EP20K400GI655-1 - 400K Gate APEX 20K FPGA | Altera | 655-BGA
MPN: EP20K400GI655-1 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $268 | $2,680.00 |
| 100 | $245 | $24,500.00 |
| 500 | $220 | $110,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $195 | $195,000.00 |
EP20K400GI655-1 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose logic function is defined after manufacturing by the user, rather than at the foundry. FPGAs sit within the programmable logic device (PLD) hierarchy: PLD -> CPLD/FPGA -> SRAM-based/Flash/Antifuse FPGA -> general-purpose/high-speed FPGA. The APEX 20K series pioneered the combination of look-up tables (LUTs) for fine-grained logic with embedded memory blocks (ESBs) and product-term arrays, enabling designers to integrate microcontrollers, memory, and glue logic on a single die.
Key features include 16,640 logic elements, 212,992 bits of embedded memory distributed across Embedded System Blocks (ESBs), 4 phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, multi-voltage I/O support, and JTAG-based IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test. The part is pin-compatible with other APEX 20K400 devices in CPGA-655 footprints (such as EP20K400GC655-1 variants) when migrating across speed grades.
Architecturally, the device is built on a 0.18 micrometer CMOS process with four-input LUTs and dedicated high-speed interconnect. The MegaWizard Plug-in Manager for the Altera Quartus II tool suite generates IP cores (UARTs, FIFOs, DSP blocks, memory controllers) that map directly onto the ESB and LUT fabric, achieving densities approaching 400,000 usable gates in the largest members of the family.
Typical applications include telecommunications line cards and baseband processing, ASIC prototyping and emulation, industrial control and test equipment, high-speed data acquisition, and military/aerospace systems. The 502 user I/O pins make it attractive for parallel bus bridging and backplane interfacing.
When designing with the EP20K400GI655-1, plan carefully for the CPGA-655 ceramic package: it requires a socketed or soldered through-hole footprint, and the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance demands a heatsink at high toggle rates. Always use the Quartus II (legacy) toolchain for bitstream generation since this device predates Intel Quartus Prime device support.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, with all pricing references stated as of 2026-09-08.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K400GI655-1 — 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 EP20K400GI655-1 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Package Type, Propagation Delay, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K400GC655-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$135 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400GC655-1V
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$555 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400GC655-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$193.04 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400GC655-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$80 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400GC655-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$310 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400GI655-1 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20K |
| Device Series | EP20K400 |
| Technology | CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Logic Elements | 16640 |
| Typical Gates | 400000 |
| Maximum User I/O | 502 |
| Dedicated Inputs | 4 |
| Total Terminals | 655 |
| Propagation Delay | 2.5 ns |
| Package Type | Ceramic Pin Grid Array (CPGA-655) |
| JESD-30 Package Code | S-CPGA-P655 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level | MSL 1 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 C |
| Programmability | In-system, JTAG boundary-scan (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Process Node | 0.18 micrometer CMOS |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP20K400GI655-1 s-cpga-p655 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K400GI655-1 (s-cpga-p655 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 EP20K400GI655-1.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K400GI655-1 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Control and Test Equipment, High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems, Military and Aerospace Avionics, Legacy Networking Infrastructure Router.
Telecommunications Line Card Processing
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits telecommunications line cards because its 502 user I/O pins can drive wide parallel TDM buses, framer interfaces, and backplane connectors simultaneously, while 16,640 logic elements host multi-channel HDLC controllers, ATM segmentation-and-reassembly blocks, and cell routing fabrics. The 2.5 ns propagation delay on the -1 speed grade comfortably supports 155 Mbps POS-PHY and 622 Mbps UTOPIA interfaces with margin. Embedded system blocks (ESBs) provide on-chip FIFOs that absorb burst traffic between line-side and switch-fabric clocks. Industrial -40C to +85C operation suits outdoor base-station and central-office environments. Designers use JTAG boundary-scan during board-level testing to verify pin connectivity on dense backplane assemblies.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits ASIC prototyping because its 400,000 typical gates can host a near-complete ASIC netlist with margin for debug instrumentation and additional test logic. The 16,640 logic elements plus 212,992 ESB memory bits accommodate register-rich CPU cores, peripherals, and bus structures typical of contemporary ASIC designs. Designers partition a multi-million-gate ASIC across multiple APEX 20K devices using JTAG daisy-chaining and dedicated clock pins for inter-FPGA synchronization. The 502 user I/O pins route thousands of signals to the surrounding PCB verification environment. Quartus II software provides full timing-driven compilation, ensuring prototype timing behavior closely matches the silicon ASIC implementation. Industrial temperature rating suits prototype boards running in accelerated stress chambers.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Test Equipment
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits industrial control and test equipment because its 502 user I/O can drive dozens of optically isolated relays, sensors, and stepper-motor phases concurrently while the logic fabric implements real-time control loops, PID algorithms, and Modbus/Profibus protocol stacks. The 2.5 ns propagation delay supports deterministic state-machine response times critical for safety interlocks. ESB memory blocks store lookup tables for sensor calibration curves and waveform synthesis. The industrial -40C to +85C temperature range handles factory-floor thermal cycling without derating. JTAG-based in-system programmability lets field technicians update firmware via test headers without removing the module from the chassis, dramatically reducing service intervals.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits high-speed data acquisition systems because its 502 user I/O can interface to multi-channel ADC/DAC arrays running at 100+ MSPS while the 16,640 logic elements implement digital down-conversion, FIR filtering, and trigger logic in real time. The 4 dedicated clock inputs accept independent ADC sample clocks and synchronization triggers. ESB blocks store FIR coefficients and waveform buffers, eliminating external SRAM on many designs. With 2.5 ns propagation delay on the -1 grade, sample-to-decision latency is predictable and consistent. The ceramic CPGA-655 package provides excellent thermal conductivity for sustained high-toggle-rate acquisition. JTAG scan chains simplify board bring-up of multi-board acquisition systems.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Avionics
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits military and aerospace avionics because the ceramic CPGA-655 package provides hermetic sealing required for high-reliability and extended-temperature environments per MIL-STD-883. The industrial -40C to +85C operating range (with extended military screening available) supports avionics bay thermal envelopes. The 502 user I/O accommodates MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and RS-422 interfaces simultaneously alongside discrete avionics signals. ESBs implement reliable dual-port memory for redundant processor communication. JTAG boundary-scan supports built-in test (BIT) requirements for flight-critical systems. Long-term Altera device support and bitstream compatibility allow legacy program lifing without full hardware redesign, a critical advantage for avionics programs with decades-long deployment cycles.
