EP20K600CF672-1X - APEX 20KC 600K Gates FPGA, 672-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP20K600CF672-1X ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $95 | $95,000.00 |
EP20K600CF672-1X Overview
An APEX 20KC device is a high-density SRAM-based FPGA belonging to the PLD (programmable logic device) hierarchy: FPGA -> PLD -> programmable logic -> semiconductor IC. The MultiCore architecture interleaves logic array blocks (LABs) with embedded system blocks that can be configured as memory (dual-port RAM, ROM, FIFO) or as a product-term logic engine. This hybrid architecture enables single-chip implementation of logic-plus-memory datapaths that historically required a discrete FPGA plus external SRAM, simplifying board layout and reducing BOM cost.
Key features of the EP20K600CF672-1X include a maximum of 600,000 typical gates, up to 31,104 logic elements distributed across MegaLAB structures, embedded memory capacity in the ESBs, and four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock multiplication and skew management. The 672-pin BGA package supports a wide I/O bank count with LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and GTL+ compatible I/O standards, plus dedicated double-data-rate (DDR) support. The -1X speed grade specifies worst-case commercial timing, and the X-suffixed ordering code typically indicates lead-free / RoHS-compliant assembly.
The APEX 20KC family uses SRAM-based configuration cells and must be configured at every power-up by an external PROM or system processor. The integrated JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) port supports boundary-scan testing and the SignalTap-style in-system verification workflow that Altera later formalized as SignalTap II. The four PLLs provide frequency synthesis from a single reference clock, enabling multiple clock domains with sub-nanosecond skew.
Typical applications include multi-channel network line cards, telecom backplane glue logic, complex state-machine controllers, high-speed data-path interfacing between microprocessors and peripherals, and DSP co-processing where the embedded multipliers and dual-port memory blocks accelerate filter and transform operations. The device's combination of high logic density, ample I/O, and embedded memory remains attractive for legacy system retrofits and long-lifecycle industrial platforms.
When designing with the EP20K600CF672-1X, ensure that the Altera Quartus II design tool supports this legacy APEX 20KC device (Quartus II 13.0 is the last release line with formal APEX 20K support). Verify power-budget thermal dissipation at the full 600K-gate utilization, and confirm that your PCB BGA land pattern matches the CF672 1.27 mm-pitch BGA specification. EOL programs should be evaluated: APEX 20KC is in NRND/last-time-buy lifecycle.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing from open-market sources, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives from the same APEX 20K family, and practical design notes that are not bundled in the manufacturer datasheet. Engineers seeking an APEX 20KC 600K-gate 672-BGA FPGA with the -1 speed grade should compare availability before committing to a new design.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K600CF672-1X — 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 EP20K600CF672-1X (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Speed Grade, Family, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K600CF672C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$2267.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672C8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$322.4109 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672C9
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$171 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$108 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CEF672C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$98.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600EFC672-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$980 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672-1X Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | APEX 20KC |
| Device Family | APEX 20KC MultiCore FPGA |
| Maximum Typical Gates | 600,000 |
| Logic Elements | 31,104 (per Altera APEX 20KC datasheet family) |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | up to 256 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Package | 672-ball BGA (CF672), 1.27 mm pitch |
| Speed Grade | -1 (industrial speed grade, X = lead-free) |
| Process Technology | 0.18 um SRAM CMOS |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), EPC passive serial |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per Alibaba distributor listing: "RoHS Compliant") |
EP20K600CF672-1X 672-ball bga (cf672), 1.27 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K600CF672-1X (672-ball bga (cf672), 1.27 mm pitch 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 EP20K600CF672-1X.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K600CF672-1X is suitable for 7 applications: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Backplane Bridge / Protocol Converter, Legacy DSP Co-Processor / FIR Filter Engine, Network Switch Control Plane, Medical Imaging Pipeline Interface, Aerospace / Avionics Display Controller, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
The EP20K600CF672-1X fits telecom line-card glue logic because its 600,000-gate MultiCore architecture integrates high-density logic with embedded system blocks (ESBs) configured as dual-port RAM and FIFOs - eliminating the need for a companion SRAM on the line card. With 31,104 logic elements and up to 256 ESBs, the device implements multiple framer/mapper functions in a single chip, reducing BOM and board area. The four on-chip PLLs synthesize independent clock domains for TDM bus, SERDES reference, and backplane fabric from a single 38.88 MHz reference. Engineers typically pair the FPGA with a network processor (e.g., Intel IXP) using UTOPIA or POS-PHY Level-3 interfaces, where the -1 speed grade's larger timing margins ease timing closure across -40 to +85 C industrial temperatures.
