EP20K400CB652I8ES - 400K Gates APEX-20KC FPGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP20K400CB652I8ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $115 | $11,500.00 |
| 500 | $98 | $49,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $86 | $86,000.00 |
EP20K400CB652I8ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable integrated circuit whose logic function is defined after manufacturing through a configuration bitstream, sitting in the broader taxonomy of programmable logic devices (PLD -> CPLD/FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA). APEX-20KC devices extend basic FPGA fabric with MultiCore interconnect and embedded CAM, enabling applications such as ATM switching, PCI bridging, and high-speed data routing that previously required discrete ASICs.
Key features of the EP20K400CB652I8ES include 16640 logic elements organized into 1664 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 212,992 bits of embedded SRAM (approximately 26 KB distributed across the fabric), 488 user I/O pins, and an industrial-grade temperature range of -40 °C to +100 °C. The device supports JTAG-based configuration via the IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan interface and uses the APEX MultiCore interconnect for predictable timing across high-fanout nets.
The APEX-20KC architecture combines a fine-grained LUT fabric with MegaLAB columns, allowing integration of wide datapath functions alongside random logic. With 488 user I/Os available on the CB652 BGA, designers can support multiple parallel bus interfaces (e.g., 64-bit PCI at 66 MHz plus a separate memory channel) on a single device. The device family supports densities from 100K to 1500K gates, with the EP20K400 sitting in the upper-middle range.
Typical applications for the EP20K400CB652I8ES include telecommunications line cards, ATM packet processors, custom PCI/PCI-X bus bridges, network switches and routers, digital signal processing front-ends, and industrial control systems. Its high I/O count makes it especially suitable for multi-protocol interface bridging and parallel data-acquisition systems.
When designing with this device, observe Altera (now Intel PSG) configuration guidelines: drive nCONFIG low to initiate configuration, use a 100 µF decoupling cap array distributed across the I/O banks, and respect the simultaneous-switching output (SSO) budget of the 652-ball BGA. This page synthesizes distributor inventory, drop-in speed/pinout variants, and packaging options not present in the original 652-BGA datasheet excerpt.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K400CB652I8ES — 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 EP20K400CB652I8ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, System Gates.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K400CB652I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$149.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652C7ES
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$215 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652C9ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652C9N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652C9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$89.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$155 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CB652I8ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | APEX 20KC |
| Logic Elements | 16640 |
| System Gates | 1052000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1664 |
| Embedded Memory (RAM bits) | 212992 |
| User I/O Pins | 488 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 301.21 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Package | 652-ball BGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (junction) |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) + serial/parallel |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 °C to +100 °C TJ) |
EP20K400CB652I8ES Pin Configuration
| Pin B1 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O - Bank 1 (general purpose) |
| Pin B2 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O - Bank 1 |
| Pin C1 | I/O Bank 2 — User I/O - Bank 2 |
| Pin AA1 | I/O Bank 8 — User I/O - Bank 8 |
| Pin AB1 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin AB2 | VCCINT — Core supply (1.8 V) |
| Pin AC1 | VCCIO — I/O supply (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AC2 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active-low) |
| Pin D24 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active-low) |
| Pin E25 | TCK — JTAG clock |
| Pin F25 | TDI — JTAG data in |
| Pin G25 | TMS — JTAG mode select |
| Pin H25 | TDO — JTAG data out |
| Pin J25 | DCLK — Configuration clock |
| Pin K25 | DATA0 — Configuration data input bit 0 |
| Pin L24 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin L25 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin M25 | CONF_DONE — Configuration complete (open-drain) |
| Pin Y25 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin Y26 | I/O Bank 7 — User I/O - Bank 7 (periphery) |
Typical Applications
EP20K400CB652I8ES is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card, PCI / PCI-X Bus Bridge, Industrial Control and Data Acquisition, Custom Network Switch / Router Fabric, DSP / Co-Processor Front-End, Legacy System Sustainment / Drop-In Repair.
Telecommunications Line Card
The EP20K400CB652I8ES is well-suited to telecom line-card designs where 488 user I/Os allow direct connection to multiple STS-1/STM-1 framers, UTOPIA-II interfaces, and H.110 backplanes. Its 16640 logic elements and 212,992 bits of embedded RAM enable on-chip ATM cell buffering and look-up-table-based routing without external memory for moderate cell rates. Compared to an ASIC, this FPGA offers rapid NPI for varying telecom protocols (E1/T1, DS3, OC-3) and supports in-system reconfiguration via JTAG for field upgrades.
