EP20K600CB652I9 - APEX 20KC 600K Gates FPGA | Intel | BGA-652
MPN: EP20K600CB652I9 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $245 | $2,450.00 |
| 50 | $210 | $10,500.00 |
| 100 | $185 | $18,500.00 |
| 500 | $165 | $82,500.00 |
EP20K600CB652I9 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device (PLD) that integrates configurable logic blocks (LABs), embedded memory, and I/O elements on a single die. APEX 20KC belongs to the broader hierarchy PLD -> programmable logic -> FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> high-density logic device, and is positioned in the system stack between discrete logic ICs and ASICs, offering hardware-level parallelism with software-reconfigurable functionality.
Key features of the EP20K600CB652I9 include 480 general-purpose I/O lines plus 4 dedicated inputs (488 I/O total), embedded system blocks for memory and arithmetic, MultiVolt I/O support, and JTAG-based in-system programmability via the IEEE Std 1149.1 boundary-scan interface. The 0.15 µm process and 1.8 V core deliver a balance of high logic density with reasonable dynamic power for its class.
The device employs a LUT-based architecture (Look-Up Table logic elements) combined with dedicated carry chains, cascade chains, and embedded memory blocks, allowing efficient implementation of wide datapaths, FIFOs, and DSP-style functions. The 24,320-cell capacity scales to roughly 30K to 40K ASIC gates equivalent after typical utilization factors are applied.
Typical applications include telecommunications line cards, network switches and routers, industrial control and automation, military/aerospace signal processing, and prototyping of ASIC designs. The 488 I/O and high gate count make it well suited for bus-intensive glue logic, protocol bridges, and embedded control blocks.
When designing with EP20K600CB652I9, plan JTAG chain topology before PCB layout, place all decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every supply pin, and verify I/O bank voltage compatibility with connected peripherals.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the same Altera/Intel APEX 20KC family, and practical design notes not found in a single datasheet, giving procurement and engineering teams a single decision point for this legacy high-density FPGA.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K600CB652I9 — 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 EP20K600CB652I9 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Maximum Operating Frequency, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K600CB652I8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$158 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$149 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652C9N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$128 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652C9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$142.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CB652I9 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KC |
| Logic Elements (Cells) | 24,320 |
| Maximum Gates | 600,000 |
| Maximum System Frequency | 250 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Package | PBGA652 / LBGA-652 |
| Package Width | 45 mm |
| Terminal Pitch | 1.27 mm |
| Number of Terminals | 652 (ball) |
| I/O Lines (GPIO) | 480 |
| Dedicated Inputs | 4 |
| Total I/O | 488 |
| Device Type | Loadable PLD (FPGA) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial ('I' suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP20K600CB652I9 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A26 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B26 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin AA1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin AA26 | I/O — User I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin AB1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin AB26 | I/O — User I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin GND | GND — Ground (multiple balls) |
| Pin VCCINT | VCCINT — 1.8 V core supply (multiple balls) |
| Pin VCCIO | VCCIO — I/O bank supply (multiple balls, MultiVolt) |
| Pin DEV_CLRn | DEV_CLRn — Device-wide clear (active low) |
| Pin DEV_OE | DEV_OE — Device-wide output enable (active low) |
| Pin nCONFIG | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin nSTATUS | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin CONF_DONE | CONF_DONE — Configuration done (open drain) |
| Pin TCK | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin TMS | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin TDI | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin TDO | TDO — JTAG test data out |
Typical Applications
EP20K600CB652I9 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card Logic, Industrial Control and Automation Backplane, Network Switch and Router Datapath, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Legacy Hardware Maintenance and Bridge Logic.
Telecommunications Line Card Logic
The EP20K600CB652I9 fits telecom line-card designs through its 600K-gate capacity, 488 user I/O, and 250 MHz system frequency on a 1.8 V core. With 24,320 logic elements, the device can implement framer/mapper functions, ATM cell delineation, and protocol-bridge glue logic while leaving headroom for ingress metering. The 652-ball PBGA supports the wide parallel buses and LVDS pairs typical of telecom backplanes, and the APEX 20KC family's embedded system blocks reduce external memory chips by serving as on-chip FIFOs. Compared to a discrete-logic implementation, designers consolidate an entire line interface into one BGA, cutting board area, BOM count, and timing-skew issues across multiple packages.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation Backplane
The EP20K600CB652I9 is well matched to industrial backplane controllers because its industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) handles factory-floor environments, while its 480 GPIO provide ample channels for sensor aggregation, motor-control PWM, and HMI interfacing. The 0.15 µm CMOS process and 1.8 V core deliver predictable thermal behavior under continuous operation, and the embedded memory blocks serve as deterministic buffers for time-critical control loops. Compared to a microcontroller plus CPLD partition, this single-chip approach removes inter-IC latency, simplifies firmware partitioning, and provides hardware-level determinism required by IEC 61131-style PLC logic.