Recommended
Legacy Networking Infrastructure Router
The EP20K400GI655-1 fits legacy router and switch designs because its 502 I/O can drive multi-gigabit SERDES-side logic, packet buffer interfaces, and management Ethernet ports simultaneously while the 16,640 logic elements implement forwarding tables, CAM lookups, and queue managers. The 4 dedicated inputs accept high-frequency reference clocks for PHY synchronization. ESBs provide distributed packet buffer memory for line-rate forwarding on lower-speed ports. Industrial temperature rating suits central-office deployment in climate-controlled but unconditioned telecom spaces. JTAG-based in-system programming enables remote firmware updates via management interfaces. Designers benefit from existing Altera reference designs for IP forwarding, MAC, and bridge functions that target the APEX 20K family.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K400GI655-1 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K400GC655-1 | EP20K400GC655-1V | EP20K400GC655-1X | EP20K400GC655-2 | EP20K400GC655-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | CPGA-655 (Ceramic) | BGA-655 (Plastic) | BGA-655 (Plastic) | BGA-655 (Plastic) | BGA-655 (Plastic) | BGA-655 (Plastic) |
| Logic Elements | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 | 16640 |
| Speed Grade | -1 (2.5 ns) | -1 | -1V | -1X | -2 (faster) | -3 (fastest) |
| User I/O | 502 | 502 | 502 | 502 | 502 | 502 |
| Bitstream Compatibility | Yes (Quartus II APEX 20K) | Yes (same family) | Yes (same family) | Yes (same family) | Yes (timing closure required) | Yes (timing closure required) |
| PCB Redesign Required | N/A (this part) | Yes (CPGA to BGA) | Yes (CPGA to BGA) | Yes (CPGA to BGA) | Yes (CPGA to BGA) | Yes (CPGA to BGA) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (2026-09-08) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Ceramic CPGA-655 hermetic package for harsh-environment reliability (vs EP20K400GC655-1)
- Wider industrial temperature range for outdoor deployment (vs EP20K400GC655-2)
- Same APEX 20K bitstream compatibility allows design reuse (vs EP20K400GC655-1V)
- Higher I/O count than smaller-footprint APEX 20K variants (vs EP20K400FI672-1)
Design Notes
The EP20K400GI655-1 ceramic CPGA-655 package dissipates significant heat during high toggle-rate operation. Estimated: at 50% I/O toggle rate with 3.3V VCCIO and 1.8V VCCINT, internal power can reach 5-8W. The CPGA ceramic body allows direct heatsink attachment via thermal compound on the top of the package; forced-air cooling (200 LFM minimum) is recommended for sustained operation above 70C ambient. Designers should monitor junction temperature using the on-die thermal diode and embedded temperature-sensing ESB block.
The 655-pin ceramic pin grid array requires plated through-hole pads on a 2.54 mm pitch grid arranged in a 47x47 array with interstitial pin rows. Verified data confirms the JESD-30 code S-CPGA-P655. PCB stackup should dedicate 4-6 layers to provide continuous power and ground planes directly beneath the FPGA to minimize VCCIO/VCCINT loop inductance. Decoupling requires 0.1 uF X7R ceramics within 5 mm of every power pin plus bulk tantalum or polymer capacitors (47-100 uF) near the package edges.
Do not attempt to use the modern Intel Quartus Prime toolchain for bitstream generation on the EP20K400GI655-1; only the legacy Altera Quartus II (version 9.1 or earlier) supports this APEX 20K device. Confirm configuration mode (PS, AS, JTAG) and MSEL pin strapping before board bring-up. Pin 1 is identified by the ceramic package corner marking, not by silkscreen orientation alone. When migrating between speed grades (-1 to -2 or -3), always re-run timing analysis because setup and hold margins shift non-linearly across the speed bins.
Drive the 502 user I/O pins with matched-impedance traces (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential) using controlled-impedance PCB stackup. The 2.5 ns propagation delay on the -1 grade translates to roughly 80-120 MHz maximum toggle rate per pin, but simultaneous-switching output (SSO) noise can degrade signal integrity if more than 20 outputs toggle within the same I/O bank. Verified data lists 4 dedicated inputs plus the user I/O; reserve the dedicated inputs for high-speed clocks and global signals to minimize skew.
Compliance Information
Obsolete Altera (now Intel) APEX 20K FPGA. Ceramic CPGA-655 package with MSL 1 and 220 C peak reflow compatibility. RoHS compliance confirmed; AEC-Q100 not applicable as this is a logic/FPGA device rather than an automotive-grade analog IC.