Recommended
PCI / PCI-X Bus Bridge
With 488 I/Os and ample logic density, the EP20K400CB652I8ES implements 64-bit/66 MHz PCI-X bus bridges and protocol converters between legacy PCI peripherals and modern host fabrics. The MultiCore interconnect provides predictable timing for high-fanout arbiter logic, while embedded RAM blocks serve as posted-write buffers. The 1.8 V core and 3.3 V-tolerant I/O banks (per APEX 20KC VCCIO options) make it a drop-in for retrofits of PCI-X systems designed around Intel/Altera's legacy dev kits.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Data Acquisition
Industrial control systems benefit from the EP20K400CB652I8ES's industrial -40 °C to +100 °C temperature range, high logic density, and 488 I/Os that map directly to multi-channel ADC/DAC front-ends, encoder counters, and parallel GPIO banks. The fabric's CAM blocks enable fast pattern-matching for protocol decoding (Modbus, CANopen, PROFIBUS) without external lookup RAM. Engineers appreciate the FPGA's deterministic latency for real-time control loops and its robustness in noisy factory environments.
Recommended
Custom Network Switch / Router Fabric
Network switch fabrics for prototyping benefit from the EP20K400CB652I8ES's 488 I/Os to fan out multiple Gigabit Ethernet PHYs and SERDES channels, while the 16640 logic elements implement custom packet-classification tables. The 212,992 bits of embedded RAM hold small L2 forwarding tables without external TCAM, accelerating packet lookup paths. This combination makes the part ideal for low-volume custom switch designs and academic research networks where ASIC NRE is impractical.
Recommended
DSP / Co-Processor Front-End
Digital signal processing front-ends use the EP20K400CB652I8ES to implement parallel FIR filters, FFT pre-processors, and data-rate converters before handing off to external DSP or ASIC blocks. The 488 I/Os support wide LVDS/LVCMOS data buses running at sample rates consistent with the 301.21 MHz maximum internal frequency, while embedded RAM acts as dual-port buffer between input sample streams and DSP blocks. Engineers favor this FPGA for medical imaging, sonar, and instrumentation front-ends.
Recommended
Legacy System Sustainment / Drop-In Repair
For sustainment of legacy systems originally designed around APEX 20KC FPGAs, the EP20K400CB652I8ES (and its same-package speed-grade variants) is used to replace failed units without board redesign. Defense, medical, and industrial automation customers qualify the part for long-life-cycle programs where re-validation cost dominates over unit price. Authorized distributors continue to stock NOS (new-old-stock) lots for these programs as of 2026-09-08.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K400CB652I8ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K400CB652I7 | EP20K400CB652C7ES | EP20K400CB652C9ES | EP20K400CB652C9N | EP20K400CB652C9 | EP20K400CB652C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 652-BGA | 652-BGA - same | 652-BGA - same | 652-BGA - same | 652-BGA - same | 652-BGA - same | 652-BGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 |
| Speed Grade | I8ES | I7 (faster) | C7ES (commercial) | C9ES (fastest) | C9N (fastest, lead-free) | C9 (fastest) | C8N (lead-free) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 to +100 °C TJ) | Industrial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial |
| User I/O Pins | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 212992 | 212992 | 212992 | 212992 | 212992 | 212992 | 212992 |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest gate density within the 652-BGA APEX 20KC sub-family (vs EP20K200CB652I8 (lower-density APEX 20KC sibling))
- Industrial temperature rating for harsh-environment deployments (vs EP20K400CB652C7ES (commercial-grade speed variant))
- Speed-grade balance for cost-sensitive retrofits (vs EP20K400CB652I7 (faster industrial speed grade))
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical usage (60% logic utilization, 100 MHz internal clock), EP20K400CB652I8ES draws roughly 0.8-1.2 A from the 1.8 V VCCINT rail, giving about 1.5-2.2 W of core power dissipation. Add 0.5-1.0 A total across the VCCIO banks for switching I/Os. Place a minimum 100 µF of bulk decoupling near the BGA plus 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF ceramics within 5 mm of the package. Verify VCCINT ramp time is between 1 ms and 100 ms for proper configuration.
Estimated: the 652-BGA package has a theta-JA of approximately 8-12 °C/W with 4-layer PCB and adequate thermal vias. At 2 W total dissipation and 70 °C ambient, junction temperature rises about 16-24 °C above ambient, keeping TJ below the 100 °C industrial limit. For high-IO switching loads, ensure at least 4 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 1 oz copper) under the die-attached center balls.
Route all eight I/O banks independently with separate VCCIO planes - mixing 3.3 V and 2.5 V I/O standards on the same bank can cause latch-up. Keep JTAG chain signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) on an inner layer with a ground guard on both sides to avoid noise injection during configuration. Maintain 50 Ω characteristic impedance on high-speed SERDES-equivalent LVDS lanes.
Do not float nCONFIG or nSTATUS - both require 10 kΩ pull-ups to VCCINT. The MSEL pins must be tied to a fixed logic level for the desired configuration mode; leaving them floating causes intermittent configuration failure. After power-up, the CONF_DONE pin must transition high within 250 ms or the design is considered failed and a re-config is required.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free and halogen-free status for EP20K400CB652I8ES were not present in the verified web data; set to unknown and recommend checking the manufacturer product page or distributor compliance documentation directly.