Recommended
Network Switch and Router Datapath
The EP20K600CB652I9 suits Layer-2/3 datapath acceleration in network switches because the 488 I/O and 24,320 logic elements can implement multi-gigabit packet classifiers, queue managers, and table-lookup engines in a single device. The 250 MHz internal frequency supports wire-speed processing at common backplane rates, while the PBGA652 package gives the routing density needed for parallel PHY interfaces. Compared to an ASIC approach, the FPGA's reconfigurability allows field upgrades for new protocols and bug fixes without respinning silicon, dramatically reducing NRE cost for moderate-volume networking gear.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP20K600CB652I9 has long been a workhorse for ASIC prototyping because designers can map RTL intended for a multi-million-gate ASIC into multiple APEX 20KC devices with predictable partitioning. The 600K-gate capacity maps to roughly 1.5-2 million ASIC gates after typical utilization (60-70%), and the JTAG-based configuration supports rapid design-iteration cycles. Compared to expensive dedicated emulator hardware, using stock APEX 20KC FPGAs in a multi-FPGA partition delivers adequate emulation speed at a fraction of the cost, especially for designs targeting telecom or networking ASICs.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP20K600CB652I9's industrial temperature range, high logic density, and proven CMOS process make it applicable to legacy military and aerospace subsystems where the part has been qualified by long-standing designs. Its 488 I/O handle parallel sensor arrays, radar IF processing glue logic, and avionics bus interfaces, while the 1.8 V core minimizes power draw in size/weight-constrained platforms. Compared to rad-hard FPGAs, the APEX 20KC trades radiation tolerance for cost and density, suiting it to sheltered avionics bays rather than space-grade applications.
Recommended
Legacy Hardware Maintenance and Bridge Logic
The EP20K600CB652I9 remains in demand for maintaining legacy systems where redesign is not feasible — for example, replacing worn-out FPGAs in deployed telecom, industrial, or test-and-measurement equipment. The 488 I/O and MultiVolt I/O bank support make it a flexible glue-logic replacement for multiple discrete CPLDs, and the JTAG interface simplifies board-level diagnostics. Compared to redesigning around a modern FPGA, a like-for-like EP20K600CB652I9 swap preserves firmware, schematics, and qualification artifacts, dramatically shortening the time and cost of a sustaining-engineering repair.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K600CB652I9 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K600CB652I8 | EP20K600CB652I8N | EP20K600CB652I7N | EP20K600CB652C9N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | PBGA652 (45 mm) | PBGA652 (45 mm) - same | PBGA652 (45 mm) - same | PBGA652 (45 mm) - same | PBGA652 (45 mm) - same |
| Family | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC |
| Logic Elements | 24,320 | 24,320 (same) | 24,320 (same) | 24,320 (same) | 24,320 (same) |
| Maximum Gates | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 |
| Speed Grade | I9 (fastest industrial) | I8 (slower than I9) | I8 (slower than I9) | I7 (slowest) | C9 (commercial grade, I9 speed) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial | Industrial | Industrial | Commercial (0C to 85C) |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Typical Qty-1 Price (USD) | 285.00 | 265.00 | 270.00 | 245.00 | 255.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade within APEX 20KC 652-ball industrial family (vs EP20K600CB652I8)
- Industrial temperature rating with full 250 MHz performance (vs EP20K600CB652C9N)
- Maximum I/O count in 652-ball footprint (488 user I/O) (vs EP20K400CB652I9)
Design Notes
The EP20K600CB652I9 requires a clean 1.8 V VCCINT rail capable of delivering up to ~1.5 A during configuration and high-utilization operation. Place 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every VCCINT ball and bulk 22 µF tantalum or polymer caps near each VCCINT region. Estimated: with 24,320 logic elements at 60% utilization switching at 100 MHz toggling rate, the device draws approximately 0.8-1.0 A; verify with the Quartus PowerPlay analyzer for your design.
Estimated: at full I/O toggle on a 0.15 µm process at 250 MHz, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) on a PBGA652 with adequate PCB copper is roughly 15-20 C/W. Designers should provide a continuous ground plane directly under the BGA, with thermal vias connecting to inner copper layers, and ensure junction temperature stays below 100 C for industrial-grade parts. Forced-air cooling is recommended for designs operating above 200 MHz with high I/O activity.
The PBGA652 package with 1.27 mm pitch requires 4-layer or higher PCB stack-up with controlled-impedance routing for LVDS and clock signals. Use microvia or via-in-pad construction to fan out the inner-row balls; avoid dog-bone fan-out where signal integrity matters. Maintain 50 Ω single-ended and 100 Ω differential characteristic impedance on high-speed traces, and keep matched-length pairs within 150 mils for DDR-style interfaces.
Do not confuse EP20K600CB652I9 (industrial temp, fastest speed grade) with EP20K600CB652C9 (commercial temp, same speed) or EP20K600CB652I7 (industrial, slowest speed) — they share pinout but differ in temperature range and timing margin. Also note that the APEX 20KC configuration scheme uses 1.8 V VCCINT — connecting it to legacy 5 V VCC will damage the device. Use the Quartus programmer via JTAG (TCK/TMS/TDI/TDO) for in-system programming, never apply voltage to configuration pins before VCCINT ramps.
Compliance Information
RoHS/lead-free status not confirmed in provided data — verify with distributor lot documentation. AEC-Q100 not applicable (this is a high-density FPGA, not an automotive analog/digital IC).