Recommended
Industrial Backplane Bridge / Protocol Converter
The EP20K600CF672-1X is ideal for industrial backplane protocol conversion (e.g., VME, CompactPCI, custom LVDS fabrics) because its 672-ball BGA exposes enough user I/O for multi-bridge fan-out while the embedded system blocks buffer packets without external SRAM. The device's JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan support simplifies board test in legacy backplane assemblies where today's FPGAs lack BGA-compatible footprints. Designers use the APEX 20KC's 4 PLLs to deskew incoming clocks and generate the multiple frequencies required by LVDS and GTL+ backplane standards. The lead-free (-1X) assembly finish matches modern industrial PCBA requirements while preserving mechanical compatibility with existing CF672 footprints.
Recommended
Legacy DSP Co-Processor / FIR Filter Engine
The EP20K600CF672-1X accelerates DSP operations in legacy systems where modern FPGA soft-IP cores (DSP blocks, transceivers) are unavailable: the APEX 20KC ESBs configured as ROM hold FIR filter coefficients while the LUT logic implements parallel MAC datapaths. The 600K-gate capacity supports multiple simultaneous FIR filters operating at 100-200 MHz system clocks, ideal for radar preprocessing, software-defined radio baseband, and audio beamforming. Designers typically use the device as a coprocessor to a DSP microprocessor (e.g., TI TMS320C6x), sharing data via a 32-bit host-port interface. The -1X speed grade provides adequate timing margin across the industrial temperature range for fan-cooled chassis deployments.
Recommended
Network Switch Control Plane
The EP20K600CF672-1X fits network switch control-plane designs where Layer-2/3 forwarding tables, ACL lookup engines, and management interfaces must coexist on a single programmable device. The 31,104 logic elements implement multi-port TCAM emulation and hashing accelerators, while ESBs configured as dual-port RAM provide on-chip table memory with sub-10 ns access latency - critical for wire-speed forwarding. The 672-BGA CF672 footprint delivers sufficient I/O for 24+ GbE MAC interfaces plus management Ethernet. Designers pair the device with external PHY and switch ASIC, using the APEX 20KC's JTAG port for in-system firmware updates without board removal - essential for managed switch field servicing.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Pipeline Interface
The EP20K600CF672-1X interfaces medical imaging pipelines (MRI, CT, ultrasound front-ends) where high-throughput pixel data must be buffered, color-space converted, and dispatched to a host workstation in real time. The APEX 20KC's embedded system blocks implement line buffers and lookup tables for gamma correction, while the LUT logic runs color-space conversion matrices at pixel-clock rates up to 200 MHz. The 672-BGA package supports the wide parallel LVDS buses used between image sensors and processing hardware, and the 4 PLLs synthesize the multiple clock domains required for sensor, host, and display interfaces. The -1X lead-free finish and industrial temperature range match medical equipment PCB assembly and reliability requirements.
