/O banks without external level shifters. Maintenance teams should keep JTAG and configuration ROM image archived; for production testers, place the FPGA on a daughter-card to allow replacement without reworking the motherboard.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K300EFC672-1N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K300EFC672-1 | EP20K300EBC652-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-FBGA (27x27 mm) | 672-FBGA (27x27 mm) - same | 652-BGA - differs (-20 pins) |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| System Gates | 300,000 | 300,000 | 300,000 |
| Logic Elements | 11,520 | 11,520 | 11,520 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 147,456 | 147,456 | 147,456 |
| User I/O Pins | 408 | 408 | 392 |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Max Internal Frequency | 160 MHz | 160 MHz | 160 MHz |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- High-density 300K-gate APEX 20KE with 408 user I/O (vs EP20K200EFC484-1N)
- Larger embedded memory (147 Kbit) than smaller APEX 20KE parts (vs EP20K100FC324-2X)
- 672-FBGA footprint exposes more pins than 652-BGA sibling (vs EP20K300EBC652-1)
Design Notes
The APEX 20KE core requires a 1.71 V to 1.89 V supply with bulk decoupling of at least 220 uF low-ESR polymer or ceramic plus 0.1 uF and 10 nF high-frequency bypass caps placed within 5 mm of each VCC pin. I/O banks are independently supplied by VCCIO pins (1.5 V to 3.3 V); group banks by voltage to avoid level-shifter contention. Estimated: at full 300K-gate utilization with all 408 I/O toggling, ICC core may reach 800 mA - verify with manufacturer power calculator.
The 672-FBGA package has a theta_JA of approximately 12-15 C/W on a 4-layer PCB with thermal vias (per APEX 20KE family datasheet). At 1.5 W dissipation, junction temperature rises 18-22 C above ambient; the 0 C to +85 C commercial limit allows up to 63 C ambient. For industrial or military envelopes, derate by 10 C or use a metal-core PCB.
Route the 672-FBGA on at least a 6-layer PCB with continuous GND and PWR planes directly under the BGA. BGA pitch is 1.27 mm - use 0.45 mm pad and 0.25 mm via-in-pad with resin fill. JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) must reach a 10-pin header for in-system programming. Decoupling caps should be placed on the BGA-side of the package outline. Per JEDEC J-STD-020, follow the moisture-sensitive-device handling procedure before reflow.
Three pitfalls are common with EP20K300EFC672-1N designs: (1) misconfiguration of CONFIG_MODE pull-up/pull-down resistors causes boot failure - follow datasheet table; (2) unused I/O must be set to tri-state input with weak pull-up via Quartus settings to avoid parasitic current; (3) counterfeit risk is HIGH for this obsolete part - order only from franchised distributors (DigiKey, Mouser) and verify date/lot codes against the manufacturer packing list.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance confirmed by the -N suffix in the MPN per Altera/Intel ordering information. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not found in verified web data - marked unknown. AEC-Q100 is not applicable since this is an FPGA, not an automotive analog/digital IC.