Recommended
Aerospace / Avionics Display Controller
The EP20K600CF672-1X targets avionics display controllers where ARINC 429/664 channels, video overlay logic, and redundancy-management functions must coexist on a radiation-tolerant, lead-free FPGA. The 600K-gate APEX 20KC delivers ample logic for multi-window display compositing and symbol overlay, while the embedded system blocks hold video lookup tables and ARINC message buffers. The 672-BGA CF672 package provides enough I/O for multiple RGB/ LVDS display interfaces plus avionics databuses. Designers use the four PLLs to generate pixel clocks, ARINC bit rates, and a redundant-clock domain for cross-channel monitoring, leveraging the -1X suffix's lead-free finish and industrial temperature rating for DO-254 compliance programs.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EP20K600CF672-1X fits bench-top and ATE instrumentation where pattern generation, protocol-aware triggering, and DSP pre-processing must integrate in a single programmable device. The APEX 20KC's high logic density implements deep stimulus-pattern sequencers, while the ESBs configured as dual-port RAM store capture buffers of 100K+ samples per channel. The 672-BGA CF672 footprint exposes 400+ user I/Os for multi-channel stimulus/response buses, and the four PLLs synthesize independent sample rates for each measurement channel. Designers use the JTAG port for at-speed verification during board bring-up, leveraging the -1X lead-free finish to comply with current RoHS/REACH regulations while supporting field-service firmware updates.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K600CF672-1X — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K600CF672C7 | EP20K600CF672C8 | EP20K600CF672C9 | EP20K600CF672C7N | EP20K600CEF672C7 | EP20K600EFC672-1X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-ball BGA (CF672) | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same | 672-ball BGA (CF672) - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Device Family | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KE |
| Maximum Gates | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 |
| Logic Elements | 31,104 | 31,104 | 31,104 | 31,104 | 31,104 | 31,104 | 31,104 |
| Speed Grade | -1 (slowest commercial) | C7 (mid) | C8 (fast) | C9 (fastest) | C7 + lead-free | C7 | -1 |
| Lead-Free Assembly | Yes (X suffix) | Per datasheet | Per datasheet | Per datasheet | Yes (N suffix) | Per datasheet | Yes (X suffix) |
| Pin / Ball Count | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Speed grade -1 provides the largest timing margins for new-design bring-up (vs EP20K600CF672C9)
- Lead-free (-1X suffix) assembly finish for RoHS compliance (vs EP20K600CF672C7)
- APEX 20KC family with mature Quartus II 13.0 tool-chain support (vs EP20K600EFC672-1X)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 600K-gate utilization, 0.18 um APEX 20KC core power can reach 3-5 W with toggle rates of 12-25 percent across all logic elements. The 672-BGA package has a typical theta_JA of 8-12 C/W on a 4-layer PCB with minimal thermal vias; this implies a junction-temperature rise of 25-60 C above ambient at full load. Above 70 C ambient, use thermal vias under the BGA thermal pad and forced airflow to keep Tj below 125 C for industrial-temperature operation.
The 672-ball CF672 BGA has 1.27 mm pitch, which mandates HDI PCB technology with laser-drilled microvias (typically 0.1 mm via-on-pad). Use 4-6 mil trace widths in the BGA escape region and a 1.27 mm via-pad pitch. Place at least 4 thermal vias directly under the BGA thermal pad to a dedicated inner ground plane. Altera's package chapter provides the recommended land pattern and via tenting scheme.
The APEX 20KC SRAM-based configuration is volatile: a configuration PROM (e.g., EPC2, EPC16) is mandatory at every power-up. Failing to initialize configuration within 100 ms can cause the device to enter an undefined state - design your system reset supervisor to hold downstream logic in reset until CONF_DONE asserts. Also note that legacy Quartus II (13.0 is the last release with APEX 20K support) does not auto-detect speed-grade subtleties: explicitly set the device speed grade to -1 in the project settings.
SSO (Simultaneous Switching Output) noise on 672-BGA packages is a known concern with APEX 20KC: limit simultaneous switching I/O banks to 20-25 outputs per bank to keep ground-bounce below 0.5 V. Use Altera's Quartus II SSO Analyzer tool to validate bank assignments. Place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors at every 4th power pin on the BGA, with bulk 10-22 uF tantalum capacitors at each power-rail entry point.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Alibaba distributor listing ('RoHS Compliant'). The 'X' suffix denotes lead-free assembly per Altera's APEX 20K ordering code nomenclature. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA is not an automotive-grade qualified part - this is a general industrial/commercial PLD).
